Objects
Tour description

Welcome to the breathtaking "Haft Kul" or "Seven Lakes"! These magnificent cascading lakes are nestled among the Fan Mountains in the northwestern part of Tajikistan, near the city of Penjikent. A group of mountain lakes will take your breath away with their bright and constantly changing colors. Each lake has its own name: the lowest lake, which travelers usually meet first, is called Mijgon. Next are Soya, Hushor, Nofin, Khurdak, Marguzor (the largest) and Hazorchashma (the highest).

The gorgeous Fan Mountains are home to seven sparkling lakes nestled in the Shing River gorge. The lovely lakes are so old! They're home to some ancient petroglyphs, which show us that they've been around for a very long time. The lowest lake, Mijgon, is 1,640 meters up, while the highest, Hazorchashma, is 2,400 meters. That's a whopping 760 meters difference in height! And the distance between them is more than 14 kilometers.

The lakes are very accessible to tourists, which is great! There's a dirt road that runs through all seven lakes, and it only takes about an hour to get from one to the next (give or take a few minutes). The last part (between the sixth and seventh lakes) is a bit more challenging to drive, so many visitors love to walk along this part. You can also go hiking on the road to all the lakes (usually it takes about 2 days) and even further to other beautiful lakes, valleys, and villages. There are several small villages with guesthouses for tourists near the lakes (in particular, around Lake Nofin). These guesthouses are very simple and allow visitors to immerse themselves in the atmosphere of local life. You can even camp in many places!

MIJGON

As you start your journey through the stunning landscapes of the region, you'll often find yourself gazing at the first lake that catches your eye. Nestled at an altitude of 1,640 meters above sea level, the lake known as Mijgon is a breathtaking sight to behold. The lovely lake is named after the Tajik word for "eyelashes." Lake Mijgon is a deep, beautiful lake with a depth of up to 20 meters and an area of 0.05 square kilometers. One of the most amazing things about this lake is that it changes color depending on the lighting and the season. It can be turquoise, blue, or even purple! This is all thanks to the high mineral content (specifically sodium and calcium) in the water. In the summer, the water is nice and warm, so visitors can enjoy a refreshing dip in this fascinating lake.

SOYA

As you continue along Lake Mijgon, you'll come to a natural dam that separates it from the second lake, Soya. Cross it, and you'll be rewarded with a stunning view of Mijgon. The lovely lake Soya, which means "shadow" in Tajik, is nestled between tall rocks, basking in the shade for most of the day. Just like Mijgon, the water in Soya Lake changes color depending on the weather and time of day. It's located at an altitude of 1701 meters and has an area of 0.1 square kilometers.

HUSHOR

The third lake, Hushor, is just a short 400-meter trip from Soya. As you approach, you'll see a lively stream connecting the two, ready to welcome you with open arms. Lake Hushor is nestled at an altitude of 1771 meters and covers a cozy 0.23 square kilometers. The lake is surrounded by steep cliffs, and it's said that it was once home to some venomous snakes. That's probably why the lake got its name!

NOFIN

The distance between Lake Hushor and Lake Nofin is only 400 meters, but the route along the serpentine is a whole kilometer! Nofin, the fourth of the seven lakes, is really quite long and skinny! It's more than 2.5 km long and only about 200 meters wide. This lovely lake is 1820 meters high and covers 0.48 square kilometers. The lovely lake is called Nofin, which means "umbilical cord." It's the central of the seven lakes and is very long, like an umbilical cord. The lovely locals have lots of different legends about the lake and say that it has secrets. The road runs along the east coast, and sometimes in the summer it gets flooded, which makes it a bit tricky for cars to pass. At the far end of the lake, you'll find a lovely little village with some cozy guesthouses.

KHURDAK

This little guy is the smallest of all seven lakes. Isn't it sweet that even its name translates as "baby"? This little lake is only 0.025 sq. km. in area and sits at an altitude of 1870 meters. Just a short 1.5 km away is the lovely village of Padrut, which you can enjoy along the way to Lake Nofin. There was once a lovely little hydroelectric power station on Khurdak, which provided electricity to the village and surrounding houses.

MARGUZOR

Welcome to the largest and most beautiful lake in the Seven Lakes system! To get there, you'll want to hop in your car and drive a little over 2 km along a winding road that'll take you up to 2,140 meters in altitude. This lovely lake is about 1.16 sq. km in area, 2.7 km long, and has a maximum depth of 45 meters. The gorgeous blue water and majestic mountains in the background create a truly magnificent landscape. On the shores of Marguzor, we made an amazing discovery: petroglyphs left behind by our ancient ancestors! In the Middle Ages, people mined semi-precious stones near the lake. Today, at the southern tip of the lake, there is a lovely little village with houses scattered on the surrounding slopes. The lovely locals will be happy to tell you some legends and fairy tales featuring Lake Marguzor. The road through the lake is a lovely one, winding along the eastern shore in places almost at water level. Just a heads-up, in case of spills, the lake floods the road, so you'll want to make sure you've got a truck or a reliable jeep. And there's more! In the southern part of Marguzor, you'll find a lovely trail that leads to the Tavasang pass (3307 meters). From there, you can embark on one of the most beautiful mountain routes along the Fan Mountains.

HAZORCHASHMA

Welcome to the final and highest mountain lake in the Seven Lakes complex! It's nestled at 2,400 meters above sea level. It's also as big as a Marguzor, but still a little smaller: the water mirror is about 0.92 sq. km. in area and about 2 km long. The lovely name Hazorchashma means "a thousand springs," and it's no exaggeration! It's fed by the waters of two rivers and many streams.

This is the last lake in the Shing River gorge, and then there are no settlements, the road ends, and you're in the wild, wild Fan Mountains! That's the only side you can see the lake from, but it's a lovely view! If you want to see the south side, you'll have to go on a little adventure! You'll get to bypass the rocky shores of the lake and see the magnificent view of Khazorchashma. You'll even be able to see the waters of Marguzor in the distance!


yesAvailability: April - October
cool Direction: Dushanbe-Panjakent
enlightened Duration: 4 days / 3 nights 
angel Type of tour: individual, calculation for 2 (2-4 people), for Solo (1 person) +50%





Program of the tour


ARRIVAL DAY

  • 08:00 - welcome of tourists in Dushanbe
  • or
  • 11:00 - meeting from the border of Tajikistan - Penjikent/Samarqand.

Note: in supposed to save the time there is will be used two shuttle (vehicle): first from Samarqand to Tajikistan border and return (as taxi), and second from Tajikistan border to Seven Lakes and return, special private vehicle. 

  • 12:00 - lunch in Penjikent, national food
  • 13:00 - departure to Seven Lakes
  • 14:00 – our hike tour will start from the 1st Lake Mijgon. Here we have 30 minute to be in a beach of the Lake.
  • 14:30 – continue our hike to the Lake Soya, duration 1.8 km

MIJGON (62 km from Penjikent)

  • Usually, the first lake that travelers see, the lowest lake — Mijgon — is located at an altitude of 1640 meters above sea level. Its name comes from the Tajik word "eyelashes". Lake Mijgon has a depth of up to 20 meters, an area of 0.05 square kilometers. It is distinguished by bright colors: depending on the lighting and the season, the water can be turquoise, blue, or even purple. This is due to the high content of minerals (sodium and calcium) in the water. In summer, the water is quite warm, and visitors can plunge into this fascinating lake.
  • 15:00 – we will reach the 2nd Lake Soya, and have a rest about 30 min.
  • 15:30 – continue our hike to the Lake Hushor, duration 1.0 km

SOYA (1,8 km from Mijgon)

  • Continuing from Lake Mijgon along a steep serpentine, you will cross a natural dam that separates Lake Mijgon from the second lake, Soy (from where a stunning view of Mijgon opens). Soy Lake is named after the Tajik word "shadow" — since this lake is located between high rocks, it is in the shade almost all day. As in Mijgon, the water in Soya Lake changes color depending on the weather and time of day. The lake is located at an altitude of 1701 meters and has an area of 0.1 square kilometers.
  • 16:00 – we will reach the 3rd Lake Hushor, and a rest time about 1 hour
  • 17:00 – continue our hike to the Lake Nofin, duration 2.8 km

HUSHOR (2,8/1,0 km from Soya)

  • The third lake, Khushor, is 400 meters from Soy, and when you get close to it, you will see a turbulent stream connecting them. Lake Khushor is located at an altitude of 1771 meters and covers an area of 0.23 square kilometers. The lake is surrounded by steep cliffs and was once home to venomous snakes, which explains the origin of the lake's name.
  • 19:00 – we will reach the 4th Lake Nofin. Here we will stay at night in homestay Najmiddin
  • 08:00 – breakfast in homestay
  • 09:00 – continue hiking to the  Lake Khurdak, duration 3.6 km

KHURDAK (9,2/3,6 km from Nofin)

  • This is the smallest among all seven lakes. Even its name translates as "baby". Its area is only 0.025 sq.km., and it is located at an altitude of 1870 meters. The distance from Lake Nofin is 1.5 km, and along the way you can see the village of Padrut. Once there was a small hydroelectric power station on Khurdak, which provided electricity to the village and surrounding houses.
  • 11:00 – we will reach the 5th Lake Khurdak, and a rest time about 30 minute
  • 11:30 – continue our hike to the Lake Marguzar, duration 3.6 km
  • MARGUZAR (12,8/3,6 km from Khurdak)
  • The largest and most beautiful lake in the Seven Lakes system. To reach it, you need to drive more than 2 km along the serpentine and climb to a height of 2140 meters. Its area is 1.16 sq.km., the length reaches 2.7 km, the maximum depth is 45 meters. A wide expanse of blue water and majestic mountains in the background create a magnificent landscape. It was on the shore of Marguzor that petroglyphs of primitive people were found. In the Middle Ages, semi-precious stones were mined near the lake. Today, at the southern tip of the lake there is a small village, whose houses are scattered on the surrounding slopes. Locals can tell legends and fairy tales, which will feature Lake Marguzor. The road through the lake goes along the eastern shore, in places almost at water level. In case of spills, the lake floods the road, and you can only drive a truck or a reliable jeep. Also, in the southern part of Marguzor, a trail begins leading to the Tavasang pass (3307 meters), from which you can go along one of the mountain routes along the Fan Mountains.
  • 13:30 – we will reach the 6th Lake Marguzar, and have a rest time about 2 hour including lunch
  • 17:00 – camping 
  • 08:00 – breakfast in homestay
  • 09:00 – continue trekking to the Lake Hazorchashma, duration 5.8 km
  • 12:00 – reaching Hazorchashma Lake, lunch and rest time at the beach of Lake

HAZORCHASHMA (17,6/5,8 km from Marguzar)

  • The final and highest mountain lake in the Seven Lakes complex. It is located at 2,400 meters above sea level. It is also as large as a Marguzor, but still somewhat inferior in size: the area of the water mirror is 0.92 sq.km., and the maximum length is 2 km. The name Hazorchashma means "a thousand springs" - it really feeds on the waters of two rivers and many streams.
  • This is the last lake in the gorge of the Shing River, and then there are no settlements, the road ends and then only the wild nature of the Fan Mountains. Therefore, you can only look at the lake from the north side. To look from the south side, you will have to go on a mountain trekke, bypassing the rocky shores of the lake, but as a reward, tourists will get a magnificent view of the Khazorchashma, beyond which you can see the waters of Marguzor in the distance.
  • 15:00 – way back to the 6th lake and from there with transport drive to 4th lake
  • 19:00 – arriving 4th lake, night in homestay
  • DEPARTURE DAY
  • 08:00 - breakfast at the camp
  • 09:00 - ending the tour, return trip to Dushanbe or the border with Uzbekistan / Samarqand



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