Dushanbe
Eat
Traditional Tajik cuisine centers around rice and flatbread dishes and has a lot of similarities with other Central Asian and Afghan cuisine. Rice dishes include plov (rice stewed with meat and vegetables). Qurutob is a dish eaten with hands that features qurut, small balls of hard cheese that are dissolved in water.
- Good places to sample traditional Tajik cuisine are Rohat Teahouse (an old teahouse on the north side of town on Rudak Avenue) and [Lukhtak Theatre], next to the Lukhtar Puppet Theatre overlooking the Children’s Park.
- A full meal for one person typically costs less than TJS 30 (about USD 4).
- For coffee, stop over at Espresso Café on Academics Rajabov Street or Tapioca Hut Café near the Public Pub. Outside the Shahmansur Market, you can get amazing fresh pomegranate juice.
- Warning: smoking inside restaurants is still common in Dushanbe.
Sleep
- Dorm beds in decent hostels can be found for around USD 10 through booking sites. Private rooms or apartments start at around USD 30. Given the average price level in Tajikistan, this feels as if there should be a cheaper option. So if anyone knows anything, please let me know.
- Given the lack of busy nightlife, there is no strong need to stay in any particular area, as long as it’s close to Rudaki Street and the center. It should be no problem finding such a place.
Transport
- Town:
Dushanbe is small enough to navigate on foot, although some of the sights can feel far apart. Alternatively, there is a network of shared taxis and matrushkas operating through the city (cost around TJS 1-3, less than USD 1). Which taxi goes which way can be difficult to find out, but if you are patient enough to check that you are in the right taxi, you should be alright. Line 3 goes up and down Rudaki, whereas 8 gets you to the airport.
It is always possible to hail private taxis. Fares are negotiable and tend to go up in the late hours.
- Airport:
The airport is close to the city, so walking is a conceivable if somewhat impractical option. In the daytime, shared taxis on line 8 should get you from and to the airport. At other hours, you would need to negotiate a taxi. If you are expecting to arrive late, it is often better to arrange a taxi in advance.
- Out of town:
Matrushkas leave from Cemsavod (cement factory) to the north, Sakhovat Market to the south, and from the airport towards the Pamir. Going south or towards the Pamir will require a 4x4.
For sights around Dushanbe (such as Fort Hissar), private taxis can be arranged. Prices are negotiable depending on time and distance spent and could amount to as much as TJS 700 for a full day.
- Warning: unfortunately, corruption is still a major problem in Tajikistan. At police checkpoints, taxis with foreigners are routinely stopped for bribery. Typically, the taxi driver will inform you of what’s going on and may ask you to pick up the cost. Getting angry at the driver or police agent will not solve much (and may get you into further trouble). Your behavior and appearance may influence how much bribe will be requested.