Last Updated on: 26th July 2026, 02:25 am
Istaravshan in northern Tajikistan is considered one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in Central Asia, with a current population of around 275,000. But despite its ancient pedigree, you shouldn’t set your expectations too high.
As much as I enjoyed Tajikistan as a whole, this was probably the most underwhelming destination I visited in the country. In any case, this guide to the top things to do in Istaravshan will give you an idea of what to expect so you can decide for yourself. All you need here is half a day.
For more information on reaching Istaravshan from nearby Khujand, be sure to check the end of the article.
Mug Teppe
Mug Teppe is an ancient citadel and one of Istaravshan’s most significant historical sites, dating back thousands of years.
For those coming via shared transport from Khujand (more below), you’ll pass by this landmark on the way to central Istaravshan. So it would be a good idea to tell your driver to let you off here before proceeding to the other locations on foot.
This fortress may be the original location of Cyropolis, the city founded by Cyrus the Great in the 6th century BC to mark the northeastern frontier of his Achaemenid Empire.
Scholars debate, however, whether Cyropolis actually stood here or at nearby Khujand (modern Alexandria Eschate). Others, meanwhile, believe that ancient Cyropolis was actually at a site called Kurush.
In any case, what we know for certain is that Mug Teppe is ancient, as archaeological layers discovered here date back to at least the 4th century BC.
Walking up to the fort entrance from the main road, you’ll be greeted with views of central Istaravshan below, along with its modern developments.
Speaking of new developments, the outer walls and gate of the citadel appear almost entirely new. Major renovations, in fact, took place in 2002 in anticipation of Istaravshan’s 2500th anniversary.
At the time of writing, entrance to the citadel costs 30 somoni, while ‘Guide Interpreter Services’ cost 50, according to the sign at the ticket booth. But I decided to explore on my own.
In the center of Mug Tepe is a large, round and modern structure which is actually a theater. But the circular hallway surrounding it hosts a rather primitive archaeological exhibit.
Among the objects on display in the dark and dusty museum are a painting of Roxana (Alexander’s wife), ceramics spanning centuries, and inscribed stones in Pahlavi script.
As for the theater, it was similar to – but even larger than – the one I observed at Hisor Fortress. Presumably, it’s intended to host special celebrations for holidays like Nowruz.
But for archaeology enthusiasts, the dig sites outside are the most interesting aspect of Mug Teppe.
As mentioned, whether or not this was actually Cyropolis, the citadel’s history goes back millennia. And various dig sites around the area still seem to be in the midst of ongoing excavations.
And one of the more interesting finds here is an ancient Zoroastrian ossuary – or a box that held bones following the traditional practice of ‘sky burials.’
But one can’t help but wonder how many potential discoveries the modern museum and theater have covered over.
Also within the fortress stands what appears to be a full replica of the Mausoleum of Ismoil Somoni found in Bukhara.
Modern Tajiks feel strong cultural affinity with Somoni (even naming their currency after him), though the reason this structure was recreated here specifically remains unclear.
Just be forewarned: As I was leaving, a staff member approached me in broken English, asking if I’d seen everything.
When I said yes, he seemed to imply I’d missed something significant, and led me around – only to show me the same museum I’d just visited.
He seemed friendly, so I just nodded and smiled as he pointed at various objects without really explaining much. But then on my way out, he pestered me for a tip. Given how hospitable most Tajiks are, this interaction caught me off guard.
Historical & Local Lore Museum
It’s about ten minutes on foot from Mug Teppe to the Historical & Local Lore Museum, also known locally as Istoriko-Krayevedcheskiy Muzey G. Istaravshan.
Unfortunately, as I was visiting on a Monday, the museum was closed, but it’s surely worth a stop for those interested in local history. In any case, it’s on the way for those walking between the citadel and the city center.
I briefly diverted west and then continued south along one of Istaravshan’s main roads: Ismoil Somoni Street.
There are plenty of restaurants here, though most of them are ‘cafeteria style,’ so those who don’t speak the language may struggle verbalizing their orders.
I also passed by a large memorial tower of some sort, along with some damaged – yet still beautiful – Soviet-era mosaics.
Masjid Khazrati Shokh
Situated along Ismoil Somoni Street is Masjid Khazrati Shokh, one of Istaravshan’s most significant mosques. According to local legend, entombed here is Khazrati Shokh, the brother of Qusam ibn-Abbas.
While the name might not immediately ring a bell, most visitors to Tajikistan will also probably be visiting Samarkand, Uzbekistan at some point.
And one of that city’s highlights is the Shah-i-Zinda Memorial Complex, originally built around the supposed tomb of Qusam ibn-Abbas.
He was a cousin of the Prophet Muhammad who came to Central Asia to spread Islam in the 7th century and was martyred in Samarkand. And upon his death, according to legend, he picked up his own head and descended into a well!
Though this mausoleum complex is believed to date back to the 10th or 11th century, most of the existing structures here were built in the 19th century.
The mosque has a beautiful painted ceiling that’s worth admiring, along with an ornate minaret.
Madrasa Abdulatif Sultan (Kuk Gumbaz)
Next, I walked through a residential district to find one of Istaravshan’s most significant landmarks: Madrasa Abdulatif Sultan. It’s also known as ‘Kuk Gumbaz,’ which means ‘Blue Dome.’
Expect to find lots of school kids playing around the area, one of whom will likely go and inform the caretaker that a foreigner has arrived.
Compared with neighboring Uzbekistan, Tajikistan really lacks well-preserved Timurid-era architecture, with this being one of the few exceptions.
While indeed pretty, it’s seemingly in the midst of a very slow restoration process and is still rather rough around the edges.
So it’s more akin to what one might see in Herat rather than one of the pristine madrasas of Uzbekistan, many of which were heavily restored in the 20th century.
While the exterior is quite attractive, the interior is largely empty. Despite being one of Istaravshan’s prominent sites, it won’t leave much of an impression on those who’ve just traveled through Uzbekistan.
As I was leaving, I experienced a similar situation to the one at Mug Teppe in which I was pestered for tips by the caretaker.
It seems like locals may be relying on donations from visitors to fund the restorations, yet I would’ve much preferred a standard ticket price that’s clearly stated at the entrance.
Sary Mazar Complex (Yellow Tomb)
Next, I walked for about 20 minutes southwest through quiet residential streets to reach one more historic monument.
The Sary Mazar complex features a pair of 17th-century tombs belonging to Sufi saints. Interestingly, they contain chambers that students of the Quran could use for silent meditation.
The domed mosque here is relatively recent. However, it replaced the original mosque that was also built in the 17th century.
The mosque has some pretty carved wooden columns over to its side, while the complex is also home to trees that may be up to 800 years old.
But all in all, there’s really not a whole lot to do at the Sary Mazar Complex for ordinary visitors.
The Bazaar Area
From Sary Mazar, it was then another 25 minutes or so back east to my final destination of the day: the local bazaar. I’m personally not really into markets, but I came here for a few reasons.
First, another hyped-up attraction in Istaravshan is the Blacksmiths’ Arcade. It’s interesting to see, and though I did spot workers inside, I wasn’t sure what those not intending to buy anything were supposed to do.
The market is home to an abundance of affordable restaurants (thankfully, more in the style of traditional ‘chai khanas‘ than cafeterias).
And after eating some plov and sipping some tea, I headed back outside to find a shared taxi back to Khujand.
All in all, Istaravshan makes for a nice half-day trip for those with extra time to kill. Otherwise, the attractions in and around Khujand are much more interesting overall.
But there’s still a major Istaravshan attraction that I missed: a giant bust of Lenin. It’s actually a 15-minute drive south from the city center – the opposite direction from Khujand, so I decided to skip it.
Additional Info
Getting to Istaravshan from Khujand is fairly straightforward (by Tajik standards, at least).
First, you’ll want to head to the place marked as ‘Staryy Avtovokzal’ on Google Maps, located to the west of the city center. If you’re staying right in the center, you might be able to walk there in under thirty minutes.
Otherwise, you’ll want to take a taxi. But in complete contrast to Dushanbe, you can’t hail taxis on the street in Khujand (at least not during my visit). Instead, you’ll want to use the ridesharing app called Maxim.
Once at the terminal, you’ll have to haggle with different shared minivan or taxi drivers for the best price. I ended up paying 40 somoni for the ride there and 30 for the ride back.
As mentioned, it would be wise to have your driver drop you off at Mug Teppe and then finish your explorations at the main bazaar. From there, you should easily find a shared taxi back to Khujand.
The one-way journey between Khujand and Istaravshan lasts roughly 70 minutes.
Somewhat surprisingly, Tajikistan has some of the priciest accommodation in Central Asia – at least from the perspective of a budget traveler. And for whatever reason, Khujand is even pricier than other Tajik destinations.
Unfortunately, I encountered multiple setbacks when booking accommodation here. After first reserving a highly-rated private apartment on Booking called ‘Khujand Comfort,’ my host cancelled the reservation due to ‘renovations.’
There wasn’t much else left in that price range except for another apartment on Booking with zero reviews. I took the chance and booked it, but as I got closer to my reservation date, my host still hadn’t given me the check-in details and was ignoring my messages.
So I was in the middle of researching last-minute backups during the ride over when the host finally responded. Despite being a different host from the first guy, he also told me that the room I’d booked was unavailable!
At least he moved me to another place nearby. The apartment and location were fine, but it was only after check-in that I realized there was no Wifi! Upon contacting the host he said no, it wasn’t something that they offered.
Checking again, I’m not too shocked to see that the host I stayed with is now entirely absent from the platform.
When it comes to private rooms in a central location that are only a bit overpriced by Central Asian standards (and that also have Wifi), Khujand Star and Apart Hotel Armon are some of the only promising options. While a little bit far from the center (but still walkable), Family Hotel seems like another decent choice.
While cheaper options are available on the outskirts of town, I wouldn’t recommend staying somewhere that’s not within walking distance of the Fortress Complex.
There is currently no organized inter-city transport system in Tajikistan. Zero official bus companies seem to exist, so to get anywhere, you’ll typically have to negotiate and haggle for every single journey in the country.
When coming to Khujand from Dushanbe, look for the ‘Shared taxi to Khujand’ marker on Google Maps situated to the north of the city.
This is basically just a large parking lot filled with private drivers who will only depart once their vehicle is full.
In my case, I happened to be traveling on a Saturday, and I wasn’t expecting any issues when traveling between the country’s two largest cities. But I ended up having to wait for three hours for enough passengers to show up!
The problem is that there are nearly as many drivers as there are interested passengers, and even locals seemed to be confused and frustrated by the situation. (It’s especially puzzling considering how much money the government is dumping into new palaces and monuments.)
But in the end, I did make it to Khujand, of course, and paid 150 somoni for the ride.
Khujand is also relatively close to Tashkent, and you should encounter plenty of private or shared taxi drivers at the border.
When it comes to traveling onward to Tashkent from Khujand, first take a taxi to a place marked ‘Taksistkho Maschokh, Oybek’ on Google Maps. Once there, you should be able to take a shared taxi to the Oybek/Aybek border for roughly 70 somoni.
On the Uzbek side, I paid 150,000 Uzbek som for a shared taxi, which was perhaps a bit much, but the driver did drop me off directly at my hotel.
