After an early breakfast, we drive back to the main road towards Penjikent. About half an hour before we reach Penjikent we turn left following a mountain road which takes us through the Shing Gorge with its famous seven pearls of Tajikistan – seven mountain lakes each with its own distinctive color, microclimate, and flora. We will certainly take a photo stop at each of the lakes. The roads are very bad and steep, but we lucky to have skilled and experienced drivers. Near the fourth lake, we stop at the village of Noffin for lunch in a family guesthouse. If we are lucky we will get served fresh fish from the lake.
After lunch, we drive further up to the sixth lake with a short walk in Podrud village on the way. From the sixth lake, we hike in less than one hour up to the 7th and last lake – Hazorchashma. We will have a rest, enjoy the scenery, and meet some shepherds who are staying there during the summer months with their cattle. After a short while we hike down to the car waiting for us at the sixth lake and we drive back down to the fourth lake. In the guesthouse where we had lunch, we will have dinner and stay for the night.
Overnight in family guesthouse (single room cannot be guaranteed, shared western toilet and shower), ca. 2000m altitude