Khujand

Understand

thumb|Mosaics on the façade of the Khujand Fortress

Khujand is the second largest city in Tajikistan (145,000 inhabitants in 2025), in the Ferghana Valley on both banks of the Syr Darya river, known in classical sources as the Jaxartes.

Khujand is an old city. It was probably founded by Alexander the Great in 329 BCE as Alexandria Eschate (Furthest Alexandria), although there are reports of the city predating him. It might also have been the site of the ancient Persian city of Cyropolis, which was a major city in Sogdia whose remains still have not been found. Regardless of who founded it, it was here that Alexander defeated the Sakai horsemen (Scythians), and the southern bank of the river marks the northernmost point that Alexander ever got to.

It sits on the historic Silk Road in a strategic position, at the exit of the valley, historically ideal for taxing trade and resisting invasions. Khujand was a moderately important trading city on that route for centuries, although it always played second fiddle to other Silk Road cities. By the start of the 1800s, Khujand was part of the Khanate of Kokand, which was one of the major pre-Russian political entities in Central Asia. In 1867 the Russians took Khujand from the Khanate; the Khanate itself was absorbed into the Russian Empire in 1876.

In the months preceding - and the years after - the October Revolution, the city played a significant role in the Basmachi Revolt which first originated in the Ferghana Valley, against …

Get around

Khujand is a pretty walkable city, although distances may seem shorter on maps than they actually are (the local running club considers a loop that goes from one bridge to the other and back to be 5K). Both of the main bridges across the Syr Darya in the center of town have sidewalks.

See

thumb|Arbob Palace, where Tajikistan's independence was declared and where the Tajik Civil War was ended, is located in a village not too far from Khujand.

For an almost 3000-year-old city, there are very few historical sites left. Still, Khujand has plenty to offer. Here are some places to see in town:

The part of town north of the river is mainly Soviet- and contemporary era residential/commercial, with little interest to the traveler. However, the , one of the city's largest and nicest, is located on the north side. Women are not usually allowed in the mosque, although female tourists might have some success if they go outside of prayer times.

Do

There may periodically be river cruises along the Syr Darya. It is not recommended to swim in the Syr Darya. The currents can be deceptively strong, and the water is polluted. You might see locals fishing in the river though.

The city has many parks that locals hang out at, which are nice for killing a few hours in.

Haggle (or try to) with locals in one of the many bazaars.

Most tourists use Khujand as a jumping-off point for trips into the Fann Mountains, where there is a lot of hiking and natural attractions.

Buy

There are ATMs virtually everywhere, but the most trustworthy ones are connected to banks. Esxata Bank (Эсхата Бонк) and Dushanbe-City (Душанбе-Сити) are abundant in the city. Amonatbonk (Амонатбонк) and Alifbank (Алифбанк) are also prevalent.

If your Tajik and/or Russian skills are particularly good, it's worth spending the better portion of a day at . Here, you can get a wide variety of local Tajik produce, meats, clothing (imported from China or Turkey), pets/pet products, kitchen supplies, and more.

thumb|The interior of the main hall at Panjshanbe Bazaar

The and the are the other major shopping centers in Khujand, although they will most likely be of little interest to the traveler, since they primarily sell appliances (Jum'a) and generic clothing (Somon). If, however, you are in urgent need of a new washing machine or a pair of shoes, they are great places to get good deals.

region is host to a smattering of stores that range in theme and quality. A large amount of these will be no different than the stores in your hometown, but if you're a shopaholic, it's a good street to walk down and window shop. It is the street that connects Khujandi Park with Panjshanbe, so it can easily be strolled on the way to or from Panjshanbe.

Eat

Locals claim that they have the best food in all of Tajikistan! While you may or may not agree, it certainly is worth trying. The Khujandi version of plov (called "Osh" in the city) is very similar to the Samarkandi style, as opposed to the Dushanbe style found in the southern half of the country. There are numerous small restaurants and cafés throughout the town, as well as street vendors.

During Ramadan, expect all of the following to be closed until around Iftar (the sunset prayer), at which point they all become incredibly crowded with locals heading out to eat. Grocery stores and a decent number of the food vendors at the bazaars remain open during the day.

Drink

There aren't many nightclubs or bars in Khujand, but alcohol stores can be found on most streets. Unlike in many other countries, grocery stores do not sell alcohol in Tajikistan. Prices are generally slightly cheaper than in countries like the US or most of Europe, but the quality may reflect that. Most "sit-down" style restaurants will serve alcohol, but "fast food" style ones (like burger/shwarma/pizza joints) will not.

Being a former Soviet country, Tajikistan is a good place to find Georgian and Moldovan wines, as well as other beverages from the former republics. There are also Tajik-made alcohols, although they are nowhere near as good quality as French wines, Russian vodkas, or Irish whiskeys.

Connect

There are a plethora of T-Cell and Megafon stores and kiosks in the city. If you haven't already acquired a Tajik SIM card, you can go to any of the stores and get one (you'll need your passport for registration). You can also use any orange kiosk to add funds to your account.

Go next

Khujand is about two hours' drive from Tashkent, and many people visit the city on the way to or from the Uzbek capital. To get to the Oybek border post (the one that goes to Tashkent), take a marshrutka or taxi to Abreshim station, where you can find a plethora of taxi drivers waiting to take you to the border. It should cost С40-50 per person. As of 2024, no marshrutkas go directly to the border (but some go to Buston and to Mastchoh, where you might be able to find a ride to the border).

To the east the Kairakum reservoir is located near the city of Guliston (not to be confused with the same-named city in Uzbekistan). Marshrutkas run to Guliston, but you may prefer to take a taxi.

Marshutkas go to Istaravshan, Isfara, and the neighboring towns of Chkalovsk (where the airport is), Buston, and Histevarz. For further afield (like to Panjakent), you'll want to take a shared taxi (they pool at the same places that the marshrutkas wait).

Dushanbe: There are only shared taxis going from Khujand to Dushanbe. The cost seems to vary between С60 and 120 depending on the time of day, week, waiting time and type of car. The roads have been much improved from 2005, and a 2WD is (May 2019) as good as a 4WD. Drivers do not tend to rip tourists off for this route as the competition is so high. Haggling is possible within about С20 on any given day. The drive takes 4-5 hours depending on whether the drivers stop for lunch, and the views of the Fann Mountains are stunning. Talk of the Anz…