Tajikistan’s tourism infrastructure consists of the following:
– Committee of Tourism Development under the Government of the Republic of Tajikistan – the state administrative body which aims to implement state policy in the sphere of tourism;
– Joint-stock, private companies, and other enterprises engaged in commercial tourist activity;
– Tourist organizations affiliated with trade unions engaged in both commercial and social tourism.
Any organization, local or foreign, wanting to be involved in tourism in Tajikistan needs to obtain a license from the above-mentioned Committee. The license costs 10 indicators for accounts, plus 4 indicators for accounts for the documents necessary for issuing the license to be reviewed.
The bestdeveloped areas of tourism are hiking, cultural sightseeing, and mountain-climbing.
Hiking is mostly done in the vicinity of Dushanbe and surrounding districts (Varzob, Karatogh, Shirkent and Romit Gorges), and in Kuhiston (the region covering Turkestan, Zarafshon and Hissar ranges). The Fan Mountains (Payron, Marguzor, Alauddin lakes, Iskandarkul Lake) are situated to the west of Kuhiston and there are dozens of tourist routes and several permanent hotels and camps established in Dushanbe, Varzob Gorge, on Iskandarkul, Alauddin and Marguzor lakes, and on the shores of the man-made Qayraqqum reservoir near Khujand (formerly Leninabad).
Cultural sightseeing is most common in Sughd and Khatlon regions (northern and southern Tajikistan), where there are archaeological sites, museums and other interesting local sights.
Mountain-climbing is practiced in the Fan Mountains, the Mastchoh mountain junction, and around the highest point of all CIS countries, Communism Peak (7,495m), which was renamed Ismoili Somoni Peak in 2000.
Resorts at health spas such as Garm Chashma, Jilandi, Khoja Obigarm, Obigarm, Shohambari, and Zumrad are very popular with the local population.