The Pamir Highway is the reason most independent travelers come to Tajikistan. The M41 highway runs from Dushanbe to Osh in Kyrgyzstan, crossing some of the highest and most remote terrain in the world. The full route takes at least a week to do properly, with side trips into the Wakhan Corridor along the Afghan border among the most memorable. See the Pamir Highway page for more.
The Fann Mountains near Penjikent offer excellent trekking through a landscape of turquoise lakes, glaciers, and traditional villages. The Seven Lakes (Haft Kul) valley is deservedly popular. Penjikent itself has one of the best-preserved Sogdian archaeological sites in Central Asia, with wall paintings from the 5th century still visible.
Iskanderkul Lake, about 90 km north of Dushanbe in the Fann foothills, is an accessible and beautiful destination — a glacial lake at 2,200 meters said to be named after Alexander the Great. Day trips from Dushanbe are easy; staying overnight is better.
Khujand in the north is Tajikistan's second city and has a more relaxed, Uzbek-influenced character than Dushanbe. Its bazaar and old fortress are worth half a day. The city is separated from the rest of Tajikistan by mountains and is much easier to reach from Tashkent than from the capital.
Hissar Fortress, just 30 km west of Dushanbe, is the ruined 18th-century seat of a Bukharan regional governor. The site includes two well-preserved madrasas and an old caravanserai. It makes an easy half-day excursion from the capital.
Nurek Dam, 70 km from Dushanbe on the Vakhsh River, was the tallest dam in the world when completed in 1980 (300 m). The reservoir behind it is striking. It is not a major tourist site but worth combining with a drive toward Penjikent.