Sarazm in Tajikistan is one of the oldest settlements in Central Asia, dating back over 5,000 years. Excavations in the 1970s revealed a thriving Bronze Age urban centre engaged in agriculture, trade and metallurgy. The Zerafshan valley had many mines, especially for tin, which was needed to make bronze in the Bronze Age. The area was therefore an early trading centre.

As is often the case with Bronze Age sites, there isn't much left. The foundations of several houses can be found, sheltered under tin roofs. The paths are covered in thorny grass, so bring long trousers. Although the surroundings are rather barren, the views of the mountain range are stunning.

The nearest town on the Tajik side is Penjikent, a little further upriver. And across the border on the Uzbek side is Samarkand, which outshines everything. There are a few houses around Sarazm, but nothing you could call a town. Don't expect a cafe, bank or any other kind of tourist amenity.

The place has been given some tourist treatment. They have a fancy entrance arch (see Zoe's picture) and there are stalls for vendors. But they were all closed as there simply weren't any tourists. There is a museum on the site with a small exhibition and some outdoor replicas. It's pretty basic and doesn't add much value. If you want a special experience, ask the museum for the key to the toilet... Trust me, you will be in for a treat.

Getting There

As described by Zoe, Sarazm is an easy day trip from Samarkand. To avoid the hassle of finding the bus stop in Samarkand, I took a taxi to the border. The border post is in a green field and I just walked across. While Tajikistan now offers Visa on Arrival for most Western countries, the immigration process in Tajikistan was still a bit chaotic: first get a stamp at this booth, then here, then ...

Beyond the border, there was a single money changer and plenty of taxi drivers waiting. You should probably change money in Samarkand beforehand to get a better rate. Instead of taking a taxi for 5km, I decided to walk to the site. The walk from the border to the site offers stunning views of the surrounding mountains.

On my return to Uzbekistan, many taxi drivers were waiting on the Uzbek side to take me back to Samarkand. But their initial prices were insane and I didn't want to go back to Samarkand just yet. I took a minibus to Jartepa II Temple, another Silk Road site near the border post, before taking a taxi back to Samarkand.

Another option is to continue to Dushabe via Penjikent.

While You Are There

Along the Panj River you will find several Silk Road sites. If you're planning to spend a night in Tajikistan, Ancient Penjikent should be nice and is also a Silk Road site. On the Uzbek side of the border, the Silk Road continue as the road follows the original Silk Road. The Jartepa II temple is worth a quick visit before heading back to Samarkand.