Stop Stalin: The Definitive Guide to Finding Stalin in Asht, Tajikistan

Stop Stalin: The Definitive Guide to Finding Stalin in Asht, Tajikistan was written by the creator of TDTM and was originally published in 2025

Have you ever found yourself in a remote Tajik village, armed with nothing but a 10-year-old Russian news article and a vague promise of finding a statue of Stalin?

No?

Just me, then.

Let me tell you, it’s exactly as absurd as it sounds.

Picture this: one clueless traveler, a language barrier thicker than a Soviet-era bunker, and a mission that felt like a bizarre cross between an Indiana Jones adventure and a Scooby-Doo episode.

Only instead of finding hidden treasure or unmasking a villain, I was on the hunt for a relic of a bygone era—an elusive statue of Stalin, rumored to be gathering dust somewhere in the middle of nowhere.

And so, armed with nothing but sheer determination, I set off on what would become the weirdest goose chase of my life – which is saying something…

The Hunt for the Marshrutka to Asht

I set off from the bustling Abreshim Bus Station in Khujand for the marshrutka to Asht. After much squinting at the Cyrillic departure board from 2021, I established that route 128 goes to Asht and hopped on board the 10:00 bus.

The journey cost me only 30 TJS (pay on-board the bus). Bargain. Давай!

Khujand-Asht marshrutka timetable, Abrehsim Bus Station, Khujand, Tajikistan

Looking for other things to do near Asht? Don’t miss the Asht Salt Falts or the old Uranium Mines of Taboshar

The Ride to Asht: A Real-Life Tetris Game

The marshrutka experience was… intimate.

I found myself sandwiched between a babushka swigging Tajik Appletizer, who clearly believed personal space was a Western conspiracy, a box of pigeons cooing in terror (or were they just pleased to see me?), and someone else’s child who was inexplicably placed on my lap. Classic Tajikistan.

pigeons in a box, Khujand-Asht marshrutka, Abrehsim Bus Station, Khujand, Tajikistan

Navigating the Maze of Asht

We rolled through Asht, which seemed to be less of a village and more of a suggestion of one. Rather, a triad of loosely connected sprawling villages. I braced myself for the inevitable disembarkation.

I had assumed I’d need to find a taxi from Asht to the farthest reaches of Ashti Bolo, where the Stalin statue was rumored to be hiding. But as the bus driver inched along, I realized we were heading closer to my destination.

So, I did what any reasonable person would do in an absurd situation: I stayed on the bus, possibly past the point of my welcome.

Miraculously, the bus chugged all the way up to Ashti Bolo!

At Shanbe Bazar, I was the last passenger left, the pigeons had been freed, the babushka had departed with a wave, and the child had been reclaimed by its rightful owner.

As I got off, I asked the driver “Next bus back to Khujand?” He glanced at me, then muttered, “Tomorrow,” and sped off down the hill.

Fantastic.

Undeterred, I went into the shop and asked the ladies behind the counter if they knew where the statue was. They explained that they didn’t speak Russian.

Was I in a part of Tajikistan where Russian didn’t help?

I went outside and decided to ask the ladies out front in my best (read: atrocious) Tajik. I should have practiced first.

I suspect it was offensively bad. The ladies, bemused, told me they spoke Russian.

Ah, sweet relief. I asked again in Russian, and this time they kindly pointed back down the very hill I had just ascended and described how to find Stalin.

Twenty-six minutes of a scenic downhill trek later—passing — well, not much really, I found myself standing in front of a school garden.

And there it was, in all its kinky boots, mustachioed glory: the statue of Stalin.

Stalin Statue, Ashti Bolo, Asht, Tajikistan, stalin statue Asht, stalin asht

As it turns out, the statue was now the proud centerpiece of a kindergarten.

Yes, you read that right. Stalin, the Iron Man of the Soviet Union, was now playing the role of a stoic babysitter.

Annoyingly, had I been sitting on the right side of the bus on the way up, I would have spotted it. But hey, what’s a bit of extra cardio in the quest for obscure Soviet relics?

How to get to the Asht Stalin (and hopefully back)

Start at Abreshim Bus Station in Khujand: Marshrutka’s leave for Asht at 08:00, 10:00, 11:00, 12:00, 13:00, 14:00, 15:00 and 18:00. Brace yourself to be crammed in with friendly locals, and possibly some birds or poultry, and expect a child or two to be handed to you for the ride. Note that these timings are rather loose (ie: don’t expect them to be on time).
Stay on the Bus as Long as Possible: Seriously, just stay on. The bus might take you all the way to Ashti Bolo. If not, consider it an adventure.
Get Dropped Off at Shanbe Bazar: This is either the final stop or where they decide they’ve had enough of you.
Coordinates: This is where you’re aiming for: 40.809895, 70.607278. Either get off around here or walk back down to this spot from the bazaar. Head downhill for 25-30 minutes from Shanbe Bazaar. If you miss it on the way up, it will be on the left side of the road.
Enjoy the discovery: Maybe it’s not exactly where Stalin imagined he’d end up, but there he is nonetheless.
Getting Back to Khujand: There are no afternoon buses back, so here’s the plan:
- Hitch a Ride Downhill: Find a friendly local with a car or a bus driver with a sense of humor. Be polite and offer 5 TJS if it’s a bus.
- Taxi from the Main Road Supermarket: Once you’re back down on the main road, catch a taxi. It’ll cost around 40 TJS for a seat, or 300 TJS if you prefer to stretch out like a sultan and not share with others.

And that, my friends, is how you end up on a wild goose chase in Tajikistan that lands you in front of Stalin’s statue… in a kindergarten. Happy hunting!

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