Hi everyone,
We’re planning a day trip to the Seven Lakes and wondering about logistics. How much would it cost for two people to go from Panjakent to the Seven Lakes? Also, would it be better to start the trip from Samarkand or Panjakent? Any tips or recommendations would be greatly appreciated!
Thanks!
Hi Joseph,
Great question! While Samarkand and Panjakent are geographically close, there’s the Uzbekistan-Tajikistan border to factor in, which adds a bit of time and effort to the journey. Here's what my trip looked like:
From Samarkand to the border:
Crossing the border:
From the border to Panjakent:
Overall, the journey isn’t too long, but the border crossing does require some patience.
If you’re planning to visit the Seven Lakes, I’d recommend staying overnight in Panjakent. It gives you the advantage of starting your day early, making the most of your trip to the lakes. Plus, many hotels in Panjakent can help you arrange a private taxi for the excursion. My hotel organized one for 900 somoni (round trip).
Enjoy your adventure, and feel free to reach out with more questions!
Thanks for the detailed info, Shaman! That’s super helpful. After the Seven Lakes trip, do you think it’s better to stay another night in Panjakent or head back to Samarkand in the evening? I’m not sure how the border is during the evening hours. Any thoughts?
You’re welcome, Joseph!
My trip to the Seven Lakes started around 9 AM and wrapped up by 4 PM, so you could technically return to Samarkand the same evening. Your driver will likely drop you at the border, and it should be easy to catch a marshrutka back to Samarkand around that time.
That said, Panjakent is a pretty small town. By 4 PM, there’s not much happening—it’s a great place for a stroll, but not a lot to see or do. If you’d rather have more time to explore the lakes or just relax, staying an extra night in Panjakent might be a good idea. Otherwise, heading back to Samarkand works too, especially if you want to avoid long morning queues at the border the next day.
Safe travels!
Hey everyone! Wishing you all a fantastic 2025! I'm a solo female traveler looking to take a day trip to the Seven Lakes from Samarkand on Saturday, March 8th. I’ve checked out some tours on GetYourGuide and Viator, but they’re charging a pretty penny for solo travelers.
Is anyone else planning to do this trip on the same date? It’d be great to team up and maybe split some costs!
Hey Voisten! I totally get where you're coming from; solo travel can be pricey. I did a similar trip recently and found a more budget-friendly way to go about it.
Instead of booking a tour, I suggest taking a Yandex taxi to the border. Once you cross customs, you can catch a shared taxi on the Tajik side heading to the SUGD Hotel. I stayed there the night before, and the owner was super helpful—he arranged a driver for me to take me to the lakes. My driver was fantastic and charged about $70. I even gave him a little extra to drop me off back at the border when I was done.
Honestly, I think I spent around $125 total, including the hotel, taxis, and the driver. The border crossing can take a while both ways, so staying overnight makes for a much more relaxed trip. Trust me, it’s worth it for the experience!
Thanks for the tips, Dalarin! That sounds like a solid plan. I like the idea of breaking it up into two days to make it easier. I’ll definitely look into the SUGD Hotel and see if they have availability.
If anyone else is interested in joining, let me know! It’d be fun to explore the lakes together!
@voisten Hi! Fellow female solo traveler going at that time and would love a buddy. I'm thinking of doing it in two days and hiking from the 4-7 lakes on the second day though - any interest in that?
Hi everyone,1 day tour to 7 lakes from Panjakent/Samarkand
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