Secrets of Ancient Sogdiana — Tajikistan & Uzbekistan — 6 Days
Sogdiana existed long before the Silk Road became what we know it as today — and the region still holds traces of that era: fire-temple ruins, a settlement over 5,500 years old, and mountain lakes few tourists ever reach. Six days, two mountain lakes, and a finale in Samarkand.
Route
Dushanbe → Margeb → Lake Iskanderkul → Penjikent → Sarazm settlement → Margozor lakes (Haftkul) → Samarkand.
Why this tour
- Lakes and archaeology you won’t find on any of our other routes — without long overland drives across Uzbekistan itself.
- Sarazm is one of the oldest settlements in Central Asia, older than the Egyptian pyramids.
- The seven Margozor lakes, with a lakeside picnic, give the route a natural counterpoint before the architectural finale.
- A compact 6 days makes it easy to pair with any of our other Uzbekistan tours.
Longer versions are available on request: 9 days (+ Gijduvan and Bukhara) and 11 days (+ Khiva and Urgench).
Day by day
- Arrival in Dushanbe, check-in, free evening.
- Dushanbe: the National Museum of Antiquities, the Hissar fortress, the Mehrgon bazaar.
- Drive to the mountain village of Margeb, then on to Lake Iskanderkul (2,195 m) in the Fann Mountains.
- A short hike to the “Fann Niagara” waterfall, drive to Penjikent — an ancient Sogdian city with Zoroastrian fire-temple ruins.
- The Sarazm settlement (one of the oldest sites in Central Asia), crossing the Tajik-Uzbek border, the cascade of seven Margozor lakes, a lakeside picnic, on to Samarkand in the evening.
- Transfer to Samarkand airport, departure.
Included (placeholder — confirm before publishing)
- Comfortable transport throughout the tour
- Accompanying guide
- Breakfasts, a lakeside picnic, one lunch and one dinner as per the itinerary
- Entrance tickets to listed sites
Not included
- International flights, insurance
- Meals not listed in the itinerary
Confirmed hotel categories, guaranteed departure dates and the final price are arranged with your travel consultant at booking.
Upcoming departures
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