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Seven Lakes Tajikistan Private Excursion From Samarkand Journey to Seven lakes In western Tajikistan
4.2
10 Ratings
Samarqand
Embark on a private excursion from Samarkand to the stunning Seven Lakes in western Tajikistan. Explore the vibrant and ever-changing colors of these mountain lakes and immerse yourself in the breathtaking landscapes of lakes, rivers, and mountains.
Embark on a private excursion from Samarkand to the stunning Seven Lakes in western Tajikistan. Explore the vibrant and ever-changing colors of these mountain lakes and immerse yourself in the breathtaking landscapes of lakes, rivers, and mountains.
Duration:
12 hours
Cancellation:
24 hours
Highlights
- Khaftkul Valley - Begin your journey with a pickup from your Samarkand hotel. Travel to the border with an Uzbek driver, where you’ll meet your Tajik guide/driver on the other side. Head to the lowest lake, Nezhigon, situated at an elevation of 1,640 meters. The name Nezhigon, derived from the Tajik word for eyelashes, is notable for its vibrant…
- Khaftkul Valley - Begin your journey with a pickup from your Samarkand hotel. Travel to the border with an Uzbek driver, where you’ll meet your Tajik guide/driver on the other side. Head to the lowest lake, Nezhigon, situated at an elevation of 1,640 meters. The name Nezhigon, derived from the Tajik word for eyelashes, is notable for its vibrant colors, which can range from turquoise to blue or even purple, depending on the lighting and season.
- Khaftkul Valley - Soya Lake, named after the Tajik word for “shadow,” is nestled between high cliffs and remains in shade for most of the day. Similar to Nezhigon, the water in Soya Lake changes color based on the weather and time of day.
- Khaftkul Valley - The third lake, Gushor, is located 400 meters from Soya. A turbulent stream connects the two lakes. The name Gushor means “watchful,” and the lake is surrounded by steep cliffs. It was once home to poisonous snakes, which explains its name.
- Khaftkul Valley - Nofin, the fourth lake, is elongated, stretching over 2.5 kilometers in length but only about 200 meters in width. The name Nofin means “umbilical cord,” reflecting its central position among the seven lakes and its long shape. Locals share various legends and secrets about the lake. Take a lunch break here.
- Khaftkul Valley - Khurdak, meaning “baby,” is the smallest of the Seven Lakes. It is located 1.5 km from Nofin Lake, and along the way, you can see the village of Padrut.
- Khaftkul Valley - Marguzor is the largest and, to many, the most beautiful of the Seven Lakes. The expansive blue water and majestic mountains create a stunning landscape. Petroglyphs of primitive people have been discovered on its shore, and semiprecious stones were mined here in the Middle Ages. A small village is situated at the southern end of the lake, with houses scattered on the surrounding slopes. Locals share legends and fairytales about Lake Marguzor.
- Khaftkul Valley - Hazorchashma, the seventh and highest lake, is located at around 2,400 meters above sea level. The name Hazorchashma (or Azorchashma) means “thousand springs,” as the lake is fed by two rivers and numerous streams and springs. Hazorchashma is the final lake in the Shing River gorge. The road ends here, and beyond this point, there are no further settlements, only the wildlife of the Fan Mountains.
- Jartepa - Travel to the border with your Tajik guide/driver and pass through the Tajik border.
- Samarkand - Cross the Uzbek border and return to your starting point.
What's Included
- Private transportation
- English speaking guide in Tajikistan
- Lunch
- Private transportation
- English speaking guide in Tajikistan
- Lunch
What's Not Included
- Online Tajikistan visa $30, pls apply minimum 7 days before the tour online
- German or French speaking licensed guide in Tajikistan $40/group
- Tips for guide & driver
- A multiple entry Uzbekistan visa or visa waiver is required to re-enter Uzbekistan with this tour
- Online Tajikistan visa $30, pls apply minimum 7 days before the tour online
- German or French speaking licensed guide in Tajikistan $40/group
- Tips for guide & driver
- A multiple entry Uzbekistan visa or visa waiver is required to re-enter Uzbekistan with this tour
Additional Information
Embark on an unforgettable journey to Tajikistan’s Seven Lakes near Penjikent city! Discover the enchanting beauty of these vibrant natural wonders, where azure waters reflect towering mountains and lush greenery. Book your adventure now and ensure seamless travel with a multiple entry Uzbekistan visa or visa waiver. Dive into the magic of the Seven…
Embark on an unforgettable journey to Tajikistan’s Seven Lakes near Penjikent city! Discover the enchanting beauty of these vibrant natural wonders, where azure waters reflect towering mountains and lush greenery. Book your adventure now and ensure seamless travel with a multiple entry Uzbekistan visa or visa waiver. Dive into the magic of the Seven Lakes and create memories to last a lifetime!
- A multiple entry Uzbekistan visa or visa waiver is required to re-enter Uzbekistan with this tour
- Tajik online visa should be applied for at least 7 days in advance
- Depending on border crossing and road condition visits to all 7 lakes can be curtailed to ensure timely return to starting point, no refunds will be offered for this.
- Mountain not asphalted road
- not recommended for children below 6 years old
Location
Amir Temur Mausoleum Gur-i Amir Сomplex
Бўстонсарой кўчаси
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Customer Ratings
4.2
(10 Ratings)
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Larisa_b
May 23, 2024
Lovely nature - Awesome tour, amazing nature, amazing mountains scenery and the guide and driver so nice.
Thank you!
Review provided by Viator
Andrei_s
Dec 5, 2023
Perfect day trip visiting all Seven Lakes - Very happy we managed to visit ALL seven lakes as we were also lucky with wonderful weather for such trip!
First of all, as the trip took place in November, sunset that time of the year is at 5:20 PM already, so I requested early departure at 7:00 AM instead of listed 8:00 AM to catch all the daytime.
The day before the organizer Mr. Amir kindly confirmed that weather is great and we are good to go, agreed on early departure at 7:00 AM and provided with Excel file with a schedule visiting every lake. Very convenient, flexible and fast responsive tour operator!
First, local driver picked us up at our home in Samarkand. It takes less than 1 hour to get to the border. At 8 AM the border crossing takes around 20-25 minutes, very smooth process there. At the Tajikistan side at 8:15 AM we met our guide Mr. Umar with driver Mr. Mansur and headed to Panjakent city for supermarket shopping to get snacks and drinks (not included in a tour price).
After another hour of driving gravel road, we reached the first lake. Take note that there is no reception/internet in the area. Our guide Mr. Umar is very knowledgeable, explained A LOT about every lake, about local people and culture and many, many more. We had a lot of questions and we got very detailed and interesting answers on all of them, appreciate it, learnt a lot!
Along the way we had a photo stops at every lake, without any rush. All relaxing and smooth. To get to the seventh lake you need to hike for around 30 minutes. By the lake we had a lunch with snacks we bought in Panjakent. I would suggest bringing proper food, as there is no shops/cafes at all in the area and tour operator doesn't provide lunch, as well. So be advised and prepared.
We departed back to Panjakent at around 4 o'clock and reached Panjakent at around 5:15 PM, just by the sunset. I asked to drop us in Panjakent by our hotel, as we wanted to stay for a day to explore city itself, so we haven't had a ride back to Samarkand with the tour operator.
Thanks a lot to Mr. Amir for organizing and adjusting the schedule, Mr. Umar for such an interesting stories and precious information, and Mr. Mansur for driving us safely around!
Review provided by Viator
Priti_j
Nov 16, 2023
Amazing trip to beautiful lakes with wonderful Tajik driver and guide - I had an amazing day exploring the Fann mountains and the seven lakes. The guide Dawood and driver Masoor were so helpful and shared amazing history and background of Tajikistan. I would highly recommend this trip.
Review provided by Viator
E474cxmichaeld
Sep 27, 2023
Wonderful experience in the Fan Mountains - The trip to the 7 lakes in the Fan Mountains is a worthwhile experience. Technically, it went excellently. We were picked up on time at our hotel in Samarkand and dropped off at the Uzbek-Tajik border after about an hour's drive. With the necessary papers, crossing the border is no problem. Drivers and tour guides were waiting for us on the Tajik side. After a short stop at a hotel in Penjikent, we drove on to the valley of the Shing River. We drove up a dusty road to the 7 lakes. The landscape is breathtakingly beautiful. Steep mountains and a rushing river accompanied us. By now, our friendly tour guide, who spoke good English, had already told us a lot about the history of Tajikistan. Now we could concentrate on the beauty of nature and scenes of rural life in the mountains. At lunchtime we had a small meal on a mountain farmer's farm. That was decent and relaxing. We continued along the lakes. At each lake we found one or two places where it was worth getting out for a photo stop or just to admire the natural beauty. Our driver continued on the dirt road after the 6th lake, so the small mountain hike was relatively short and not so strenuous. We reached the 7th lake at an altitude of 2400 meters. After a short ice-cold footbath in the lake, we went back to the car and downhill until we reached Penjikent again. In accordance with our wishes, we visited the ruins of old Penjikent, from which we had a beautiful view of the Serafshan River and the Turkestan mountain range.
We were then dropped off at the border again, crossed it and were already awaited by our Uzbek driver, who took us back to the hotel.
In summary, we can say that this trip was a wonderful experience, which we also owe to the perfect organization, the reliable drivers and the knowledgeable and friendly, open-minded tour guide.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Kyle_e
Sep 2, 2023
Amazing experience - This tour was fantastic. Good communication with the tour company, punctual drivers, and a truly wonderful guide. The Seven Lakes are very remote but are absolutely stunning. Lunch was great, and the stops in Panjikent were also interesting. Tajikistan is an intriguing and beautiful place -- I highly recommend this tour.
Review provided by Viator
Suddhasatwa_r
May 27, 2023
Do not miss wonderful lake - Great adventure crossing border another country beautiful lake everything in one day. Easy to go if you have visa for Tallis than
Review provided by Viator
Kevin_p
Jun 7, 2022
Beautiful lake tour in the remote mountains of Tajikistan...don't miss this! - The tour began with a pick up at my hotel and transport to the Tajikistan where I was met on the other side by my guide and driver. The trip to the mountains included several stops to a variety of sites and while it was a longish drive up to the lakes, I had a great conversation with the guide, whose English was very good, and he told me a lot about the area, Uzbeks, Tajiks and Kyrgyzs, along with the different languages. It was very interesting to learn about the area from someone who grew up in the area. The driver was very good, the roads were a little rough but not terrible.
The lakes were incredible, even though it was a little overcast when I was there. I have never seen bluer blues or greener greens. It is a remote area and there isn't a lot to do other than just take it all in but if you like the outdoors, beautiful landscapes and a glimpse of a very old and remote culture (many of the people in these mountain areas fled the Arab invasion a thousand years ago), this might be for you.
Silk Roads Tours did a superb job of organizing this tour and I did other another tour with them as well which was equally well run. They helped me arrange a variety of things like airport transfers and train tickets, just a really efficient and nice group of people.
This tour was just about perfect in length, and we got to to see most of the highlights of this area of Tajikistan. Everyone involved from the Uzbek side to the the Tajikistan tour was on time, friendly and made the tour even better with good conversation and a really good vibe. Thanks to everyone!
Review provided by Viator
Craig_j
Jul 17, 2024
Death-trap trip left us stranded up a mountain as night approached. - This tour is a deathtrap. We were sent up the mountain in a weak, unsuitable people carrier. Minor rainfall led to several mudpatches, which the guide and driver refused to drive through in case the vehicle got stuck and they got into trouble. We were stranded on a remote mountain for four hours, running out of water. When I asked the guide if we would be stuck overnight, he said "I really hope not". The staff watched us shovelling mud ourselves out of the road, declining to call for help, despite nightfall approaching. Eventually, when we insisted they call a rescue vehicle, they finally did it. We then had to hike for an hour along an unsafe pebble stone river bank, with storming rapids a few inches to the left. One of us almost fell into the rapids. He was bleeding after the fall. Shoes, shorts and bags were lost or ruined, causing over £300 of property damage. Eventually, the rescue vehicle arrived, but we'd have been stuck up the mountain after dark if I hadn't insisted on it being called.
When I complained and asked for my money back, the organiser claimed dishonestly that we were sent up in a 4by4 and that we were prevented from travelling due to other cars being stuck. This is untrue, it was a people carrier, and the road was cleared several times of smaller cars, but our staff wouldn't risk the mud patch because they knew the people carrier wasn't up to it. We were given a £50 per person refund from the £200 per person trip. Under the circumstances, we should have had an apology and a full refund.
Of note is that we didn't actually do around a third of the itinerary due to the crisis. But far more significant was the property damage, risk to life and distress caused. I tried to explain this to the operator in an extended account with evidence, but he ignored the full account and eventually stopped engaging. Don't risk this dangerous, badly organised trip.
Review provided by Viator
Elizabeth_m
Sep 2, 2023
Absolute disaster. Unethical company with completely fabricated and impossible itinerary - This tour company is an absolute scam. They completely lie about the time and itinerary to make you think it’s achievable … but it’s not. For example. They say it will take 45 mins from the boarder to the 1st lake, it doesn’t. It takes 2.5 hours. Which means it’s logistically impossible to accomplish this itinerary in a day. The tour company knows that. They are based in UZ and the Taj guides were wonderful and clear that the times allocated are only if you take a helicopter. Additionally, the road to the lakes is nothing more than a goat path. For miles. So gear up for 3.5 hours (ONE WAY) on this bumpy road. We’ve traveled to dozens of countries and this tour was by far my greatest error. Additionally, I asked for a 50% refund since we could only accomplish 25% of the promised itinerary and they refused. Spare yourself the regret.
Review provided by Viator
