Iskanderkul Lake, Fann Mountains, Tajikistan

Iskanderkul in the Fann Mountains is probably the most famous and photographed lake in Tajikistan. I had the chance to visit there and, of course, take pictures of this beautiful mountain lake. We stayed at Iskanderkul for a few days, walking around the lake and its surroundings. We were very lucky with the weather, we swam and sunbathed, and only on the last day did clouds appear and it started to rain. In the end, we had a great time, and I put together this and several other photo reviews of our outings in the area, as well as a separate detailed article about the description and legends of Iskanderkul Lake.

Spring hike to the waterfalls in Gusgarf, Varzob Gorge, mountains of Tajikistan

I can't say exactly how many waterfalls there are in Gusgarf, but the most famous ones are two waterfalls: "Pioneer" and "Eagle's Nests". Well, officially, these waterfalls are called the Big Gusgarf Waterfall and the Echo Waterfall, respectively. However, I have been to these waterfalls even three times, as I found another one, let's say, unnamed but quite decent waterfall. I visited these waterfalls at different times, and it was interesting to see how these waterfalls look in spring, when there is a lot of water. So, when spring came, I went to see the waterfalls in Gusgarf.

Journey of Journeys

Travel, it can be said without exaggeration, is one of the most interesting, exciting, and perhaps beloved pastimes of a person. Even Mark Twain once remarked, 'Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines, sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.' Travel comes in many forms, from a picnic in a nearby park to the great outdoors just outside the city, to far-off lands and extreme adventures. But I am not writing about them.

Hiking to Childukhtaron Pass, Odzhuk Gorge, Varzob, Mountains of Tajikistan

The elongated canyon along the Odzhuk River begins from the Varzob highway, or from the Varzob River if you will. The canyon has many branches that lead to Begar, Kharangon, and Chayka. The official end of the Odzhuk canyon is considered to be the Childukhtar, Kichkine, and Kumkayakutal passes. The first two passes lead to a high mountain plateau with Takoba tributaries, respectively, beyond which lies the Takob canyon. The Kumkayakutal pass leads to the mouth of the Semiganch River, a tributary of the Romit River, and thus to the Romit canyon.

Hiking to the mine in the Ojuk valley, Varzob, mountains of Tajikistan

I was always amazed at why there was such a good, wide path in Odzhuk that went almost all the way through the canyon. It turned out to be an old dirt road that led to an abandoned mine where they mined or searched for something like fluorite until 1947. There are many such abandoned mines in the vicinity. Apparently, they dug and searched, but didn't find anything significant and abandoned them. Industrial fluorite mining may still be taking place in the Takob and Magof valleys, not far from here. Locals also call these mines quartz, but quartz is just a accompanying mineral of fluorite and is not of interest for development and mining, at least not the local variety.

The hike to the Big Gusgarf Waterfall, in the Varzob Gorge of the Tajikistan Mountains

The Big Gusgarf Waterfall, also known as the Pioneer Waterfall, is located in the Varzob Gorge past the village of Gusgarf. The hike to this waterfall was quite an adventure. The first time, back in June, I went alone to Gusgarf without any idea of where it was located, relying only on oral descriptions. As it happens, I got lost but eventually stumbled upon some waterfall, apparently nameless.

Journey to the Eagle's Nest Waterfall in Gusgarf, Varzob Gorge, Tajikistan

The Eagle's Nest Waterfall is located behind the village of Gusgarf in the Varzob Gorge. Many people call this waterfall "Echo," but Echo is actually a pass that can be reached by following the trail through this gorge. Somehow, the name Echo has also become associated with the waterfall. However, the Eagle's Nest Waterfall was named for good reason - no matter what time of day you come here, eagles or other large birds are always circling above the waterfall. Of course, they are actually circling above the gorge, but it creates the impression that they are circling above the waterfall.

Hiking in Zimchurud Gorge, Varzob, Tajikistan

The trail to Zimchurud Gorge begins from the Varzob highway, near the village of Varzobkala, which is about 24 kilometers away from Dushanbe, a little before reaching the village of Varzob. After some time past this village, the next village, Zimchurud, appears. I think the name "Zimchurud Gorge" comes from the name of the village rather than the river, as is usually the case. This is because the river here is called Angoriso, which is a tributary of the Varzob River.

Hiking in the canyon at the 22nd kilometer of the Varzob road, in the mountains of Tajikistan.

The canyon at the 22nd kilometer of the Varzob road is sometimes called "Mulberry Canyon" or "Snake Canyon". At the beginning of the canyon, there are indeed many mulberry trees, but the season for them has already passed. However, there are many other berries, such as blackberries, apricots, and grapes, and they literally cover the ground deep inside the canyon. Fortunately, we did not encounter any snakes as the weather was cloudy and they usually do not come out of their burrows in such conditions since there is no sun to warm them up.