Must See

Dushanbe

Tajikistan's capital, Dushanbe, lies in the Hissar valley in the southwest of the country, just 3 hours from the border with Afghanistan (in fact, it was from here that Brezhnev launched his invasion of Afghanistan in 1979). The main points of interest lie on, or are close to Prospekt Rudaki, which runs from the bus station in the north to the railway station in the south. These attractions include the newly built principal mosque, the Museum of Antiquities and the monument of Ismail Samani (considered the founder of the Tajik state), which is an 11-metre high statue erected in 1999 to commemorate the 1,100th anniversary of the Samanid State.

Hissar Port

Located 16 km (10 miles) west of Dushanbe is Hissar Port, built between the 16th and 19th centuries and home to two madrassahs (Islamic seminaries), a mausoleum, a ruined citadel and a caravanserai.

Khojand

The capital of northern Tajikistan, founded by Alexander the Great, Khojand was rich in culture with mosques and palaces before the Mongols destroyed it. The town that emerged from the ashes lies at the gateway to the Fergana Valley.

Kurgan-Tyube

Visitors may see the remains of Buddhist temples near Kurgan-Tyube (also known as Qurghonteppa) in the south. It was from this area that the largest Buddha in Central Asia was recovered, which is now stored in Dushanbe, carved up into 60 pieces.

The Pamirs

Often described by locales as Bam-i-Dunya (the Roof of the World) this beautiful range of mountains contains three of the four highest mountains in the former Soviet Union. Most of the region is uninhabitable, but if you are very lucky you might see one of the range's hardened inhabitants, the snow leopard. You might also catch a glimpse - if you believe the rumours - of the elusive Yeti.

The mountains are one of Tajikistan's biggest attractions, luring climbers from all over the world to test themselves. The sport is becoming more accessible to the non-climber, but it would be wise to go with an organised tour group. A number of different operators offer set hiking and climbing itineraries.

The Pamirs occupy nearly half of Tajikistan and incorporate the Fan Mountains and the Wakhan Corridor- a gorgeous and remote valley with forts and ancient ruins. There's also Lake Kara-Kul, formed by a meteor 10 million years ago. This lake is 3,915 m (12,844 ft) above sea-level and too high to support any aquatic life. Lake Sareskoye, in the heart of the Pamirs, was formed in 1911 when the side of a mountain was dislodged by an earthquake and fell into the path of a mountain river.

The Pamir Highway stretches from Dushanbe into Kyrgyzstan. The only town of any significance located on this route is Khorog, the capital of the eastern Tajik region of Gorno-Badakhshan. It is home to a museum containing a display of photographs of Lenin and a range of stuffed animals.

Penjakent

On the outskirts of the modern city of Panjakent (or Panjikent) lie the ruins of an ancient town that existed during the Sogdiana period (over 1,000 years ago). Visitors may see the newly excavated remains of a Sogdian fort, and some beautiful frescoes.

Just south of the city are the Muragazor Lakes; a system of seven lakes whose kaleidoscopic colours appear to change as the light alters.

The Silk Road

This ancient trade route was used between the 2nd and 14th centuries by merchants trading from northern China to the Mediterranean and the Caspian Sea. The scenery is stunning, set against the Fan Mountains with clouded peaks, turquoise lakes and verdant valleys.