Haft Kul

Sun 7/6/26

We have booked a day trip to the Seven Lakes (Haft Kul) in Tajikistan with the hotel and paid USD 250 by cash for 2 pax. Since we didn't bring USD, we had to withdraw cash in UZS from the ATM and exchanged it with the hotel. USD 100 is paid to the Uzbekistan side, while the balance of USD 150 was to be paid to the Tajikistan side.

We departed after breakfast at 9am where our Uzbek driver Mahmoud drove us until the Uzbekistan border control at Jartepa. After clearing the Uzbek side, we had to to immigration and customs at the Tajikistan side and have our passports stamped. 

our Uzbek car and driver

After clearing the Tajikistan immigration, our guide from Tajikistan was already waiting for us with our names on the placard. 

our Tajik car, guide and driver

We stopped by at Panjakent bozor (central market) for our guide to change currency from USD (the money that we paid to him) to Tajikistan Som to be used for our lunch reservation. We didn't change money to TJS as our tour have already included lunch and transport from our hotel and back.

Panjakent bozor

To enter the Seven Lakes, we had to pass through a security post as there is a gold mine nearby the Seven Lakes. The gravel road started after the village of Shing and the ride started to become bumpy along the Moghiyondaryo river and Shing river.

We stopped by at all the lakes, starting from the First Lake (Mijgon), Second Lake (Soya), Third Lake (Hushyor), Fourth Lake (Nofin), Fifth Lake (Khurdak), Sixth Lake (Marghuzor) and Seventh Lake (Hazorchasma). The Seven Lakes are located in the Fann Mountains. They lie at elevations ranging from approximately 1,598 metres above sea level for the first lake to around 2,400 metres for the seventh.(wikipedia)

First Lake (Mijgon)

First Lake (Mijgon)

Second Lake (Soya)

Third Lake (Hushyor)

We stopped by for lunch at a restaurant at the Third Lake. We had plov with cherries and tea. 

lunch by the Third Lake (Hushyor)

Fourth Lake (Nofin)

Fourth Lake (Nofin)

Fifth Lake (Khurdak)

Fifth Lake (Khurdak)

Sixth Lake (Marghuzor)

Sixth Lake (Marghuzor)

For the last lake i.e. the Seventh Lake, our driver parked a bit further so we could do a little hike to the Seventh Lake and we spent about 40 minutes here to enjoy the panoramic views and taking pictures. You could hike further to access up until the 10th lake which is could not be accessed by vehicles.

trek to Seventh Lake (Hazorchasma) with views

views during short hike to Seventh Lake

short hike to Seventh Lake

stream from Seventh Lake

stream from Seventh Lake

Seventh Lake (Hazorchasma)

Seventh Lake (Hazorchasma)

At 3.45 pm, we left the Seventh Lake to return back to our hotel in Samarkand. The ride on the gravel road took almost 1.5 hours with 1 toilet stop. We reached the border at around 6pm. After clearing immigration on both sides, Mahmoud the driver from Uzbekistan side was already waiting for us and swiftly drove us back. We reached our hotel around 7.30pm

We were tired from the excursion today so we called it a day and cancelled the plan to catch the laser show at Registan Square (which didn't happen yesterday).