Visa
Since 2016 Tajikistan has had one of the easiest visa regimes in Central Asia. As of January 2022, 52 nationalities are now eligible for visa free access, while the majority of other passport holders around the world are able to get an e-visa or visa on arrival.
For many passports that are not able to enter Visa free, there is the option of the eVisa, which is quick and simple.
You can find out more about the exact visa regulations by reading our dedicated visa section .
Rules
There are not really any specific rules you need to be aware of when travelling to Tajikistan. Common sense dictates what you should and shouldn't do while you are in Tajikistan. Obviously, getting involved in politics or religion can land you in trouble, but as a tourist you won't have any issues.
Remember when travelling to the Pamir Highway region, you will be entering the Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Oblast (GBAO). This area requires an extra permit which you can apply online for, in Dushanbe, or get a travel company to organise it for you.
Dress code
There are no special considerations for Tajikistan and if you're in Dushanbe on a Saturday night you'll see that mini-skirts and high heels are the order of the day for young Tajiks going out to have fun. When you go to more rural areas you'll notice that women are wearing traditional clothing, which is loose fitting and generally conservative.
As a tourist it is completely acceptable for men and women to wear shorts and tshirts, unless entering a mosque. Even tank tops/singlets would be acceptable.
Topics of discussion
People in Tajikistan love talking about sport, especially football. Often you will be asked where you are from, only to have a football player from that country said to you as an immediate response.
Tajik people also love to hear what you think about their country, and while as a guest you'll always be polite, it's acceptable to complain about things like the bad condition of roads - "The food is amazing, the people are lovely, but it would be great if they could fix some of those potholes".
Religion
Islam made it's way to Tajikistan in the 7th century and the majority of the population has been Muslim ever since. Today more than 97% of the population are Muslims, with roughly 1% being Christian, primarily Russian Orthodox.
96% of Muslims in Tajikistan are Sunni, which is unusual since they are ethnically Persian, and Persians are usually Shia. The second biggest Islamic group are Ismaili, which is a small branch of Islam with is only found in a few parts of the world.
Politics
Tajikistan is a presidential republic, which has been ruled by Emomali Rahmon since 1994. The Presidents ruling party - the People's Democratic Party of Tajikistan has won every election since 2000. The son of Emomali Rahmon, Rustam Emomali is currently the mayor of Dushanbe and is considered a prime candidate for future President of the country.
Ethnicity
Ethnic Tajiks make up around 85% of the population of Tajikistan. At the fall of the Soviet Union, this number was only 62%. Other groups that make up the current population of Tajikistan include Uzbeks (12%), Kyrgyz (1%), Russian (1%). Russians were 8% of the population in 1989, but most emmigrated to Russia after the fall of the Soviet Union.
When is the best time to visit
Tajikistan can be very hot during the peak of Summer and, likewise, extremely cold in winter, with heavy snowfall. Spring and Autumn are when you're going to want to try and visit Tajikistan with the edges of summer being the best if you're visiting the Pamirs. If you are travelling to the Pamirs, May or August are usually best as it's not too cold yet, but also not the high temperatures of the middle of July.
What to eat
Tajikistan isn't widely known for it's cuisine, however you will be pleasantly surprised by some of the amazing cooking you were receive. In rural areas, especially in the Pamir's it can be quite testing if you are travelling for a long period of time, as there are very few options and the options they do have are very simple dishes.
To learn more about food and drinks in Tajikistan you can find out more here .
To learn more about Dushanbe's most famous attraction - The former tallest flagpole in the world.
Interested in what animals you'll see on your next Pamir adventure? - Wildlife of the Pamirs.
