With most of the country covered in mountainous terrain, Tajikistan is a heaven for anyone who enjoys hiking and being outdoors. Within a few hours’ driving distance from the capital Dushanbe, there are numerous excellent locations for trekking, especially in the Zerafshan Valley and in the Fan Mountains. Further away, the Pamir Mountains offer far-removed wilderness amidst some of the most incredible mountain scenery in the region, leading travelers genuinely off the beaten track to nearly inaccessible high-altitude mountain roads that require a strong stomach and tough spirit.
In the Fan Mountains, some of the best hikes traverse between crystal-clear mountain lakes that challenge one’s imagination for the possibilities of natural beauty. Iskander-Kul and Alaudin Lakes are perhaps the best known and most popular locations, both relatively easily accessible from nearby villages. Another option further west in the Fan Mountains is Haft-Kul, or Seven Lakes, which is a collection of seven mountain lakes as its name indicates. I had the opportunity to visit Haft-Kul during the first weekend of my summer language study in Tajikistan, which provided me with the perfect first introduction and spark of inspiration for the rest of my travels in the country in the following months.
We left Dushanbe early in the morning to avoid traffic and road closures, as our trip took place at the same time as Tajikistan was hosting a major international conference and the capital was filled with visiting heads of states and foreign delegations. This proved to be a wise choice, and we had a peaceful drive through near-empty highways towards Panjakent. After about three or four hours, we diverted from the larger roads and started out on the smaller, unpaved mountain tracks leading towards Haft-Kul. As the villages got smaller and smaller, it was fascinating to get a glimpse of various mountain communities and wonder how they endure in the increasingly rural terrain. We had seen agriculture, mining, and some other activities in the larger villages, but life higher up in the mountains was quite different.
The mountain road connects six of the seven lakes, with the last one (Hazor Chashma) being accessible only by foot. There are a variety of hiking options in the area, from longer ones between the lakes to shorter ones around and away from the water. Exploring Haft-Kul over a few days is a good option, with one or more nights spent by the lakes or nearby. Apart from camping, it is possible to stay overnight in homestays in the small villages of Nofin and Shing, which are close to the 4th lake. We stayed in a homestay in Nofin, which was great for being able to see all of the seven lakes and do several hikes over the weekend.
Hiking to Hazor Chasma, the seventh lake, was the ideal conclusion to our trip. The trail ascends next to a river and includes beautiful views of the surrounding mountains. After reaching the lake, there is a small footpath that leads to its other end and offers a different angle of the scenery. Hiking to this more peaceful shore is absolutely worth it, albeit it also involves the dangerous opportunity to plan future adventures elsewhere in Tajikistan to explore the country’s incredible landscapes.
Program: Eurasian Regional Language Program
Term: Summer 2019