Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
green gates is a three-room collection of
antique musical instruments from all across
Central Asia. What makes the place special
is that local musicians often gather here to
practise/jam together creating a special mu-
sical magic. It's unmarked, diagonally oppo-
site the obvious 'justice' mosaic.
Writers'¨Union¨Building¨
NOTABlE BUIlDINg
(Somoni)
Tajikistan's Persian past is invoked
in the facade of the Writers' Union Building.
It's adorned like a medieval cathedral with
saintly, sculpted-stone figures of Sadruddin
Ayni, Omar Khayam, Firdausi and other
writers from the Persian pantheon.
Statue¨of¨Ismoil¨Somoni¨
STATUE
(Ismail Samani)
Dushanbe's most vis-
ible monument to nation-building sees
the 10th-century founder of the Samanid
dynasty emerging through a giant crown-
topped theatrical hoop waving a wand.
Rising behind him, the
Parchan
is a gold-
topped white-marble column reminiscent
of a Roman centurion's standard.
Rudaki¨Statue¨
STATUE
On his pond-fronted garden plinth, beneath
an impressive blue mosaic arc full of stars,
Rudaki appears to be taking a curtain call
after a 10th-century
X-Factor
performance.
Green¨Bazaar¨
MARKET
(Shah Mansur Bazaar; cnr lokhuti & Nissor Mu-
hammed)
The bustling and colourful Shah
Mansur Bazaar is the heartbeat of Dushanbe
trade and the best place to stock up on travel
snacks from dried fruit to Korean kimchi.
Botanical¨Gardens¨
PARK
(admission 2TJS;
h
8am-7pm)
The extensive
Botanical Gardens are a favourite of canoo-
dling couples. The east-central entrance
gateway is designed in ancient Iranian style
and dotted between the trees are beautifully
carved wooden pavilions.
Victory¨Park¨
PARK
For the best views over the city, watch the
sun set over a draught beer from Victory
Park whose impressive WWII monument is
also worth a look.
World's¨Biggest¨Teahouse¨
ARCHITECTURE
(Somoni)
Still under construction, this vast
festival of blue semi-traditional tiling is re-
puted to have cost a mind-bending percent-
age of the national GDP. It is rising near
to Komsomol Park, one of several popular
family-friendly relaxation spots.
2
¨Activities
Hash¨House¨Harriers¨
ACTIVITY
(Facebook: Dushanbe Hash House Harriers)
'Drinkers with a running problem' generally
do their thing at 3pm on Saturdays.
Hike¨Tajikistan¨
HIKINg
(www.facebook.com/hike.tajikistan;
h
Sun)
On
Sundays when weather permits, groups of
expats and locals take hiking or skiing day
trips organised through social media. Typi-
cal cost around 80TJS.
AquaPark¨
WATERPARK
(www.waterpark.tj; adult/child weekend 75/45TJS,
weekday 70/40TJS;
h
9.30am-6.30pm)
A god-
send for expats with kids but it's well out in
the westernmost suburbs so is a bit of a trek
for those without transport.
4
¨Sleeping
Dushanbe has no international-style back-
packer hostels. The few homestays are hard
to track down and other budget options are
ageing Soviet-era hotels. Private, modern
midrange mansion-hotels often hide in sub-
urban lanes.
o
Hotel¨Tajikmatlubot¨
HOTEl $
(
%
224 64 87; Rudaki 137; per person US$30;
aW
)
Brilliant value for Dushanbe, especially for
single travellers, each of the 11 rooms is a
veritable suite, well-appointed albeit with
rather luridly glossy wallpaper. It's in the
south wing of the lumpsome blue Ittifoki
building with a pretty garden behind.
Makhbuba¨Mansurova's¨¨
Homestay¨
HOMESTAY $
(
%
856 91 66, 221 20 83; Zekhni first side-lane, 11;
dm US$20, breakfast US$3)
Makhbuba's house
offers clean mattresses and a tea bed in the
garden, across which is a hot-water bath-
room and Western-style loo. It's wonderfully
central but can get hot when packed body-
to-body in busy summers. Off season you
might get a whole room alone. It's southeast
of the obvious TV transmitter.
Adventurer's¨Inn¨
gUESTHOUSE $
(
%
228 00 93; www.hamsafar-travel.com; Pulod Tolis
5/11; dm/tent space/floor space US$18/8/8;
W
)
Hamsafar's rather makeshift guesthouse is
the nearest Dushanbe comes to a travellers'
hangout. Four rooms share two bathrooms
plus a kitchen, but in summer backpackers'
tents and bed rolls also fill much of the small
yard-garden. It's awkward to find by vehicle.
On foot, walk west from Vadanosos (Varzob)
