Isfara

Isfara is one of the most prosperous and beautiful cities of the Ferghana Valley of Tajikistan, in the basin of the colorful mountain ranges of Turkestan. A historic Silk Road city, it is now a hidden gem in the far northeast of Tajikistan.

Understand
The town of Isfara was founded in the 15th century by Arabs who had entered into the Ferghana Valley as part of the broader Arab conquest of Central Asia. The town was originally called Aspara. The first mention of the city in literary sources was in the 16th century by Babur, who praised the city's almonds and fruits. (Babur later went on to conquer northwestern India, establishing the Mughal Empire there.) In the post-Babur era, Isfara was under the control of the Khanate of Kokand, which was based in the city of Qo'qon in today's Uzbekistan. In 1876, the Khanate of Kokand was dissolved into the expanding Russian Empire.

With the Russian Revolution in 1917, Isfara found itself in the Soviet Union. Originally, it (along with the rest of Tajikistan) was part of the Uzbekistan Soviet Socialist Republic (SSR), but in the 1930s the Tajikistan ASSR was upgraded to a full SSR. During the Soviet Union, the borders between the SSRs didn't impact life on the ground, so Isfara prospered being at the tripoint between the Tajik, Uzbek, and Kyrgyz SSRs. But when the Soviet Union dissolved in the 1990s, Isfara suddenly found itself isolated on two sides.

The city continued to prosper as a trading and tourist town, allowing easy access between Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan, but with the outbreak of hostilities between the two countries in 2021 and the border closures, the town has begun to suffer economically.

Isfara is surrounded by high colorful mountains, each of which is a different country. To the city's south, all of the mountains are part of Kyrgyzstan; to the northeast, Uzbekistan; and to the northwest, Tajikistan.

The city is one of the cultural centers of the Ferghana Valley. The Persian-Tajik poet Saifi Isfarangi, an outstanding representative of the Persian-Tajik literature of the late 12th and early 13th centuries, was born here. In the nearby town of Chorku is a mausoleum to a local Sufi mystic, Hazroti Shoh, which is carved entirely from wood.

Climate
Isfara has hot summers and moderately cold winters. The average air temperature is +27°C in July and -3°C in January. Being wedged between high, desert mountains, Isfara can get really dusty at times.

Get in
The closest airport is in Khujand (LBD). From the airport, take a taxi to Avtostantsiya, where you can pick up a marshrutka to Isfara for с20. The last marshrutkas leave around 5pm. The trip takes between 90 minutes and 2 hours, depending on how many times the marshrutkas stop for passengers to get on/off and the quality of the road. A segment of the road between Khujand and Isfara is the disputed border between Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan, so the quality is very poor and bumpy.

If coming from Uzbekistan, cross the border between Qo'qon and Konibodom and take a marshrutka to Konibodom's bus station. Pick up a marshrutka to Isfara there. The trip between Konibodom and Isfara is about an hour (again, depending on how often it stops) on poor roads, but it's about с13-18.

Both marshrutka routes drop you off at the station, which is in the center of town next to the main bazaar.

Get around
Isfara is small enough and compact enough that you can easily walk (<20 minutes) anywhere you'd want to go. Still, if you wish to take a vehicle, the marshrutkas all convene at the station. You can also hail one on the street.

See
Each mountain visible from the city center is in a different country (Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, and Kyrgyzstan). Other than that oddity, there isn't much to see that's special in Isfara other than the giant apricot.
 * Monument to Ismoil Somoni. There is a monument to Ismoil Somoni in the center of the city, and there is a park on the back square.
 * There is a museum not far from the bazaar or from the city library, where you can see the ancient things of the Samanids, or different stones, or listen to the caretaker, she will explain everything to you in detail.
 * The giant apricot in the center of the roundabout by the bazaar.
 * The Isfara River runs through the town, and many restaurants have outdoor seating alongside it.

Do
Take a walk in the parks, in the city there are two parks: "Ismoili Somoni" and "Isfarang".

You can go to the "Zumrad" sanatorium, you can take a walk there if it's not winter, the weather is fine, calm and there is also a small lake where you can go boating for only 3-5 somoni. In the summer, concerts of famous Tajik performers are held there.

Buy
Isfara has been famous for craftsmen since ancient times. Woodcarving, blacksmithing, pottery and other crafts have developed here since ancient times. The art of ganch and wood carvers is especially popular.

Isfara is also famous for its orchards, and dried Isfara apricots (called kok, or "dry" in Tajik) are a common find in the city markets.

Eat
Cafe "Isfara", or you can eat cheaply at the Bazaar. Cafe "Isfara" is located in the city center. And the bazaar is located next to the Isfari bus station.

Isdara is famous for its apricots.

Drink
Isfara is a fairly conservative Muslim town, so alcohol is not easily found. There are some liquor stores in the town, but they're usually holes-in-the-wall and they can be difficult to find.

There are no bars or nightclubs in the city.

Sleep
There is a hotel in the center of the city "Isfara". There are also the hotels "Shirin" (next to the Cultural Palace), and "Tajiksodirot" not far from the center, about 20-30 meters.

Hotel "Meros", which is listed in many major travel guides as the only hotel in Isfara, closed in 2024.

None of the hotels have internet or breakfast, but they have running water and heating.

Stay safe
There are territorial disputes between Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan over the Isfara Valley. The city suffered from border clashes in September 2022. While the dangers from open warfare are practically zero, avoid going near the Kyrgyz-Tajik border out of precaution.

Isfara is a safe city in terms of petty thefts like pickpockets.

With the closure of the border between Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan, Isfara hasn't seen many foreign visitors, so those that do visit are an oddity and of interest to the locals. What this means for you is that you'll be stared at and occasionally talked to by strangers. This is more out of curiosity than maliciousness, though.

There are a handful of beggars who hang out on and around the bridge over the Isfara River. They won't try to pickpocket you, but they can be persistent. A firm 'NO' will suffice.

Connect
Roaming is available for Russian operators. Local SIM cards can be bought locally for 5 or 10 somoni. Local operators are Babylon, Tcell, MegaFon and Beeline. Sometimes on holidays, for example, on Navruz, there are promotions, and you can get a SIM card for free.

Isfara suffers from chronic power and internet outages, so even with a local SIM card, you may not have service in the city.

Go next
The Tajik exclaves villages of Chorku and Vorukh, 30 km from the city, have very fresh air and are cool in summer. You can go by bus. Otherwise, most travelers go on/back to Konibodom or Khujand.

If the Tajik-Kyrgyz border is open, you can easily get to Batken in Kyrgyzstan. However, the border has been officially closed since 2021.