I don’t have much to say about Khujand. The best part of visiting this uninteresting city was the scenic drive from Dushanbe on the M34 highway.
With stops along the way, it was a long drive, nearly ten hours, though it’s just 300 km (187 miles). So much of the drive was through spectacular scenery. And the weather went from fog to rain to sunshine to more rain to more sun.
The highway goes through two tunnels of about five kilometers in length, built to bypass treacherous roads over high mountain passes. One of the tunnels, Anzob Tunnel, has earned the nickname “The Tunnel of Death” from locals. There is no lighting and no ventilation inside the tunnel, and there are stories of people dying of carbon monoxide poisoning when stuck inside during a traffic jam.
Dilabar, our local guide, told us that he went through with his family on the day the tunnel opened. Because of large, deep, water-filled potholes, he got out of the car and walked in order to help his father find the path to avoid getting stuck.
Combs
In the small town of Istaravshan, we stopped to visit a local artisan who makes wooden combs. This was surprisingly interesting. We watched him make a comb, and then saw (and had a chance to buy) some of his creations.
Khujand
When we got to Khujand, we checked into a terrible hotel, where we stayed two nights. While in Tajikistan’s second largest city, we visited two dull museums.
We also visited a Soviet-era building that was the site of the signing of the peace accord that ended Tajikistan’s civil war.
And we stopped by a local market. That’s always a fun thing to do.
But overall, in case you couldn’t tell, I did not find Khujand to be particulary interesting. I am glad I opted to do the Tajikistan pre-trip for this tour, but the best parts were not in Khujand.
Here are my photo albums:
Mardee Sherman
Lane, your photos, especially of the drive, are absolutely gorgeous. Do you use your phone for photos or a particular camera? I’m trying to decide if I want to continue with my iPhone or get an actual SLR before I head to Scandinavia in July. So I love those wooden combs. Those are beautiful.
I’m glad to know this about Tajikistan. I’m still thinking that I want to visit Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, and I’m thinking Kazakhstan. I’m definitely leaving off Turkmenistan, and probably Tajikistan after reading this. I’m sure there are parts worth seeing, but I think three countries will be all I can handle.
Lane
Hi Mardee, thanks! I’m glad you approve of my amateur photography. All my photos on this trip are taken with my Samsung Galaxy S24. I only use an actual camera when I’m trying to shoot wildlife. For scenery, landscapes, and cityscapes, I find that the phone camera works great.
Stay tuned for my impressions of Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan. I’ll be heading there after about a week more in Uzbekistan.
Abby Bergman
The Soviet era building and the monument look impressive but as in other such “relics,” I suppose lack of regular maintenance leads to deterioration??
Lane
Yes, definitely some deterioration, due to shoddy workmanship as well as poor maintenance I think.
Donna Seegar-Sedmak
This city has potential due to its location on the river. The weather certainly didn’t help as it was rainy and cold, which hampered activities like riding the cable car or exploring more of the outdoor sights. I feel like a lack of funding, shoddy construction and poor maintenance contributed to the lack of appeal. The people were especially friendly and genuinely excited to meet Americans, often stopping to talk or get a photo with our group.
Lane
I agree about the potential and the nice people. In reading more about Tajikistan, I wish we could have gone to Panjikent instead and visited the Seven Lakes region — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seven_Lakes_(Tajikistan).