Day 1: Samarkand border cross – Alpine camp Artuch –Lake Kulikalon overnight in Alpine camp Artuch
Pick up at 8:00 am from Samarkand hotel. Transfer to the border. After crossing the border in Tajikistan our team will take you to the tour of Tajikistan.
Lake Kulikalon is the second-largest lake in the Fann Mountains and translates from Tajik as “big lake.” The lake is located at the western edge of the large Kulikalon Basin at an altitude of 2,800 meters.
Just a 5-hour hike from the famous mountaineering camp “Artuch” along an excellent trail, and travelers arrive at one of the most beautiful places in the Fann Mountains.
It is warm there, and a juniper forest grows around. Travelers can swim in the lake. The northern shore of Kulikalon is intricately indented, with secluded bays deeply cutting into the land, rocky headlands separating the gulfs, and a winding strait isolating a large, green, flat island that extends far into the lake. Toward its southern end, Kulikalon narrows, with rocky slopes of the side ridges approaching closely. Beyond them, the black walls of the Western Fann Ridge rise, with white-green glaciers gleaming along the crest.
A short channel separates Big Kulikalon from Small Kulikalon, which is a small basin. Kulikalon is the last link in the chain of lakes in the Kulikalon Basin. Its waters are fed by a river that flows into the lake from the northern shore. Another river enters the lake at its southern end. The lake’s outflow is underground, passing through a thick moraine. After penetrating the moraine, the Artuch River emerges.
In summer, shepherds from the lower villages set up their seasonal camps on the lake’s shores. Recently, juvenile marinka fish were released into the lake. They have adapted well, turning the lake into a fishing spot.
Day 2: Alpine camp Artuch – Voru – Penjikent city tour – cross the border – Samarkand
Voru is one of the oldest villages in Tajikistan, located at an altitude of 2,200 meters in the Sughd region of northern Tajikistan, within the Fann Mountains. Positioned in the western Fann Mountains and the northern part of the Gisar range, it lies east of the well-known trekking site, Seven Lakes (Haftkul). The village is surrounded by stunning mountain lakes, including Lake Alo in the Amshud Gorge at approximately 3,000 meters, as well as Lake Khushkhunda and Lake Nahang. Visitors are drawn to Voru for its unique traditional architecture, authentic rural lifestyle, and breathtaking natural surroundings. It is a highlight of many Northern Tajikistan tours.
Penjikent was once the capital of the Sogdian Empire, a Zoroastrian civilization well predating Islam in the region. Though most people travel to Tajikistan for trekking, there are several ancient sites in the area worth visiting on your way to the mountains.
Then drive back to Samarkand border for departure. After crossing the border the driver from Samarkand side will meet you and transfer to your hotel.
