- Hiking and MTB
- Days - 15
Discover Tajikistan's rugged mountains through biking and trekking. Challenge yourself on remote roads and enjoy camping under the stars.
The Zarafshan Valley, is truly a vast land of contrasts. With an isolated and historic history shrouded in a mystique all its own, it is a must-see for anyone wishing to experience the surviving remnants of the old Silk Road, isolated and ancient cultures, and an opportunity to partake in history that is thousands of years old
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The valley is a melting pot of Sogdians and other Central Asian tribes, of civilisations dating back to the time of Alexander the Great, who still practise their traditions to this day. Their remarkable legacy is etched in stone in the archaeological sites at Penjkent and Sarazm.
Old Penjkent was a walled city established over 2,500 years ago. It was a major trading city on the Silk Road, a marketplace for valuable commodities from as far away as India, Turkey and Iran. Known to some as the Pompeii of Central Asia, Penjkent now lies in ruin after being sacked by Arab invaders and subsequently abandoned. The archaeological finds continually unearthed here nevertheless reveal many clues and treasures of Penjkent’s diverse historical inhabitants, their religions and past-times, trade products and burial goods.
A short distance from Penjkent is the oldest settlement in central Asia, Sarazm. Estimated to be between 5,500 and 6,000 years old, the name Sarazm simply means “the Beginning of the World”. Thousands of people once lived here, and it was a major metallurgical site in the region. There were ancient mines here for copper and for turquoise, both of which were fashioned by Sarazm’s craftsmen and then traded along the Silk Road. The historical importance of the site is such that it is listed by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site.
The western end of the Zarafshan Valley is little visited these days. The ancient road into Uzbekistan has been closed to foreigners since 2010, and so Penjkent and Sarazm are at the very end of the road within Tajikistan, not en route to anywhere. It is well worth making the effort to come here, however, not only for the monumental cultural significance of the region, but also for the natural beauty and paramount views that frame the area.
Trekking, mountain biking or even donkey riding through this area, you’ll encounter the truly breathtaking sight of the Seven Pearls of the Shing – an oasis of seven lakes in an otherwise barren area – and mountainsides strewn with ancient archaeological finds, ruined cities, long-closed mines, and warm, welcoming populations who will open up their homes to paying guests. link of seven lakes that no picture could ever do the justice to capture.
Little know of the Zarafshan Valley is the district of Matchoi Kuhiston, or Gorno Matcha. This region is largely undiscovered from a tourists point of view, yet envelopes various cultures that have been in the area for millennia. With villages and mines dating back further than the 8th century, through to established and comfortable lodging offered by a very warm and generous people.
The purpose is to tell people that it is an area that is cut-off and little-visited by foreigners, but that they should come here anyway because there is a huge amount to see. Paramount Journey offers numerous travel holidays including trekking trips in Upper Zarafshan and culture holidays with trekking program in Fann mountains.
Responsible travel is at the heart of our mission, and we strive to ensure that all of our tours are designed with sustainability, environmental protection, and community engagement in mind. We are committed to reducing our environmental impact by promoting responsible travel practices, supporting conservation efforts, and minimizing waste. Additionally, we believe in giving back to the communities that we visit by supporting local businesses, using locally-owned guesthouses, promoting cultural awareness, and providing employment opportunities to the local people. We are also dedicated to the growth and development of our industry and invest in our staff through training and capacity building initiatives to ensure that they are equipped to provide the highest level of service to our clients. By choosing to travel with us, you can be confident that your journey will not only be enriching and unforgettable, but also have a positive impact on the people and places you visit.
I visited the Fann Mountains with Paramount Journey in early October for a four-day trek (starting and finishing in Dushanbe). It was my first visit to Tajikistan. Paramount Journey were... read more outstanding from start to finish. Alovaddin was extremely quick to respond and to customise a trip for me, and our guide Humayan was excellent company: engaging, patient and a brilliant source of information on all things Tajik. The trek was challenging, but the views, the campsites, the company and the sheer beauty of the mountains made it amply worth it. Thank you again, and I hope to be able to return one day!
Iskanderkul Weekend - My wife and I and two friends of ours enjoyed an excellent autumn weekend Iskanderkul, one of the top tourist spots in Tajikistan. It was a very smooth and... read more easy process to set up this trip with Alovaddin's expertise. He was very responsive and gave good advice to us as "newbies" to traveling in Tajikistan. He arranged our accomodation, transporation and meals. Our driver, Hussein, was very professional, knowledgeable, gracious and fun. Hussein gave suggestions about places to stop for photos and short hikes. Both Hussein and Alovaddin also speak English very well. We stayed at the Tourist Hotel on the shores of the lake and highly recommend this accomodation. I definitely plan to consult Paramount again for my furture travels in Tajikstan.
Travel to Tajikistan - We took a 7 day tour to Tajikistan taking in Dushanbe and trekking in the Fann Mountains. The mountain scenery was breathtaking and the tour was very professionally arranged.... read more Our Guide spoke perfect English and was very knowledgeable and enthusiastic. We certainly learned a lot about Tajikistan.
A terrific crew took care of the camping arrangements and the trek was carefully thought out and allowed us to acclimatise to the change in altitude. All together an excellent trip and we thoroughly recommend Paramount Journey.
John & Graham
Fanntastic trip to the FANN mountains - We had a fantastic time on our trip to Tajikistan with Paramount. From the beginning, we worked closely with Alovaddin to plan a custom trip. He offered lots of great... read more advice and was very patient and flexible when our group size changed. He also patiently answered our many, many questions.
Once we arrived, everything went smoothly. Our guide - Yun - was so friendly and knowledgeable and genuinely fun to be around. Tajikistan is no easy country to travel around, but Paramount made it as seamless and comfortable as possible and made it easy for us to explore this beautiful country. I hope to return and do another trip to the pamir highway with these guys one day. I wouldn't hesitate to use them or recommend them to anyone!
Couple Travels through Tajikistan & Uzbekistan - If you would like to travel through Tajikistan & Uzbekistan we can highly recommend Paramount Journey. The proposed itinerary was excellent, we were able to incorporate all our wishes and... read more communication before and during the trip was perfect. Once in Tajikistan, we started off in Dushanbe, and did a few days of trekking in the Fann mountains. Afterwards we continued in Uzbekistan and were able to cover a lot of cities thanks to the great organization! The transportation with the drivers worked effortlessly and the guides all exceeded our expectations. All had a very high level of English, a deep knowledge and always went the extra mile. The accommodations were a wonderful mix of home stays and boutique hotels. We had an unforgettable time - thanks a lot for the great organization!
Incredible 7 Day Tour from Dushanbe through the Fann Mountains to Khujand - We partook in a 7 - day tour of Tajikistan from Dushanbe to Khujand and back, stopping in several villages in the Fann Mountains. From the very beginning, it was... read more clear that Paramount Journey provided exemplary service. During the booking process, Alovaddin promptly answered all questions and provided reassurances for all covid-related questions.
Once in Tajikistan, Fahrod, our guide, was excellent, serving as a gracious host, ensuring our comfort was paramount, while also providing endless knowledge about Tajikistan and the days activities. Jurabek, our driver, expertly and safely drove us through the country.
The tour itinerary itself was well paced allowing us to see an array of sites in a given day while leaving time to cool down and rest. The homestays were comfortable despite us being there in winter, and all the food was fantastic.
The tour was incredibly educational giving multiple opportunities to learn about the unique history of Tajikistan, while also giving a unique insight into Tajik culture via the homestays. As a bonus we were able to take several short hikes through jaw-dropping scenery.
Overall a 12/10 experience. Rakhmat!
We made a 3 weeks 2 persons Jeep Tour individually designed for our requiremenst through the Pamirs and the Zerafshan including exploring cities on the old Silk-Road. ... read more The trip was well planned, any queries or changes through Corona caused flight changes Alovaddin reacted super fast and flexible. Alisher is a fantastic driver, professional driving, explaining so much about Tajikistan, stopped everywher to make photos and reading every wish from our lips. We loved the car too. Highly recommended !
Fantastic 7 day Jeep tour in the Zerafshan and Yagnob Valleys and Fan mountains. - Date of tour: September 2019.
Booking process: Booking the tour was very easy. Alovaddin answered all my questions quickly, suggested an itinerary and adjusted it to... read more suit our start/end points and flight times. Excellent service.
Arrival and departure: Our guide( Zikriyo), and our driver (Sher) met us at the Uzbekistan border as planned. Easy to organise. At the end of the trip they took us to the airport at 4am. We were more than happy to get a taxi, but they insisted on driving us. Sums up their attitude throughout. Thanks Zikriyo and Sher.
Tour: Superb tour. Our guide and driver were excellent. Our guide spoke good English, was very knowledgable and made the trip fun. We enjoyed talking to him about Tajikistan, its history, his life and family. Our trip included Penjikent, Shing Valley (7 lakes), Noffin, Marghib, Pskan (Yagnob valley), Saratog (Iskanderkul) and Dushanbe. A particular highlight was the short walk and overnight homestay in Pskan. The homestays and guesthouses were all comfortable, the food was good and plentiful. The length of travelling on each day was well planned. We had plenty of time to explore on the way and at the evening destination. It wasn't rushed so we could get the most of our trip, whether it was a bit of hiking, meeting the locals, or just relaxing as the sun set.
Overall we had a wonderful trip, that showed off some of the best countryside that Tajikistan has to offer. Highly recommended. Thanks Alovaddin, Zikriyo and Sher!
An amazing experience - I did the Fann Montaign trekk with a friend and we enjoyed every step of it: be it the breathtaking landscapes of montaigns, glacier, incredible blues lakes and camps (add... read more to it the dunkeys and their dunkey handlers... You get the view!), or the food (they even prepared a birthday cake, knowing that I was turning 30!and this was an evening I will remember), or just the nice moment spent together talking about tajik lifestyle, enjoying a woodfire or a game of card.
Thank you Rajim, thank you Karaminour, thank you Roumish and Bobo... This memory will stay for long!!!
Fann Mountains Trek - We had a fantastic, well organised 3 night trek through the Fann Mountains.
Yun and the team were fantastic! I cannot fault them. They really cared about us, and... read more made us feel very welcome. The food was delicious, and always plentiful. Yun certainly knows his way around the mountains, and provided us with entertainment along the way.
Pamir & beyond - I had a wonderful experience visiting Tajikistan with Paramount Journey. Alovaddin and his staff organized a trip tailor-made to my wishes and needs. Truly a journey to remember. Highly recommended.
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A particular shout-out to my driver and guide, Alisher. Knowledgeable, patient and funny: the best you could ask for.
Pristine Trek - Incredible Untouched Beauty - This must be one of the few pristine trek left in the world. It is very rough but the sights were amazing. The water in the lakes are crystal clear,... read more creating beautiful different shades of blue when the sunlight shine on them.
Shari and his team from Paramount Journey were great. They are friendly, always making sure that our needs are met. They are always cheerful and had made this difficult trek easier for us. Thank you Shari and team.
The Tajikistan people are very friendly. Never once I felt unsafe in the country, except when I was leaving through airport immigration when a customs officer singled me out and asked me to surrender all my USD. I refused and was held back for more than 10mins.
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