The area around Norak (Nurek) is an increasingly popular destination, being just over a one-hour drive from Dushanbe on the road to Danghara and Kulob. The main attraction in Norak is the large reservoir holding back the Vakhsh River for hydroelectric power.

Aerial view from the north.

Ground-level view. Photo by the Asian Development Bank.

The spill-over cascade is quite impressive (one minute video):

Downstream from the dam is quite pleasant. Photo by Prince Roy:

Vakhsh River, downstream from Nurek

If you have the money to spare, there is an all-inclusive resort in Nurek that will pick you up in Dushanbe: “Aqua Club” (website here). These photos are from their website:

We will soon fill this page out with information for the independent traveller. For now, view more pictures of Norak/Nurek on Flickr, and read these travellers’ reviews.