China Karakul Lake

Karakul Lake (Kirgiz: "black lake") is the highest lake of the Pamir platueau, is located approximately at an altitude of 3600m. Surrounded by mountains which remain snow-covered throughout the year.

There you can have a good view of massive Muztagh Ata (24757 ft /7546 m), the "Father of the Ice Moountains". The glaciers and snowfields are overwhelming. The high wind swept the plateaus between the parallel ranges that constitute the Pamirs, the "Roof of the World"(called the Onion Mountains in early Chinese records).

There are two settlements of Kirgiz nomadic people, they live in yurts or in houses made of stones. After we get out of bus we were surrounded with Kirgiz people who were trying to sale us the over night stay in there Yourt plus Kirghiz home made food. But we decided to go to a Kirghiz village a bit far away from Karakul Lake, as the Yourts near the Karakul lake is full with backpackers and other tourists. We met one person who invited us to his home in a near by village for a minimal amount of money, so the whole package include camal ride to and from the village, home made dinner and breakfast. The only problem we had there is they don’t speak any English.

A mosque in the village.

One of our host, enjoying Kirgiz music

Ignacio wih a Kirgyz hat and our host.

nice view of Muztagata Mountain

Kirgyz family, this is the place we spent the night

Kirgyz women preparing dinner

we are starring a camel ride from Karakul lake to the village

our host, the guy on the left is a Kirgyz musican, he plays key board

Kirgyz child

Me and Kirgyz women near Muztagata Mountain

having some tea with locals. plus we tried the yak cheese and kirgyz tea

Muztagata Mountain

yaks (for those who dont know how they look like ....)

Nice chinese made 4x4 jeep