Destination: Tajikistan

An Antipodean travel company serving World Travellers since 1983

Tajikistan tours for seniors

Ruggedly mountainous, Tajikistan in Central Asia is home to some of the most awe-inspiring and dramatic landscapes in the world. With little tourism in the paste decades, this corner of the Earth remains relatively untouched despite a plethora of mountains perfect for trekking and scores of multi-hued lakes begging to be photographed. Travel is starting to open up in Tajikistan but the landscape remains wild and otherworldly. With an abundance of natural beauty on offer as well as incredible hospitality on behalf of the people, there are plenty of reasons to visit Tajikistan.

Tajikistan Tours

Tours for Mature Aged and Senior World Travellers

Guaranteed
Tajikstan small group cultural tour

7 days

Jun, Sep

Tajikistan Tour | Central Asian Small Group Tour

Visiting Tajikistan

We explore the country’s astonishing scenery and monuments. Tajikistan is the smallest of the 5 ‘Stans and is also the most mountainous. On our small group tour for couples and solo travelers we encounter many ranges and mountain chains where we reach well over 3,000 metres above sea level while crossing passes.

From A$4,650 AUD

View Tour

From the most ancient times, the territory of Tajikistan lay on the most important trade route in the world: the great Silk Road. The Silk Road linked the East with the West, allowing for the exchange of material goods as well as cultures, ideas and people. Historical sources mention the Tajik people and note their contributions to the thriving commerce and cultural exchange of the time, especially between the 5th and 12th centuries.

Dushanbe, the capital, is surrounded by rugged mountains, whose snowy caps you can glimpse while you stroll through the city. It is built around a cluster of parks, lakes and fountains which adds to the beautiful scenery. One of the city’s greatest monuments is the epic statue of Ismail Samani, the founder of the Samanid dynasty, that is made of gold and presides over Friendship Square.

Khorog is the capital of the is the capital of the Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Region in Tajikistan. The GBAO is an autonmous region located in the Pamir Mountains, making Khorog the perfect base from which to explore ‘the Roof of the World’. However, you do need a GBAO permit to visit this area, which you can apply for with a visa.

Outside of the cities, you will find plenty of opportunities to explore the incredible upland. Local villages dot the mountainous landscape and travellers can stay in a traditional yurt as they make their way through the country. While getting around can prove something of a challenge, the country is home to one of the world’s best road trips with the Pamir Highway. The Pamir Highway is the second highest international highway and winds you through the Himalayas, providing unrivalled views of the Tajikistan.

Articles about Tajikistan

Bibi Khanum Mosque in Samarkand, Uzbekistan

Elements of Mosque Architecture

The word "mosque" often brings to mind not this simple prayer space, but the ornately decorated monuments built by powerful Islamic rulers.

28 Nov 19 · 8 mins read
Read Article
Silk Road

Xi'an, the Beginning of the Silk Road: Definitive Guide for Travellers

Xi’an, the Beginning of the Silk Road The bustling city of Xi’an (“Western Peace”) in China‘s Shaanxi Province is one of China’s oldest cities and perhaps also its most culturally significant: as the ancient city…

29 Mar 19 · 8 mins read
Read Article
Transmongolian Transiberian

Trans-Siberian Railway: Travel advice

The Trans Siberian rail journey, often a must do for many travellers. Join a small group package tour travelling on the Trans Siberian for mature and senior travellers, couples and solo travellers. Vladivostok, Krasnoyarsk, St Petersburg, Irkutsk all feature on this unique rail journey.

4 Jul 20 · 9 mins read
Read Article
Pamir mountains Tajikstan

Questions about Tajikistan for senior travellers

Explore Tajikstan as part of a tour of the Stans that includes Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan and Kazakhstan as part of a small group tour for senior travellers.

31 Jul 19 · 2 mins read
Read Article
Persian carpet

History of Persian Carpets

History of Persian Carpets: From the Nomadic Tribes of Iran to Europe’s Richest | Small group tours Iran In addition to its gardens and mosaic tiles, Iran (formerly Persia) is famous the world over for…

10 Oct 19 · 10 mins read
Read Article

Touring Tajikistan

The need to know

Getting around

Odyssey travels by coach and occasionally uses local transport, including trains and ferries. Specifics are always outlined in your tour itinerary. The public transportation services in Tajikistan are somewhat limited. Train services across the country are largely restricted to rail lines between a few major cities, with several regions devoid of any rail services. Buses, minibuses and taxis are cheap and commonplace in major cities, though intercity services are few and far between.

Accommodation

In major cities, Odyssey stays in centrally located 3-4 star hotels, with easy access to public transport. In smaller towns or rural areas, we usually stay in family-run hotels or guesthouses.

Tour Guides

Odyssey always engages local guides with regional knowledge to ensure an authentic experience during which you can learn as much as possible about the history and culture of places you visit.

Geography, Environment, & Weather

Tajikistan is a very mountainous country, with mountains covering over 90% of Tajikistan’s surface area. The two dominant mountain ranges of the country are the Pamir and Alay Mountains, while the Tian Shan mountain range rises in the north of Tajikistan. Valleys and rivers cut through the mountainous landscape, while glaciers and lakes characterise the mountains in the east.

The climate in Tajikistan is continental, with hot summers and cold winters. Temperatures often drop below freezing during winter, so depending on when you intend to travel, check the weather reports and dress accordingly.

World Heritage sites

Tajikistan has 2 properties listed on the World Heritage List, with a further 16 listed on the Tentative List. You can view the listed properties here: (https://whc.unesco.org/en/statesparties/tj). The listed properties include:

Proto-urban site of Sarazm, the archaelogical site of one of the earliest urban settlements in Central Asia

Tajik National Park (Mountains of the Pamirs), which covers an area of more than 2.5 million hectares and features towering snow-capped mountains and stunning freshwater lakes.

Festivals & Events

Being a Muslim majority nation in Central Asia, Tajikistan shares several cultural traditions that are widespread throughout the region. Like elsewhere in Central Asia, the Islamic holy month of Ramadan is observed with fasting and prayer, the conclusion of which is celebrated with the Kurban Ait (Eid al-Fitr) holiday, featuring family gatherings and feasting. Another regional event popularly celebrated in Tajikistan is Norvuz, the Persian New Year, which is marked by feasting, parades and concerts. The local traditions and customs of regional Tajikistan are celebrated through local events such as Sayri Guli Lola, a flower festival held in northern Tajikistan, and the Roof of the World Festival (Bam-i Dunya) held in Khorog, which celebrates Pamiri culture with live performances of dance and music.

Reading List

The birth of Tajikistan by Paul Bergne
Transforming Tajikistan: State-building and Islam in Post-Soviet Central Asia by Hélène Thibault
The City Where Dreams Come True by Gulsifat Shahidi
Expressions of Sufi Culture in Tajikistan by Benjamin Gatling

Eating & Drinking

The culinary influences and flavours of Central Asia feature prominently in Tajikistan’s cuisine, with dishes such as palav (rice cooked with onion, carrot and meat), laghmon (meat served with pulled noodles and vegetables), and shurbo (a stew made from meat and vegetables). Non, a flatbread common in Tajikistan, is served with almost every meal, while pastries such as sambusa (triangular pastries filled with meat or vegetable stuffing) are also popularly consumed.

Tea is a focal point for socialising in Tajikistan, with tea often offered as a gesture of hospitality to guests and choykhona (teahouses) acting as social hubs in Tajikistan.

Health & Safety

As of writing, smartraveller advises travellers to exercise a high degree of caution while travelling in Tajikistan due to the potential for civil unrest. In particular, carefully consider your need to travel to border regions with Afghanistan, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan, as well as the Gorno-adakhshan Autonomous Oblast region, due to the risk of violence in these areas.

Electrical Supply

Whenever you travel overseas, it’s always wise to take an appropriate travel adaptor. Tajikistan’s electricity supply runs at 220V and 50Hz. Tajikistan uses Type C and Type I electric plugs, so make sure you have the right travel adaptor with you.

Tour Reviews

The trip to the Tang valley and the Ogyencholing museum were a highlight. Beautiful scenery, wonderful people and one of the best museums I've seen. That night and all next day it snowed - what a buzz. Made everything look magical and improved the scenery for the next few days

Participant March 2017

Bhutan | Small Group Cultural Tour

The local guide, Drukpa, was exceptional value. When I was ill for a couple of days his care for me, assisted by Len, was way beyond my expectation.

Participant March 2017

Bhutan | Small Group Cultural Tour

The tour was fantastic and well organised and well managed. · I have travelled expensively but have not with a travel organisation that comes anywhere near Odyssey's attention to detail and the comfort of its travellers. · The tour was fantastic and well organised and well managed. The transport provided was always very good and where the seats were a little narrow, the bus was big enough for us to 'spread out' for more comfort. · Our accommodation was excellent as was our local guide.I would highly recommend a trip to this beautiful country with many treasures to explore and learn about. Discover Myanmar Nov ‘15

info@odysseytravel.com.au

Discovering Myanmar | Small Group Tour for Seniors

Loved: National Institute of traditional medicine hike to Wanyditse Goemba Punakha festival – definitely a highlight Hanging the prayer flags at the pass! The outdoor picnics! Archery competition! Dumtse Lhakhang – went to heaven!!! Dzong Drak Kha (mini tigers nest) amazing views and climb Sanga Choekor Shedra (Bhuddist College) Drakpa and his team (Nima and Karma) were just amazing. Drakpa was very knowledgeable, friendly, caring and cheerful. He went out of his way to provide us with information and experiences to help our understanding of the culture and religion, he was funny and entertaining and very professional under pressure.Nima was a very competent driver, and I have never felt in safer hands in the difficult driving conditions we were in.

Participant March 2017

Bhutan | Small Group Cultural Tour

I wish to sincerely thank Len for his amazing care, good cheer and flexibility ! Len has that great combination of simultaneous organisation and flexibility, which is so very necessary on a small trip such as this. In his stride, he was able to re-design the program at short notice due to weather conditions (working closely with Drakpa) and the end result was better than the original plan in my opinion!!! It was clear from day one, that Len cared and payed attention to each and every one of us at every step of the way – going out of his way to assist those who needed it. The trust and camaraderie we developed with Len made the trip that much more special! I miss our laughs.

Participant March 2017

Bhutan | Small Group Cultural Tour

We did this tour in 2011. Wonderful, extraordinary experience. Loved every minute.

Rex and Maree

Journey through Mongolia and Russia small group tour

Your chat-operator was informative and helpful. We have covered quite a few countries and seasons to travel. Full marks for that!

Philip Lee

Discovering Myanmar | Small Group Tour for Seniors

FAQs

What is the time zone?

Tajikistan has a single time zone, Tajikistan Time (UTC+5). Daylight savings are not observed in Tajikistan.

Is tipping customary in Tajikistan?

If you’re on an Odyssey tour, we take care of tipping so you don’t need to give it a second thought. However, in your free time, or if travelling independently, it’s essential that you tip an appropriate amount for services. Tipping is not generally expected in Tajikistan, though it is more common in services that cater to tourists, such as tour guides, drivers or higher-end restaurants. A standard tip would be about 10 percent of services.

What is the internet access like in Tajikistan?

Wifi should be freely available in most hotels in major cities, though internet access may be more sporadic in rural areas.

Can I use my mobile/cell phone while in Tajikistan?

Check with your cell phone provider to see whether you’re able to make calls and use data while in Tajikistan. Many providers will allow you to pay a daily fee that allows you to make calls and check the internet while only being charged your regular rates. However, be certain to inform your provider that you’re heading overseas, because just like a bank they can turn off your service as a result of unusual activity.

Responsible travel tips for Tajikistan

  • Learn at least the local greetings to break the ice. Although many locals speak English, the more you know of the native language, the greater your experience of the country will be.
  • Carry a business card in your wallet or purse from your local hotel, to assist you with the return journey if you do become lost.
  • Always ensure that you are covered by travel insurance. If you need advice on this feel free to contact Odyssey and we’ll be able to help.
  • When travelling independently, make sure you check the opening hours of shops and museums so that you don’t miss out! Also be certain to check whether your trip coincides with any public holidays, so you can plan accordingly.
  • Before departing on your trip, contact your bank to inform them that you may be making purchases overseas. Otherwise, they may flag any activity on your account as suspicious. Also, check which ATMs and banks are compatible with your cards, to ensure you can withdraw cash with minimal fees.
  • Before departing, make sure you have a number of somoni in a range of denominations. You don’t want to be carrying around enormous amounts of cash, but take enough to make it easy to pay in locations that might not accept credit card. It will also help you avoid card transaction fees, and it makes tipping a breeze.

Join 22,383 like-minded travellers receiving our weekly newsletter.

Special offers and promotions
A$500 AUD first trip travel voucher
The latest tours and articles