10 Best Things to Do in Dushanbe City

While Tajikistan is known for its impressive mountains and stunning alpine lakes, not many people talk about what the capital of the country has to offer. To be fair, Dushanbe isn’t home to many spectacular sights but it does offer a nice atmosphere and since it’s fairly small most attractions are within walking distance.

Also, it’s more than likely that you’ll end up for a few days here, for example, to register your visa and to apply for your GBAO permit, which is needed if you want to travel the Pamir Highway.

But how can you kill your time in Dushanbe while you’re waiting for your paperwork to be completed? I spent a good amount of time in the city myself and went out looking for the best sights and places to go, so I can give you the best possible answer to this question.

In this article, I’ll show you what to do in Dushanbe and give you tips on where to sleep, where to eat, and how to get around the city!

Note: Your trust is important to me. Therefore, I’d like to point out that this article contains referral links (also known as affiliate links). This means I get a small commission if you buy a product after clicking on one of the corresponding links marked with a *. There are no extra costs for you, but it helps me keep this blog ad-free. Thank you!

Keep in mind: When traveling to Tajikistan, you need to register your visa at the Department of Visa and Registration in Dushanbe. Here, you can also apply for your GBAO permit, which is needed if you want to travel the Pamir Highway. It’s best to do this right when you get to Dushanbe, as it takes at least one working day to process!

10 Best Things to Do in Dushanbe City

1. Watch the Sunset in Victory Park!

One of the best things to do in Dushanbe is to watch the sunset in Victory Park.

Victory Park is located on a small hill about one kilometer from the city center and offers the best views of Dushanbe. Here, you’ll find a memorial of the Patriotic War as well as a quaint café overlooking the city’s skyline. It’s best to come here right before sunset, so you can watch the sky turn pink around you.

2. Relax in Rudaki Park!

One thing that caught my eye when walking around Dushanbe was the number of parks with lush green trees and places to sit and hang out everywhere (something I noticed being a thing in most post-Soviet republics).

The most popular park in Dushanbe is Rudaki Park, which is covered in vibrant flowers and roses. This is also where you can admire the statue of the famous Persian poet Rudaki from the 10th century, who is known to be the “father of Tajik literature” and is considered a national hero in Tajikistan.

3. Admire Tajikistan’s Highest Flagpole!

When coming to Tajikistan, I didn’t expect to venture out to admire a flagpole but as it turns out, Dushanbe is home to one of the highest flagpoles in the world. Head to the northern part of Rudaki Park to see Tajikistan’s highest flag rise 165 meters into the air.

When the flagpole was completed in 2011, it was considered the tallest one in the world. Unfortunately, the record didn’t last very long, as Saudi Arabia built an even higher flagpole in 2014 and today the highest flagpole is found in Egypt – leaving Dushanbe with “only” the 3rd tallest flag in the world. Still, the Tajik people are proud owners of their mast and when visiting the city, you can enjoy a coffee or a cold drink at a café in Flagpole Park while admiring the popular sight.

4. Walk Down Rudaki Avenue!

Rudaki Avenue (formerly known as Lenin Avenue) is the main street in Dushanbe and the best street to walk down if you want to go shopping or try out new restaurants. Here, you’ll find plenty of stores and shops as well as places to eat and drink – making it the liveliest street in Dushanbe and one of the best places to hit up!

5. Take a Photo of the Ismail-Somoni Statue!

One of the most famous sights in Dushanbe is the Ismail-Somoni Statue in the heart of the city at Dusti Square (Friendship Square). Tajik people remember Ismail Somoni to be the most important leader of the Samanid States – an empire that covered most of Central Asia from the year 819 to 999.

Although Tajikistan, was fairly insignificant during these times, Ismail Somoni stood up for the Tajik people, which helped preserve their culture to this day. Nowadays, he belongs to the most honored historical figures in Tajikistan, and even the country’s currency (Tajik Somoni) is named after him.

6. Take a Walk at Komsomol Lake!

Being probably the most touristic place in Dushanbe City, Komsomol Lake is also a popular hangout spot for the locals. Stands sell drinks and snacks along the shore, and Tajiks like to come here on hot summer days to cool off in the water. I have to admit that the murky water didn’t look very appealing to me, but it was nice to experience the lively atmosphere.

7. Stop by Navruz Palace!

Not far from the Komsomol Lake lies the largest tea house in the world – Navruz Palace. Originally, the plan was to build a regular tea house for the city but the project soon turned into something bigger than intended. Today, the palace features numerous elegantly, decorated halls that are used as art galleries, conference rooms, restaurants, and even a movie theater.

You can go inside the palace and join a guided tour around the conference rooms or you can admire the decorative architecture of the palace from the outside. Around the building, you’ll find several pavilions, fountains, and ornamented columns.

8. Explore the Nightlife in Dushanbe!

Did you know that Dushanbe in Tajikistan even has some nightlife to offer? After coming back from the Pamir Highway, I was surprised to be invited to a nightclub by our tour guide – and it was actually pretty good!

We had a night out at the Hilton Hotel, which seemed a bit odd to me at first but apparently, the Hilton in Dushanbe is home to the nightclub in the city, where you can dance the night away. I’ve also heard good things about Bundes Bar and Tokyo Bar, so if you’re craving a good night out, these are the best places to hit up for nightlife in Dushanbe!

9. Visit the National Museum in Dushanbe!

Although I spent a decent amount of time in the city, I have to admit that I didn’t visit the National Museum of Tajikistan. Still, if you’re interested in learning more about the history and culture of the country, this is the place to go!

The museum is rather small and you’ll probably need a couple of hours to see all of it. Yet, inside you’ll find interesting antiques and a large reclining Buddha statue from the 7th century. On top of this, the museum includes exhibitions where you can learn about the country’s history, wildlife, and geography.

10. Have a Look at the Wall of Great Tajik Writers!

The Wall of Great Writers was built during the Soviet Union to honor and remember the greatest writers of Soviet-Persian literature. The name “Wall of Great Tajik Writers” is a little misleading, as only two out of the eleven figures from the wall were born in Tajikistan. The other writers came from Iran, Afghanistan, and Uzbekistan.

Today, you can not only admire the figures represented on this wall but also the Soviet architecture, as the building from the Writer’s Union, is one of the few Soviet buildings that are left in Dushanbe.

Things to Do Near Dushanbe

While there are some decent things to do in Dushanbe, the nature of Tajikistan is where it’s truly at. Here, I’ll show you, what to do outside of Dushanbe City:

1. Travel the Pamir Highway: The Pamir Highway was not only my highlight in Tajikistan but my highlight in all of Central Asia. The road starts in Dushanbe and runs all the way to the Kyrgyz border. Along the way, you’ll be able to peak into Afghanistan and China, hike around the beautiful Pamir Mountains, take pictures of green-blue alpine lakes, and relax in natural hot springs. Therefore, the Pamir Highway should be at the very top of your bucket list when traveling to Tajikistan!
2. Chill out at Iskanderkul Lake: About 2.5 hours from Dushanbe, you can chill out at Iskanderkul Lake, which is situated in the northern part of Gissar Valley. Although there’s no town at the lake, there are several guest houses and even a restaurant along the shore, so that you can enjoy the picturesque views of Iskanderkul Lake nestled in between the mountains. If you want, you can also do some hiking around this area, but in general, it’s rather a place to chill out and enjoy the peacefulness of doing nothing.
3. Visit the Seven Lakes in the Fann Mountains: The Seven Lakes in the Fann Mountains are the one place that I didn’t make it to in Tajikistan. Still, I’ve heard amazing things about this area and if I ever go back, I’m definitely going to hit these lakes up. The series of beautiful alpine lakes stretches out over 14 kilometers and there are countless hiking trails in the area!

Restaurants in Dushanbe

One thing I love about Dushanbe is the amount of great restaurants and cozy cafés in the city. Besides the local cuisine, you can also find many international restaurants, which is a nice change if you’re traveling Central Asia for an extended period of time and are craving something different.

These are my favorite places to eat in Dushanbe:

• Restaurant tip: My favorite restaurant in Dushanbe is Al Sham, which serves amazing Lebanese food. I recommend ordering the appetizer platter “Sultan Mezze”, which consists of Baba Ghanoush, Hummus, and Tabbouleh. As a main, I particularly loved the vegetarian Tajine which comes with rice and deliciously spiced vegetables.
• Café tip: If you’re craving a good coffee, a slice of cake, or a European sandwich, I can highly recommend Coffee Moose. Among digital nomads, this café is also known for its good internet, making it a popular place to work online.

Accommodation in Dushanbe

If you’re still looking for accommodation in Dushanbe, you can find many good hotels and guesthouses for little money on Agoda* and Booking*. Both sites have a wide range of accommodations on their site but if you book last minute, I would check out Agoda first, as they offer unbeatable 24-hour flash deals.

I stayed at Green House Hostel*, which I can highly recommend. The hostel is huge and always filled with backpackers from all over the world – making it easy to meet fellow travelers. Plus, the hostel does not only offer dorms but also private rooms for a cheap price.

Tip: If you stay at Green House Hostel and still need to book your Pamir Highway Tour, you can ask the owner of the hostel to help you organize the trip and find a suitable driver for a good price!

How to Get to Dushanbe in Tajikistan

If you’re planning your trip, you probably wonder how to get to Dushanbe in Tajikistan in the first place. Here, I’ll show you the most common ways to get to Dushanbe City in Tajikistan:

• By plane: The most straightforward way to travel to Dushanbe is by plane, as the international airport is situated only a few kilometers outside the city. I recommend checking out Skyscanner* for the cheapest prices, as they usually offer the best deals.
• From Samarkand: When traveling from Samarkand, it’s best to hire a taxi for the one-hour drive to the border of Tajikistan. Once you cross the border, there will be shared taxis that can take you to Dushanbe City, which takes around 4 hours. From Samarkand to the border of Tajikistan, I paid 54 Somoni (appr. 5,50 USD), although I’ve heard of other people paying more than that. The shared taxi from the border to Dushanbe City cost us 150 Somoni (appr. 15 USD) per head.
• From Tashkent: From Tashkent, you can either pay for a shared taxi or take a bus for 55 Somoni (appr. 5,50 USD) to the Tajik border town of Khujand. The bus leaves at 6 pm at the Sobir Rahimov Bus Station and the journey takes around 4 hours. From Khujand, you can take a shared taxi to Dushanbe City, which takes around 6 hours and should cost about 120 Somoni per person (appr. 12 USD).

How to Get Around Dushanbe City

For short distances, the best way to get around Dushanbe City is by taxi. Within the city, most taxis will only cost you about 1-3 USD, which means you can get around on the cheap while being comfortable. Just stop any taxi in the city and tell the driver where you need to go. For short distances, taxi drivers use a meter to calculate the price and in my experience, taxi drivers in Dushanbe City are very honest and don’t try to rip you off.

Alternatively, you can also use public transport to get around. Dushanbe offers marshutkas as well as trams for public use but as a non-Russian-speaking foreigner, it can be difficult to navigate which trams/ marshutkas to take. Hence, I recommend taking taxis instead.

FAQ

Conclusion: Is Dushanbe Worth Visiting?

To be completely honest, I wasn’t overwhelmed with the sights Dushanbe has to offer. However, it’s a nice place to just hang out and relax after some strenuous hikes in the Fann Mountains or when coming back from your Pamir Highway tour.

I particularly enjoyed the food scene in Dushanbe, as you can find many international restaurants and cafés offering food from all over the world (which was a godsend after eating the same food for 12 days straight on the Pamir Highway)!

So, if you need to kill some time, while waiting for your visa and GBAO permit or if you simply want to chill out after coming back from more rural parts of the country, Dushanbe is a nice place to kick back. However, if you don’t have any errands to run in the country’s capital or if you’re pressed with time, I recommend minimizing your time in the city and heading out to the Fann Mountains or the Pamir Highway instead!

You are reading: 10 Best Things to Do in Dushanbe City