Shirkent National Park
Shirkent National Park is a real hidden gem and is one of my favourite places to hike anywhere in Tajikistan. The landscapes here are different to the rest of the country. Lower altitudes and good access make this a convenient place to hike and it’s usually a little warmer, making it ideal at the very start or end of the hiking season. Shirkent is known for its dinosaur footprints, the bizarre rock formations of the enormous Shirkent Barrier, and is home to all sorts of interesting wildlife including bears, wild boars, marmots and ibex.
Hidden gems in Shirkent National Park
Shirkent National Park
Karatag to Hakimi
Although Shirkent National Park isn’t far from Dushanbe, very few people visit this region of the Fann Mountains, making it a real hidden gem and one of my favourite places to hike anywhere in Tajikistan. This circular route is a moderate difficulty camping trek that starts at the Katarag gorge before leading up to the once-inhabited Parmin plateau and onto the Shirkent gorge. For two days you can follow the Shirkent Barrier, a colossal massif of heavily eroded sandstone before crossing the Khazor-Khona pass, the trek’s high point at 3,160m. From here you meet the Pariyon River and follow it to the stunning Pariyon Lake before returning to Karatag.
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