Lake Sarez (Сарез кӯл) is a vast, stunningly beautiful, and profoundly dangerous alpine lake located deep within the Pamir Mountains of Tajikistan. Often called the “Sleeping Dragon,” this gem of the Pamirs was born from a cataclysmic natural disaster. In 1911, a massive earthquake triggered a colossal landslide that completely blocked the Murghab River valley, creating the Usoi Dam—the tallest natural dam in the world. Behind this dam, the waters rose to form the long, deep, and brilliantly colored Lake Sarez. It is a place of breathtaking, pristine beauty and immense geological power, but it is also a potential catastrophic threat to the half a million people living downstream.

Name and Address

• Name: Lake Sarez. It was named after the village of Sarez, which was submerged as the lake formed.
• Address: Located in the Rushon District of the Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Region (GBAO), Tajikistan. It is situated in the remote Bartang Valley within the Tajik National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

How to Get There

Reaching Lake Sarez is a major expedition into one of the most remote and inaccessible parts of the Pamirs.

• By Expedition (Essential): There are no roads leading directly to the lake. Access requires a multi-day, high-altitude trek that is logistically complex and physically demanding. It is essential to go with an experienced local guide and a certified tour operator.
• Main Trekking Route: The most common route starts from the village of Barchidev in the upper Bartang Valley. From there, it is a strenuous 8-10 hour trek along the Murghab River to reach the Usoi Dam and the southern tip of the lake.
• Permits Required: A special Sarez permit is required in addition to the standard GBAO permit. These must be arranged several weeks in advance through a tour agency.
• Visitor Tip: This is a destination for serious, well-prepared trekkers. The season is very short, primarily from July to September. You must be completely self-sufficient, and all equipment and supplies must be carried in, often with the help of pack animals.

Landscape and Architecture

The “architecture” of Lake Sarez is its dramatic natural landscape, defined by the colossal dam that created it.

• The Usoi Dam: The defining feature of the landscape is the Usoi Dam, a massive natural barrier of rock and debris standing 567 meters (1,860 feet) high. It is the tallest dam in the world, natural or man-made.
• The Lake: The lake itself is immense, stretching for nearly 76 kilometers (47 miles) and reaching depths of over 500 meters. Its water is a stunning, vibrant blue-green, and is incredibly clear and cold.
• High-Mountain Setting: The lake is situated at an altitude of 3,263 meters (10,705 feet), surrounded by the stark, towering, and arid peaks of the Pamir Mountains, which rise more than 2,300 meters above the water’s surface. The landscape is treeless, rugged, and profoundly silent.

What Makes It Famous

Lake Sarez is famous for its dramatic and catastrophic birth, its immense scale, and its ominous nickname, the “Sleeping Dragon.”

• Born from Disaster: Its primary claim to fame is its origin story. The 1911 earthquake and the resulting landslide that created the Usoi Dam and buried the village of Usoi is one of the most significant geological events of the 20th century.
• The World’s Tallest Dam: The Usoi Dam is a natural wonder in itself, holding the title of the world’s tallest dam.
• The “Sleeping Dragon”: The lake is famously known as the “Sleeping Dragon” because of the immense potential danger it poses. The Usoi Dam is located in a highly seismic zone, and scientists fear that another major earthquake could cause it to fail, unleashing a catastrophic flood that would affect millions of people downstream in Tajikistan, Afghanistan, Uzbekistan, and Turkmenistan.
• Pristine and Untouched Beauty: Due to its extreme remoteness and inaccessibility, Lake Sarez remains one of the most pristine and untouched major lakes in the world, a place of profound, wild beauty.

Differences from Other Wonders

Lake Sarez offers a unique experience that sets it apart from other lakes in the Pamirs and Central Asia.

• A Dammed Lake vs. Glacial Lakes: While the Fann Mountains are famous for their beautiful glacial lakes like Iskanderkul and the Kulikalon Lakes, Sarez is a landslide-dammed lake. Its origin is catastrophic and sudden, not the slow work of glaciers. This gives it a completely different character and scale.
• A Potential Threat vs. a Serene Destination: No other major lake in the region carries the same sense of latent danger. While other lakes are places of serene beauty, a visit to Sarez is always underscored by the knowledge of the immense power held back by the Usoi Dam, fitting its “Sleeping Dragon” moniker.
• Extreme Inaccessibility: While many sites in the Pamirs are remote, Lake Sarez is on another level of inaccessibility. It requires a dedicated, permitted expedition to reach, unlike lakes such as Karakul or Yashilkul, which are located directly along the Pamir Highway.