Visiting the Fann Mountains

The Fann Mountains rise across western Tajikistan and contain some of the country’s most beautiful and accessible mountain scenery. Peaks in the region reach well above 5,000 meters, while the valleys below are filled with rivers, villages, and alpine lakes.

I had originally hoped to visit the Pamir Mountains farther east, but unrest in that region complicated my plans. Instead, I headed into the Fann Mountains and explored one of the area’s best-known destinations: the Seven Lakes, a chain of mountain lakes along the Shing River valley.

Photographed above is the first lake. Of all seven, this one had one of the deepest blue colors I saw during the trip.

The Seven Lakes

The second lake wasn’t one of my favorites. The dusty road and power lines along the shoreline took away from the scenery, and I was told the lower lakes were unusually low during my visit. You can clearly see the exposed waterline, so I imagine the view changes quite a bit when the lake is fuller.

The third lake was one of my favorites, while the fourth and fifth impressed me less. The village where I stayed was near the fourth lake at around 6,000 feet (1,800 meters), which made it a convenient base for exploring higher into the valley.

The lower lakes were scenic, but for me the real payoff came as I climbed farther into the mountains and the roads, power lines, and development gradually disappeared.

The sixth lake was my favorite of all seven. By this point the valley felt much more remote, and the surrounding mountains gave the lake a much wilder setting.

The seventh and final lake was also one of the best. Along the shoreline I saw a woman with her two young girls skipping stones across the water. Although this was the highest of the Seven Lakes, I still thought the sixth had the more dramatic scenery.

Villages Along the Shing River

The Shing River provides a permanent source of water through the valley, allowing several small villages to exist along its banks. Many homes had electricity, while smaller channels diverted water from the river toward houses, gardens, and fields.

During this part of my trip, my checked baggage had been lost, so I spent several days hiking in the same clothes without things like sunscreen or a proper hat. To keep the sun off my head, I made a makeshift hat out of a pillowcase from my room.

Unfortunately, it was covered in colorful roses and flowers.

I must have looked ridiculous because nearly every local man I passed seemed to point at it and laugh. I regret not taking a picture of myself wearing it because it would probably be one of the better photos from the trip. Above is one of the small farms in the village and a young girl riding a donkey.

Hiking Into the High Country

In addition to hiking along the Seven Lakes, I spent another day climbing toward a mountain pass just below 10,000 feet (3,000 meters). This hike was much steeper and more demanding than the lake route, which mostly followed the valley road.

I started directly from the village where I was staying, giving me more than 3,000 feet (1,000 meters) of elevation gain. The photo on the left shows the beginning of the climb as I entered the mountain valley, while the other shows some of the surrounding terrain.

These were two unusual plants I found higher in the mountains. I never identified either species. The plant on the right almost looked like a dried-out version of the bright yellow one on the left, but I saw enough of both that they appeared to be different plants.

Other vegetation was more familiar, including thorny shrubs and brightly colored lichen. I’ve seen very similar colors growing on rocks in mountain environments around the world, including Colorado.

I saw several large birds and some smaller colorful ones, but none cooperated with my camera. Somehow I came away with better photographs of insects instead. One caterpillar even managed to crawl into my bag without me noticing, and I didn’t discover it until I returned to my room that night.

The Mountain Pass

The photo above shows the mountain pass itself, while the remaining photos were taken nearby. With perfect weather and increasingly dramatic scenery, I actually enjoyed this hike even more than the Seven Lakes route.

It was still warm at the pass, but higher peaks nearby held remnants of winter snow. The contrast between green valleys, dry rocky slopes, and snow-covered mountains made this one of my favorite areas of Tajikistan.

The Seven Lakes are what initially brought me into the Fann Mountains, but the higher hike ended up being the highlight. Once I left the road and villages behind, the landscape became much wilder and more impressive. Between the mountain lakes, small villages, and high passes, this part of western Tajikistan became one of the most memorable places I visited in the country.