Kulob

Kulob is one of the older towns of southern Tajikistan and its focus is the shrine of Mir Sayyid Ali Hamadani, a fourteenth-century Sufi scholar and poet who travelled to Kashmir and is credited there with a large role in spreading Islam; he died on the way back and was buried here. The mausoleum has been rebuilt and enlarged into a substantial complex with a mosque and gardens, and the town holds a regional museum.

What you actually see

• The Hamadani mausoleum - the shrine of the fourteenth-century Sufi scholar.
• The complex - the mosque, gardens and buildings raised around the tomb.
• The Kashmir connection - the scholar's role in the history of that region.
• The regional museum - the collection covering Khatlon's history.

When to go

April to June and September to October are the most comfortable. Summer in the south is extremely hot. Fridays are busiest at the shrine.

Honest expectations

Much of the complex is recent construction rather than historic fabric. Dress rules at the shrine are strict and photography is limited. Summer heat here is severe.

Nearby

Hulbuk is west, and Childukhtaron is east.