Day 1 – 29 April: Samarkand - Artuch

Early in the morning you leave Samarqand and head to Penjikent, “the city of five villages”. In the 5th century it was a thriving regional hub, a cosmopolitan Silk Road city. After crossing the border, you meet your tajik guide and driver. On the way to Penjikent you will have a short visit to Sarazm, a UNESCO World Heritage Site dating from the 5th-6th centuries BC. Penjikent is said to produce the very best plov in Tajikistan, so you’ll feast on this delicious traditional dish for lunch. After lunch, we will be transferred to Artuch village where you can explore the village and the way of life of mountainous villagers.

Accommodation: Traditional Guesthouse

Day 2 – 30 April: Artuch - Kulikalon – Artuch 

Today we will have longer and more challenging trekking to Karakul lake (2700m). Trekking will take about 7 hours in total. But the the view to the Rudaki, Mirali and Chimtarga peaks and Kulikalon, Bibijanat, and Dushokha lakes worth this effort. After fully enjoying the Kulikalon area landscape view we trek down to Alp Camp from where your driver will be waiting you to transfer back to the village. Elevations gain +/-600m, 12 km.

Accommodation: Traditional Guesthouse

Day 3 – 1 May: Artuch  – Khujand 

It is time to leave the mountains behind and return to urban life, journeying to the city of Khujand in northern Tajikistan. Khujand is situated on the Syr Darya River in the Fergana Valley. It is an ancient city with a history dating back to Cyrus the Great and Alexander the Great. On the way we will visit Istaravshan, a city founded by Cyrus the Great in the 6th century BC which recently celebrated its 2,500th anniversary. Istaravshan’s artisans are highly regarded across Central Asia and the city is still well known in Tajikistan for its blacksmiths, who hand-craft knives of excellent quality. We will visit the blacksmiths’ workshops near the entrance to the city’s market, and also meet a woodcarver and a comb maker. There will be time to see the main historical sights – the Kok Gumbaz and the Hazrat Shoh Mosque – before continuing on our way to Khujand. We will arrive in the evening and check in at the hotel. 

Accommodation: Khujand Grand Hotel

Day 4 – 2 May: Khujand – Tashkent 

After breakfast, we will visit Khujand’s main market, Panjshabe Bazaar, which is the largest market in Tajikistan. Our city tour will continue to the Maslihaddin Mosque, the Lenin Monument, and Arbob Cultural Palace, where we will also visit a small factory which produces traditional Tajik textiles. We will have lunch at Anora, a house museum where you can appreciate traditional design and experience the authentic atmosphere of a Tajiki house.   The friendly family members are always happy to welcome guests from different cultures and to exchange experiences with interested travellers. After lunch we drive to our final attraction, to the women's factory Khujand atlas. Khujand Atlas was one of the leading textile factory that use silk for production of traditional Atlas textile. During our visit, we'll get an inside look at the production process and learn about the history of the factory and its significance in the local economy. We'll also have the opportunity to purchase some of the beautiful atlas products for souvenirs. Afterwards, we will departure to Tashkent which will take about 3 hours ride. 

Accommodation: own arrangement