Local operator, Samarkand · Haft Kul, Shing valley
A 12-hour day from your Samarkand hotel to the lakes, with a stop at a village shop to buy the picnic, lunch by the water and time to swim. Pick it for the language: the listing offers guides in French, Italian, Persian and Korean as well as English and Russian.
This is the dearest of the five Seven Lakes day trips from Samarkand, and the reason is in the language list. The listing offers live guides in English, French, Italian, Russian, Persian and Korean, which no other Seven Lakes listing here comes close to. If you'd rather hear about the lakes in French or Italian than in your second language, this is the one.
The listing is also the most specific about the route. It names the lakes as Nezhigon, Soya, Gushor, Nofin, Khurdak, Marguzor and Hazorchashma, between 1,640 and 2,400 m, with more than 14 km between the first and the last, and the villages of Padrut, Khurdak and Marguzor. On the way, the group stops at a local shop to buy the picnic, and lunch is by the water with time to swim. Hiking between the lakes is optional.
There's a Panjikent stop on the way in (the bazaar), a village visit and hotel pickup and drop-off in Samarkand. The listing doesn't mention the visa among its inclusions and asks you to check whether you need one; it says Europeans generally don't, which isn't true for British passports. It rules the trip out for pregnant travellers, back problems and wheelchair users.
From your hotel in Samarkand to the border.
Across into Tajikistan, with a stop at the Panjikent bazaar.
A stop at a local shop to pick up lunch, then up the valley.
The lakes from Nezhigon upwards, with optional walks between them.
Lunch by the water and time to get in, if you're brave.
The drive back to Samarkand, about 12 hours after you left.
★★★★★Very well conducted, on time, the sites were spectacular, and the guide was outstanding.
Read next:
The listing names Nezhigon, Soya, Gushor, Nofin, Khurdak, Marguzor and Hazorchashma, between 1,640 and 2,400 m. Our Seven Lakes guide describes each one.
The listing offers English, French, Italian, Russian, Persian and Korean. Pick yours when you book.
The route is similar, so you pay for the format: hotel pickup, a picnic with time to swim, and the language choice. If English is fine for you, the premium tour also picks up from your hotel and costs less.
It's not listed as included. The listing asks you to check whether you need one and notes that you can apply online.
Ready to book
The Seven Lakes with a picnic, time to swim and guides who also speak French, Italian, Russian, Persian or Korean.
Seven Beauties of Tajikistan Premium TourHotel pickup, all seven lakes with walks between them, a village home, and an optional stop at the Sarazm ruins.★ 4.8 · 9 hours to 1 day · from $62
Seven Lakes Fully Inclusive Day TourGur-e-Amir at 7 AM, a lakeside picnic, a swim in the last lake, and the Tajik visa fee listed as included.★ 4.9 · 11 to 12.5 hours · from $65
Seven Lakes Day Trip from Samarkand with LunchThe classic version: meet at Gur-e-Amir at 7 AM, bazaar, bread in a village, lunch by Marguzor, back by about 7 PM.★ 4.9 · 11 to 12.5 hours · from $63