This section is dedicated to take away all your "I wish someone had told me that before I went!" experiences. This way, you can spend less time settling in, and more time making new friends in your chosen hostel. We share our insider knowledge of tips, tricks and important things to look out for in Dushanbe.
Dushanbe is the capital of Tajikistan, a country in Central Asia. Dushanbe the starting point or last destination in Tajikistan for those who travel the infamous Pamir Highway.
There are not many hostels in Tajikistan and the hostels that you can find often don’t have the same standards as you can find in other countries. Dushanbe however does have a few hostels that offer a very high quality. There are several hostels in Dushanbe throughout the city, which tend to be a good place for travellers to meet. Although there are not many places of interest in Dushanbe, travellers often stay for several days or even more than a week in one of the hostels, as the facilities are much better than in most cities or towns in Tajikistan and there are many embassies here, so those who are on a longer trip tend to apply for visas for other countries in the region. This makes it ideal for travellers to connect with other travellers.
Many people travel Tajikistan by bike or by rented car. There is no real public transport around Tajikistan, although you can buy a seat in a 4x4. If you intend to travel around the country by car, you may want to choose a bigger hostel. In particular in peak season you will be able to fill up a car by asking around in the hostel. It will save you from several hours waiting at the ‘bus’ station for the car to fill up and you can ask the driver to stop to take pictures when you want.
Some of the Dushanbe hostels have a garden, while others are located in an apartment. Travellers by bike may want to look out for a hostel with a fenced garden, so they store their bike safely. Remember that about half of the travellers in Tajikistan are cyclists, so it may be difficult to store your bike safely if you stay in an apartment.
Most Dushanbe hostels do have self catering facilities, so it is possible to cook your own food. If you do not wish to cook your own food you can get local food in canteen styled restaurants for about 2 dollars per meal. Western styled restaurants are few and only available in the city centre.
Not all hostels in Dushanbe are located in the city centre, but usually not more than 20 minutes by foot. However, there are plenty of shops near all hostels. If you don’t feel like walking, you can easily take a minibus for about 10 cents that passes the main roads every one or two minutes. The area where most places worth visiting can be found are near Rudaki Avenue. This is where you can find the second tallest flagpole in the world, a beautiful park, the Somoni monument and several bars and can be considered the most interesting area in Dushanbe.
Written by local enthusiast for Dushanbe hostels
Martin Straatman
