Are you going to Tajikistan and looking for an easily accessible hike in the Fann mountains? Read our travel guide to hiking Kulikalon Lake, which is a perfect option, as you get to camp by the colourful lake under the dramatic snow-capped mountains of Kulikalon Bowl. And it is also easy to get to by public transport from Panjakent. 

Planning an independent trip to Fann Mountain for the first time can be overwhelming. We were confused too! Especially with information on how to get to the beginning and ends of the hiking trails without spending hundreds of dollars. After 3,5 months of travelling around Central Asia, we were already limited on time, so choosing the hike, which was easy to get to, was a priority. But luckily, we found Kulikalon Lake Hike, which is easily reached by public transport from Panjakent, and you can choose either 1 night by the lake or extend the hike and also visit Alovaddin Lake; read the itineraries below. 

KULIKALON LAKE HIKE INFO

• 2 days / 1 night 
• Length: 6 km one way
• Starting point: Artuch Alplager (or Artuch village)
• End point: Artuch Alplager (or Artuch village) 
• Equipment: You need to bring your own camping gear

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KULIKALON LAKE HIKE ITINERARY

Day 1: Artuch Alplager to Kulikalon Lake

• Distance: 6 km
• Estimated Time: 3 hours
• Altitude start: 2145 m
• Altitude end: 2 866 m
• Starting point: Artuch Alplager
• End point: Kulikalon Lake

To get to the beginning of the hike, first, you need to take a marshrutka that leaves from the bus station just at the edge of Panjakent and goes to Artuch village. It is 60 km and takes around one hour to drive. Marshrutka sometimes continues 2 – 3 km further to the village Yakkakhona, but be aware that there will be more difficult to find a taxi if you don’t want to walk. 

Optionally, you can also take marshrutkas from Panjakent to Panjrud or Shashqat (#23), and from there, find a taxi that takes you to Artuch village/Alplager. 

From Artuch village/Yakkakhona, many hikers already start hiking; note that this will add an extra 7.5 km one way. If you don’t want to walk this part, you need to find a taxi in Artuch village to Artuch Alplager, where is the official start of this hike (7 km). Ask locals; anyone with a 4WD car can drive you to Artuch Alplager. This will involve negotiating the price as the drivers are known for asking foreigners too much. 

The hostel owner in Panjakent drove us to Panjrud and organised a driver who took us from Panjrud to Artuch Alplager for 150 TJS/car ($14). You can contact him on WhatsApp or message him +992937602234. Be aware that the internet and signal are bad in Tajikistan, so contact him in advance. 

• Marshrutka Panjakent – Artuch village (30 TJS/pp)
• 4 WD taxi Artuch village – Artuch Alplager (50 TJS/pp)

If you decide to hike from Artuch village/Yakkakhona, the trail leads along houses and farmers. You can see some authentic rural Tajik life, with animals running around and kids yelling hello, and you might even be invited for tea or some homemade Tajik food. It is a pleasant walk along a dirt road for 7 km uphill until you reach Artuch Alplager. Be aware that you most likely will be the only one walking there as most tourists organise tours or private transport directly to Artuch Alplager.

Artuch Alplager is a perfect place to have a break, refill your water and have a snack. You can have lunch here, as there is a restaurant, hotel, and camping ground. It gets busy on weekends with locals coming to enjoy the beauty of the Fann mountains. Those who don’t have camping gear can stay here in rooms and visit Kulikalon Lake as a day hike from Alplager (4 hours one way). 

From Artuch Alplager, the official hike starts. The approximate time to reach Kulikalon Lakes is less than 4 hours. Return to the main dirt road and follow the path so you have a river on your right. The road is easy to follow, you go through farmlands, and you see traditional Tajik dwellings every now and then. 

A serious hike starts after you cross the river on a small log bridge. You have to ascent on a rocky and slippery hiking trail. It is not as steep as the Ala Kul Lake hike in Kyrgyzstan, but it is still good exercise. You go along the river on your left until you get to the top next to a waterfall, another perfect spot for a break and lunch. There are also a few spots for your tent if you come late and need camping. You see the snow-capped mountains in the distance unfolding. The scenery is absolutely stunning. 

Follow the path uphill for another hour until you get to the top of a hill, where the hike gets easier. The most challenging ascent is behind you, and you see a wast land with many bushes. On your right is a dramatic mountain with snow on the top; this is where you’re heading, as the Kulikalon Lake is just at the bottom of that mountain. You won’t see the lake from a distance; follow the trail to the right until you reach the first camping spot on the shores of Kulikalon Lake. Take the path on your right and find a nice place to camp. In our opinion, this is the nicest spot for camping and watching the sunset and sunrise. 

You can make a fire, even though finding wood is challenging. There are no big trees, just bushes. But you can find some sticks and shrubs to make a decent fire. Opposite the lake, you’ll see a shepherd with sheep and goats. They also have many dogs, so you might hear a lot of barking at night. Wake up for sunrise, as the views are worth it.

We met a few day hikers on the way to Kulikalon Lake and one guy from Slovenia doing the same hike, so we had great company for camping and making a fire in the evening. Not far from us were two more tents with local people.

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DAY 2: Kulikalon Lake – Bibijonat Lake – back to Artuch

• Distance: 6 km
• Estimated Time: 3 hours
• Altitude start: 2866 m
• Altitude end: 2145 m
• Starting point: Kulikalon Lake
• End point: Artuch Alplager

On the second day, we recommend you wake up early to catch the Wonderfull sunrise reflecting in the mirror on the lake.

It is a truly memorable experience. Today, you basically go back to Artuch the same way you came the day before. However, other lakes in the area, just 2 km away from Kulikalon Lake, are worth visiting. From the campsite, follow the path back to the trail and go to the right towards Siroj’s Chaykhona, a small shepherd’s tea house, where you can have tea or potatoes. It is located right by the Bibijonat lakes. If this is not enough for you, continue further to Dushokha Lake. Both lakes also have great camping options, so you can easily extend your hike if you have more time. 

Once you’re done exploring the area, return to Artuch the same way you came the day before. 

Where to stay on Day 2

You can either camp by Artuch Alplager ($3 per person) or return to Artuch village. Roughly 4 km before the village, you come across a lovely place called Zone Oddycha Kuraband (Rest zone). This is where we stayed. Amazing family-run campsite and guesthouse. They have a basic room, but what is special is the tiny wooden house built over the river, where you can set your tent and spend a night while listening to the gushing river. They also have the traditional tandoor oven for making the bread, and they gifted us one delicious warm piece. 

The owner is very helpful, even though the family don’t speak any English. They go every morning to Panjakent, organising transport to their house at 6am (weekdays). So they booked 2 seats for us too. The price of the car ride was 40 TJS ($3.7) per person. And a double room costs 80 TJS ($7.3) and 40 TJS ($3.7) per person for camping.

If you want to stay in Artuch village, there is only one option, and it is a Nur guesthouse. It is not on Google Maps, but you can contact the owner via phone +992 935443444. The price is 10$ per person, but you can negotiate it down to $7. It is located at the beginning of the village. 

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HOW TO GET BACK TO PANJAKENT

You can organise transport through Artuch Alplager. However, they charge $50-100 for a ride to Panjakent, which is pretty expensive. 

The easiest way is to hike back to Rest Zone Kuraband (see above – Where to stay on day 2). They can organise a car to come and pick you up the next morning at 6am for 40 TJS per person. 

Optionally, go to Artuch village, where daily marshrutkas go to Panjakent. As of August 2022, there are only 3 marshrutkas per day. 5am, 6am and 1pm. Those cars have only 10 seats for sitting as it’s a small 4WD vans. So it can’t fit everyone going to Panjakent as many locals are on the way to market to sell their products. We also saw many other 4WD cars picking up passengers who might have space in the car for you. 

If you’re short on time, we recommend organising transport in advance with your hostel in Panjakent or Artuch Alplager. 

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EXTEND YOUR HIKE – LAKE ALOVADDIN

This hike can easily be extended for another 2-3 nights. From Kulikalon Lake, continue over the Alovadin pass in 3800 m to the Lake Alovadin. It is a 9 km / 6 hours hike, with an ascent of 1000 m; therefore a challenging but very popular hike. Note, you hike from Kulikalon Lake in 2800m over Alovadin Pass in 3800 m, then down to Alovadin Lake in 2800 m. The next day you need to hike the same way back and sleep either again by Kulikalon Lake or push further to Artuch Alplager. 

If you don’t mind paying a steep amount for transport, people do the hike to Lake Alovadin one way, and there they organise a car waiting for them in Vertical Alovadin. Prices start at 1000 TJS ($92) per car.  

If you return the same way, the total hike is 50 km if you start and end in Artuch village. You will need 4 days and 3 nights. If you organise transport and start and end in Artuch Alplager, the total distance is 32 km, and it’s possible to do it in 3 days and 2 nights. 

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WHERE TO STAY IN PANJAKENT

Budget I Inn Sogdiana – the cheapest option in Panjakent. Basic private rooms with bathroom, breakfast and yard to chill. The wifi barely works, as everywhere else in Tajikistan, but the owner is able to help you with all the trips in the area. This is where we stayed.

Budget I Hotel SUGD – great budget option, and basically the only one in Panjakent. Those are on and off listed online for booking as they are generally open only for a main season and close if there are no guests. If they are not online, you can contact them via phone. They have basic rooms, not good wifi, breakfast included, and the location is within walking distance from the centre. 

Mid-Range I Umariyon Hotel – Umariyon is a popular choice amongst travellers coming to Panjakent. They can help you organise forward travel in Tajikistan. or store your bags. Rooms are basic, breakfast is included, and the location is central. 

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WEATHER IN KULIKALON LAKE 

The nights in Kulikalon Lake, and Fann mountains in general, are very cold. Bring warm clothes and come well prepared. We woke up with our tent frozen when we camped there in late August. And yeah, the night was super cold. The season is in summer, July and August, but it’s cold even though it is summer. Don’t underestimate the weather. It was the coldest night of all hiking in Central Asia we did. And as everywhere else, you hike high in the mountains, so the weather can change unpredictably. A waterproof jacket is a must, as well as warm clothes. 

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WATER RESOURCES FOR KULIKALON LAKE 

The trail goes basically all the way along the river. Some parts of the trail lead further from the river, so refilling your bottle all the time is not possible. We suggest you refill your water anytime you have a chance. The most convenient places are by the Alplager. Another great spot is once you hike up the waterfall, there is a river right in front of you. And the last spot before reaching the lake is almost at the end of the last hill; there is a small stream on your left. Basically the last spot before reaching the lake. 

We suggest you refill as much as possible here, as the stream is on the other side of the lake and your camping spot. You can refill water from the lake too, but there is sand/mud which can plug your water filter, and the streams along the way are super clean. 

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TRAVEL INSURANCE

Fann mountains are at higher elevations with many peaks over 3000 m. Ensure you have proper insurance that covers you for that, as many don’t cover high-altitude trekking in their basic packages. We recommend IATI Insurance, which has perfect coverage for Tajikistan, including Covid 19 expenses, and you can also organise it while already travelling. As a reader of Broken Navigation, you also get an exclusive 5% discount. 

Get your 5% discount with IATI Insurance here. 

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FOOD ON KULIKALON LAKE

The best option is to bring all your food, as all the resources we mention are not always guaranteed. There is a restaurant in Artuch Alplager where you can have warm and good food. Another place is 2 km from Kulikalon Lake; it is called Siroj’s Chaykhona. It is a small shed where you can get warm tea and potatoes. But we wouldn’t rely on this place as a food source, as you never know if they’ll be open. In general, they are in the mountains from July till early September. 

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