Travel to Tajikistan General Info: 

• Capital: Dushanbe
• Other Main Cities/Towns: Khujand, Khorog, and Panjakent
• Currency: Tajik Somani
• Language: Tajik and Russian
• Population: 9.75 million
• Area: 141,400 km²
• Electricity Voltage: The standard voltage is 220V at 50 Hz frequency
• Electricity Sockets: Type C and F

In 2022, Tajikistan government introduced a unilateral visa-free regime from January 1. Visa-free regime applies to citizens of the following countries for 30 days:
1. Australia
2. United Arab Emirates
3. Grand Duchy of Luxembourg
4. State of Brunei Dorusalam
5. State of Kuwait
6. State of Qatar
7. New Zealand
8. United States of America
9. Iceland
10. Canada
11. Swiss Confederation
12. Malaysia
13. Hungary
14. Austrian Republic
15. Argentine Republic
16. Federal Republic of Germany
17. Dominican Republic
18.Republic of Indonesia
19. Italian Republic
20.Republic of Korea
21. Republic of Cuba
22. Republic of Latvia
23. Republic of Lithuania
24. Maldives
25. Republic of Poland
26. Portuguese Republic
27. Republic of Singapore
28. Turkish Republic
29. Republic of the Philippines
30. Republic of Finland
31. French Republic
32. Republic of Croatia
33. Czech Republic
34. Republic of Chile
35. Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka
36. Republic of Ecuador
37. Republic of Estonia
38. Hellenic Republic
39. Principality of Liechtenstein
40. Principality of Monaco
41. Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
42. Kingdom of Bahrain
43. Kingdom of Belgium.
44. Kingdom of Denmark
45. Kingdom of Spain
46. Kingdom of the Netherlands
47. Kingdom of Norway
48. Kingdom of Thailand
49. Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan
50. Kingdom of Sweden
51. Jamaica
52. Japan
53. Brazil
54. Bulgaria
55. Vatican City
56. Serbia
57. Romania
58. Ireland
59. Montenegro

Even so you are on visa-free status, you are required to obtain a GBAO permit and do OVIR (Office of Visas and Registration) registration to visit Pamir region. You can get GBAO permit and do registration at OVIR office. 

Who needs visa?
Well, all other foreign citizens not listed on visa-free countries need visa. Tajikistan has electronic visa. You can obtain it online. The most popular one is a government e-visa website (https://www.evisa.tj). There is also an old website which is complicated to use (https://www.visa.gov.tj/index.html). It has more required section where you will need invitation letter. So, it is better to use the first one (https://www.evisa.tj). The advantage of e-visa is that it comes with GBAO permit and you are not required to do OVIR registration. 

Well, homestays with B&B + dinner is about 20 to 30 USD per person per night. Some sights as Bibifatima hot springs in Wakhan Valley charge entrance fees. All in all, it is recommended to have  300 USD per trip. Please, know that you need cash. Homestays don’t have visa payment terminals. The best way is to exchange your USD/Euros into local currency. Even if you bring USD/Euros, make sure you have small Notes of USD/Euros. Homestay might not have a change to give you back. 

Traveling Tajikistan needs your patience and understanding of poor infrastructure, particularly, in Pamirs.  Homestays have shared rooms with 2-3-4 beds in one room. Private rooms can be available upon request with some extra price. You should inform your company or driver to have private rooms if you are not willing to share the room. 

Most of the homestays in Pamirs have flush toilets except for Alichur and Karakol villages. They have outside Turkish toilets, not flush. 

Dushanbe, Khorog and Murgab homestays/hotels have showers inside the room or shared bathrooms. But, all the homestays in Pamirs have a shared showers. Some have small saune-like rooms for showers as in Alichur village.

No good cafes on the way in Pamirs. Most of the time you do a picnic lunches. So, bring dry fruit, nuts, biscuits. However, you can ask your driver if you really need cooked lunch. They can arrange it on the way by ordering in advance at homestays. Lunch is about 5-6 $ per person.

The drinking water system is not developed in Pamirs. The best way is to buy a big 10 litter bottled water from big cities and put in a car. You can refill your small bottle when necessary. All the homestays in Pamirs take water from springs for drinking and cooking. The spring water is not filtered, but boiled before cooking. We encourage all of our homestays to boil a water before using for cooking.

Dushanbe, Khorog, and Murgab village has shops to buy your food and other items. Try to do shopping in Dushanbe or Khorog city since the price gets double or triple in Pamirs.

Tajikistan has the best mountains ranges to do multi-day treks. The most scenic one is Fann Mountain Range not for from the capital. Fann Mountains can be easily reached either from Dushanbe or Penjikent city. A trek there can do done as self-guided or by a travel agency. The most popular and scenic trek to get the best of Fann Mountains is a 4-day trek starting from Penjikent city. You can see the trek on this link

There are many short day-hikes included in our itineraries so that you get the best mountain views while traveling Pamir Highway . You will do the hikes without a guide. We have GPS of all the hikes in the itinerary to navigate in the mountains. Don’t forget to ask us to send it to you.  Just get app MAPS.ME on your phone and use to follow the trail

There is electricity at all homestays except for Jiseu village at Bartang Valley. Homestays in Alichur village takes electricity from solar panels. Cars have also USB chargers.

Homestays/hotel in big cities as Dushanbe, Kalaikhum, Khorog, Murgab have wifi, but homestays in Pamirs don’t have internet. However, you can buy a local sim card and get access to internet use at least to check your emails and WhatsApp. The best mobile operators in Tajikistan are Tcell and MegaFon. 

• Warm clothes and layers as it gets warm during the day, but can go below freezing at night and when it rains
• Sun protection as the sun is very strong at altitude: Sunglasses, sunscreen (SPF 30 or above), and a sun hat /cap
• Water and windproof jacket and pants. It gets especially windy on the mountain passes
• traveler’s diarrhea and other minor illnesses
• Lip balm: your lips get chapped very easily in the mountains
• Wet wipes and/or anti-bacterial gel to clean hands
• Hat and gloves to wear at night for warmth
• Headlamp to navigate the toilet at night