We are Jasper and Barbara and we created this website as a means to inspire anyone who likes to travel the same way we do. We prefer to travel low budget, staying in guesthouses and taking public transport.
While we love nature and mountains a city with a good antique market, book shops, brutalist architecture and local food is just as high on our list.
The images you see are our view on the places we have seen and the people we have met.
about
3 weeks
14.04.2025 ----05.05.2025
WITH HIGH MOUNTAINS and very questionable roads, travelling through Tajikistan is, to say the least, adventurous. As is apparently culturally embedded in this part of the world, there is no shortage of absolute kindness. We never waited long for the next car or truck to pick us up while hitchhiking the iconic Pamir Highway. In basic Russian we were able to have some meaningful conversations with all of our drivers before they dropped us off at the next green village. The homestays we stayed at, surrounded by blossoming gardens, were actually ‘real’ homestays. With a little flexibility and a lot of patience this was the most exciting parts of our travels.
tajikistan
2 days
Khujand
3 days
Seven lakes
4 days
Dushanbe
2 days
Road to Rushon
2 days
Bartang valley + Jizeu
2 days
Khorog
1 day
Yamchun
1 day
Zong
1 day
Alichur
2 days
Murghab
itinerary
01
Capital
Dushanbe
02
Population
10.39 million
03
Location
Central Asia
04
Area
143 thousand km²
highlights
Seven lakes
A walk along the Seven Lakes as a first introduction to Tajik nature can certainly count. The lakes nestled in the Fan mountain teach us a lesson in shades of blue. Although it is a popular tourist area, it still looks like life has remained unchanged for centuries. Donkeys, billygoats and children in oversized school uniforms bring life to the quiet villages.
Hitchhiking in the Wakhan Valley
Up until our adventure in the Wakhan we were not very experienced in the department of hitchhiking, but we really enjoyed it. It was the perfect way to really get to know the area and its people. We took our time and met some nice people.
Bartang Valley
Although we only saw a glimpse of the Bartang Valley, it was one of the most beautiful sceneries at this time of year. The road is tricky, but absolutely worth it. We opted to hike to the Jizeu Valley, which is inaccessible by car, and stay at the green oasis that is the village of Khijez.
Homestays throughout the country
Compared to other parts of the world, homestays in Tajikistan were a lot more personal. Although we often slept in a different room, family life was happening right before our eyes.
food
Kurutob: a rare Vegetarian dish. Pieces of flat bread in a hot yoghurt sauce with tomatoes
Circhai: Tea with milk, salt and butter. With bread it's a Pamiri breakfast staple.
Shorpo: vegetables and meat soup. A common meal in guesthouses.
Plov: rice dish with mutton, carrots and sometimes raisins and eggs
Shashlyk: meat skewers often combined with vinegary onions
Laghman: hand pulled noodles with meat and vegetables
Manti: large meat dumplings orr if you're lucky you can find a vegetarian version
Sambusa: crispy pastries stuffed with lamb meat
USSR influence
Syrniki: cottage cheese pancakes served with smetana and jam
Solyanka soup: sausage soup with an olive, smetana and lemon
Borsht: red beet soup with smetana and dill
Salat Oliviye: mayonaise salad with potatoes, carrots, peas, pickles, eggs and sausage
Kasha: breakfasts porridge made from rice, millet or oats
architecture
Dushanbe Writer's Union
analog
