Dagtour naar zeven meren vanuit Samarkand (privé- & groepsopties)

Flooding in the 7 lakes area so we couldn't make it there. The floods had happened the night before and the "local company" should have known about this but they did not say anything. They made us go on the road for 3 hours just to tell us that we can't continue and we have to go back. We wasted an entire day for nothing.

☆☆☆☆☆ 2/5 In short paid for driver, archeological dig and tour guide. Only got driver. Drivers excellent ☆☆☆☆☆ 2/5 In short - The problem was the “tour guide”. Tour guide couldn’t be heard, had nearly zero useful info, was taking her own tourist photos during the tour of herself, had no practical info on what would happen post border. And put off our request to stop at a bathroom during the ride from the seventh lake down to the border. And very sadly for us, we drove right past the archeological site on the way in and on the way back despite the fact that we indicated our interest the night before and the site visit was advertised as part of the tour. In long - To be clear - The Seven Lakes are absolutely stunning, but this $190 tour was nowhere near worth the price. This was one of the worst “guided tours” we’ve ever experienced. Drivers were excellent. But we paid for a tour guide (and archeological dig) too. The drivers were excellent. Nasim, our driver on the Uzbek side, was friendly and helpful, and our Tajik driver did an impressive job navigating the difficult mountain roads safely. Unfortunately, that’s where the positives ended. We paid for transportation, the Seven Lakes, the advertised UNESCO archaeological site, and—most importantly—a knowledgeable tour guide. Instead, we essentially got a driver and a guide who provided almost no information. Beyond a brief introduction to Tajikistan, there was virtually no explanation of where we were, what we were seeing, the history of the lakes, the geology, wildlife, local culture, or even what the plan for the day was. Much of what she said while driving couldn’t be heard from the back of the van, and our questions were usually answered with only a few words or deferred and never revisited. The biggest disappointment was that the advertised archaeological site was simply skipped. My husband had specifically asked about it the day before the tour because we were looking forward to seeing it. During the tour, it wasn’t even mentioned. Only after we asked near the end of the day were we told it was closed. No explanation, no advance notice, and no opportunity to adjust the schedule—even though there were only four guests in the group. We paid for that stop and never received it. The logistics were also poor. We weren’t told the itinerary, how long the drives would be, or how many stops there would be. Although there were restroom stops on the drive up, there were none during the 90+ minute drive back to the border. When I asked to stop because I urgently needed a restroom, I was told to wait until the border crossing. The restroom there was unusable—the worst we’ve encountered anywhere in our travels. It was literally a rectangular hole cut into the concrete floor with an overwhelming odor and overflowing trash. I couldn’t use it and had to endure another hour before reaching a proper restroom, by which point I was in significant discomfort. We passed several places where we had stopped earlier in the day, so a quick stop would have been easy. The scenery alone almost saved the day, but the destination deserves the credit—not the tour company. If you’re paying $190 for a guided tour, you should expect much more than transportation. We left feeling that we paid for a professional guided experience but received little more than a ride to some beautiful lakes.

This was such a beautiful trip. The lakes are beautiful (I liked the 7th one the best) and the ride between each lake even more beautiful. Absolutely recommend!

I think this might be the most impressive day trip I have been on (and I have been on many). The mountains in Tajikistan are stunning - the lakes even more so. My personal highlight, however, was driving through those remote mountainous villages and seeing the local people’s lives. It was like the time had stopped and I jumped years back in time. Truly astonishing. Organisation was also pretty smooth both from the Uzbekistan and the Tajikistan side. We had the sweetest and kindest guide, she went out of her way on multiple occasions just to deliver the best possible experience. Strongly recommend!

We had the most amazing day; if you only read one sentence of this review, absolutely 100% take this tour. I am a traveler with a lot of questions, and I contacted the tour provider before my trip and he was incredibly kind in answering anything I was unclear about. You get picked up from hotel in Samarkand (very on time), drive one hour to border, driver takes your picture so the guide on the Tajikistan border knows to find you, and you don’t get in the wrong car as they will show you the picture as proof of the correct guide. Our guide, Khushnuda, made the whole day the most unforgettable experience. If you can request her and she is available, you will be lucky because she is truly AMAZING. She is young, intelligent, passionate, knowledgeable and very kind. Her English is great, and we loved asking her many questions about Tajik culture, history and food. After a quick stop in the market in Panjakent, you continue onto the Seven Lakes. It is a long journey, so prepare yourself, but it is totally worth it. I grew up near Banff,Canada, and I have only ever seen lakes this colour there. Beautiful greens, blues, surrounded by the impressive mountains. You will drive from lake to lake, so you don’t need to worry about a lot of walking or hiking. The drive is stunning as you are able to see villages along the way, and you stop for a very simple but tasty plov lunch in front of Lake #3, beautiful view. You keep driving all the way to the TOP of the mountain, I was shocked how high up you are able to drive, normally this would require a serious hike to reach a remote point like this. We enjoyed that we were able to enjoy the nature without strenuous hiking, with plenty of time to enjoy the scenery. After the drive back, you pass by the 5500 year old settlement for a quick 20-30 minute visit, and it was interesting to learn about the ancient history of the region. Crossing the border is straightforward and easy both ways. You are in the car for many hours, but we loved talking with Khushnuda, and learning as much as we could about Tajikistan, and she has inspired me to return one day and visit more. Thank you very much

You can experience beautiful nature and different cultures all in one trip.

It is a very good option to get to know Tajikistan from Samarkand. The drivers -both in Uzbekistan and Tajikistan- were very punctual and kind.

Good experience the tour guide made the event that much more interesting. Highly professional.

I had an excellent tour of Tajikistan with an excellent guide. The guide, a young lady whose name I unfortunately cannot remember, was a tremendous ambassador for her country. She was knowledgeable, friendly, and made the entire experience truly memorable. We visited all the main highlights on the tour, and the views were breathtaking throughout. From beginning to end, I had an excellent experience and would like to give the final word of praise to the guide, who was outstanding and a remarkable representative of her country.

Very nice trip to see Tajikistan for few hours while you are in Samarkand. Lakes beautiful and beautiful to explore