Karakul, or “Black Lake” in the Turkic languages, is a vast and stunningly beautiful high-altitude lake located in the stark, desolate landscape of the Eastern Pamir Mountains in Tajikistan. It is one of the highest navigable lakes in the world, sitting at a breathtaking elevation of nearly 4,000 meters. The lake is believed to have formed within a massive impact crater created by a meteorite millions of years ago. Surrounded by a panorama of snow-capped peaks, its brackish, endorheic (closed basin) waters shift in color from a deep, dark blue to a brilliant turquoise, creating a mesmerizing and otherworldly spectacle in the heart of the “Roof of the World.”

Name and Address

• Name: Karakul Lake (also spelled Kara-Kul).
• Address: Located in the Tajik National Park, in the Murghab District of the Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Region (GBAO), Tajikistan. It is a major landmark along the northern section of the Pamir Highway (M41).

How to Get There

Karakul Lake is a key stop on the Pamir Highway, the main route through the region.

• By 4×4 Vehicle (Essential): The lake is situated directly on the Pamir Highway between the town of Murghab in Tajikistan and the Kyzyl-Art Pass on the border with Kyrgyzstan. The road is unpaved, rough, and at a very high altitude, so a 4×4 vehicle with an experienced driver is essential.
• Guided Tours: The most common way to visit is as part of a multi-day jeep tour of the Pamir Highway, traveling between Dushanbe (Tajikistan) and Osh (Kyrgyzstan).
• Visitor Tip: The village of Karakul on the eastern shore of the lake offers basic homestay accommodation. The altitude is extreme (over 3,900 meters), so proper acclimatization is crucial to avoid altitude sickness. The weather is harsh and cold year-round, with strong winds.

Landscape and Architecture

The “architecture” of Karakul is its spectacular natural landscape, a vast high-altitude desert dominated by the lake and the surrounding mountains.

• Impact Crater Lake: The lake fills a massive depression, 52 kilometers in diameter, that is now confirmed to be a meteorite impact crater, estimated to be between 5 and 23 million years old. This geological origin gives the landscape a unique, circular character.
• The Lake: The lake itself is vast, with a surface area of 380 square kilometers. A peninsula and an island divide it into two distinct basins: a shallow eastern basin and a much deeper western basin (up to 230 meters deep). The water is brackish and too salty for most fish life, except for a species of stone loach.
• High-Altitude Desert: The surrounding landscape is a classic high-altitude Pamiri plateau—a stark, treeless, and windswept desert. The ground is often covered with salt marshes and sparse vegetation.
• Mountain Panorama: The lake is encircled by towering, snow-covered peaks of the Pamir range. On a clear day, the magnificent Lenin Peak (7,134 meters) is visible in the distance to the north.

What Makes It Famous

Karakul Lake is famous for its stunning, high-altitude beauty, its unique geological origin, and its desolate, otherworldly atmosphere.

• A Meteorite Impact Crater: Its primary claim to fame is its origin. Being one of the largest and most well-preserved impact craters on Earth makes it a site of significant geological interest.
• “The Black Lake”: Its name is famous, though somewhat misleading. While the water can appear dark and almost black under cloudy skies, it is more often a brilliant shade of turquoise or deep blue, creating a stunning color contrast with the surrounding arid landscape.
• A Highlight of the Pamir Highway: The lake is one of the most iconic and unforgettable sights along the legendary Pamir Highway. The moment the vast, shimmering blue expanse of the lake appears in the middle of the desolate plateau is a highlight for every traveler on this route.

Differences from Other Wonders

Karakul Lake offers a unique high-altitude desert lake experience that is distinct from other lakes in the Pamirs.

• A Crater Lake vs. a Dammed Lake: Karakul’s origin as a meteorite impact crater is unique. This is a completely different formation from Lake Sarez, which was created by a massive landslide.
• A Salty, Lifeless Lake vs. a Freshwater Oasis: The brackish, salty water of Karakul supports very little life. This is a stark contrast to the freshwater, jewel-like lakes of the Fann Mountains, which are nestled in greener, more fertile valleys.
• A High-Altitude Desert Setting: Karakul is the quintessential lake of the high, arid Eastern Pamirs. Its beauty is stark, vast, and desolate. This is a different kind of landscape from the more enclosed, fertile river valleys of the Western Pamirs, where sites like Garm Chashma are located.