Tadjikistan

Drink

Green tea — Tajiks customarily enjoy drinking unsweetened (or sweetened) green tea all throughout the day. Hence, it is the country's national beverage. Compote — A distilled fruit punch.

Water in Tajikistan has two dangers: one is the quality, which is vastly below Western or East Asian standards – it should not be consumed. The other is the relative frequency with which the water is shut off from buildings (including restaurants). Travelers should drink bottled water and avoid ice (and drinks made with ice, like milkshakes and smoothies). Travelers should also be prepared for possible water shutoffs while they're there. Long-term travelers should consider buying 5- or 10-liter jugs of water (like those found at office coolers) for when the power or water goes out (usually the two act in tandem) or for washing vegetables with.

Sleep

thumbnail|Ferdowsi Park in Dushanbe, Tajikistan

Sleeping options in Tajikistan include the following:

Hotels

In Dushanbe, there are a few large hotels, including the Hyatt Regency and the "Tajikistan" in the central city. Most are ex-Soviet era and tend to be over-priced and in poor condition. There are a couple of newly built hotels offering western standards of accommodation for around US$70–220 per room.

MSDSP guesthouses

The Aga Khan's Mountain Societies Development Support Programme has a network of guesthouses in places like Kalaikhum and Khorog, offering a good standard of accommodation. Full board is around US$40 per person

Formal homestays

The French NGO ACTED is establishing a network of homestays in the Pamir region, around Murghab. For around US$10 per person per night you get a comfortable bed in a family home. The facilities are basic, i.e. no running water and an outside toilet, but guests can expect comfortable clean rooms, good local food and a very warm welcome.

Independent guesthouses

In Dushanbe, Khorog, and Murghab there are a small but growing number of independent guesthouses. These are similar in standard and price to the ACTED homestays.

Online accommodation

Many cities of Tajikistan offer free accommodation in homestays through couchsurfing.com

The app/website "Somon.tj" is the Tajik version of eBay, but it also lists apartments for rent. Some renters allow short-term rentals (some daily, some weekly, etc.) for a very low price, but knowl…

Stay safe

Perhaps surprisingly, Tajikistan is one of the safest countries in the world in terms of petty thefts and tourism-specific crimes. Travelers here are treated with respect, and outside of the bazaars pickpockets are not common. Of course, travelers should still bring with them their common sense, but Tajikistan is much safer in this regard than most of Europe and Latin America.

Some factional fighting spilling over from nearby Afghanistan (as well as local warlordism) can occur in Tajikistan, although it is rare. Visitors should keep abreast of the security situation and not take any unnecessary risks. Generally, the Pamir region and areas close to the Afghan border have the potential to be the most volatile.

After sunset, it is not advisable to walk around outside alone; generally, do not travel unaccompanied to rural areas.

Of significant concern is the inability of Tajikistan's law enforcement entities to provide adequate and immediate assistance. Lack of manpower, low salaries, and inadequate training all contribute to a lack of professionalism among law enforcement entities. Police officers in Dushanbe have been known to ask for bribes from expatriates and tourists, even when no crime has been committed. It is always best to travel in groups if you are traveling at night and avoid areas heavily patrolled by the police (including Rudaki Park) if you have been drinking. If you are asked for a bribe, play dumb. Even if you speak Russian or Tajik, it is best to pretend lik…

Stay healthy

The healthcare system in Tajikistan is best described as severely underdeveloped.

Do not drink tap water. There is no working purification system, and outbreaks of typhoid are common, and even cholera (rarely). Other preventable endemic illnesses are hepatitis A, rabies, poliomyelitis and tick-borne encephalitis. The occasional anthrax case comes in, but it's rare nowadays. There are, during the hot season, a few pockets where malaria can occur. HIV is a growing health threat in Tajikistan. There is now an English-speaking comprehensive primary care clinic in operation by the name of Prospekt Medical, right behind the Embassy of China. In the Pamir mountains, the risk of altitude sickness is substantial. In case of ANY accident, call your embassy. Health insurance and medical evacuation insurance are strongly recommended.

For long-term visitors, it's not a question of "will you get food poisoning", but "when". Be prepared for it.

Longer stays may consider the hiring of private drivers and home security guards. Rent out secure known owners' places.

Air quality in the winter (and sometimes in other seasons) in the cities can be horrendous, with practically everyone using coal-powered heating. The increase in coal pollution combined with mountains that trap the pollution means there are often high levels of particulate matter in the air. It is recommended that you wear an N-95 mask while traveling outside during times of poor air quality. If you are spending considerable am…

Respect

Tajikistan is a fairly conservative society, and women should be fairly modest in public. Headscarves and face-coverings are exceptions and not the norm. For men, shorts will generally attract disapproving stares, even in larger cities like Dushanbe. Although some Tajiks can be extremely friendly, it is not uncommon for people to be equally rude. Tajiks in general are very welcoming to tourists. While you should be wary of scams in the larger cities, do not be alarmed if young people approach you to say hello and practice their English. When speaking to older Tajiks, place your right hand over your heart: this is a sign of respect reserved for older men or women in Tajik society. Only men are allowed inside the mosques in Tajikistan. Women usually pray in their homes or at work in private areas; it is expected that Muslim women visiting the country as tourists do the same. However, some mosques in the larger cities have been known to allow female tourist groups to enter to tour the mosque, although prayer still seems to be restricted to men. That being said, women are allowed in some mosques if they're 1) asking a religious question, 2) traveling with a male companion, and 3) visiting outside of the normal prayer times. Unlike some of its neighbors in the region, same-sex activity is legal in Tajikistan. However, social attitudes towards LGBTQ+ issues are quite conservative and there are no laws protecting sexual minorities from discrimination or harassment, so LGBTQ+ visitor…