How to experience the unique cultures of Xinjiang, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan in 70 days (Stop 18 Iskanderkul Lake)

Iskanderkul Lake, Tajikistan. Visited 29 July 2024. 

I left Panjakent in a shared MPV. It dropped me at the junction of a highway and the mountain road leading to Iskanderkul Lake, 22 km short of the lake. I was informed that I had to swallow my pride and bury my dignity by hitching the ride to the Lake. Many cars came and went, leaving me in the dust. I started to feel sorry for myself. As I was almost giving up, a young Tajik stopped and offered me a ride. He was picking up his friends to the lake for a Friday evening party. He handed me a Budweiser from the bottles he was carrying in his car. A warm beer had never tasted so good in the hot afternoon. My first, from a Tajik.

I had a hard time looking for accommodation and the sun was slipping away. Eventually, I found a room in a campsite by the lake for just USD 8 per night. I was served dinner of fried beef, potato, and some local bread with cherry jam. What do you call a dinner with breakfast?

Tajikistan has over 2000 lakes. Iskanderkul Lake is among its most proud possessions. It was turquoise to the point of being unreal, so smooth it was almost unnatural. There was barely a whisper of breeze. Hold your breath; we don’t want any ripples. The bare mountains were there to protect and preserve. They stood austere and aloof. In the late afternoon sunsets, they glowed, like holy mountains. The mirror-like surface reflected well on them. Water rushed out of the lake at the lake level, charging downstream, looking gorgeous in the gorges. At 2200 meters, I climbed even higher up a couple of mountains overlooking the lake. There was no one else around. It was so quiet and secluded. The higher I climbed, the more surreal the lake looked. I was no angel, but I thought I saw heaven.

At the long breakfast table, I sat next to the owner and his friends. A pouch of vodka next to their breakfast spread made it look complete. He asked me if I wanted some. I respectfully declined. I would have been so drunk with the beauty of the lake. 

To go to the next Stop, click the link below:

How to experience the unique cultures of Xinjiang, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan in 70 days (Stop 19 Dushanbe)

To start from Stop 1, click the link below:

How to experience the unique cultures of Xinjiang, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan in 70 days (Stop 1 Urumqi)

Stops on this Trip:

China Urumqi > Turpan > Kuerle > Kuqa > Kashgar > Kuqa > Nalati (via Duku Scenic Drive) > Kuerdening > Yining > Sailimu Lake > Yining > Urumqi > Buerjin > Kanas Lake > Hemu > China Urumqi > Kyrgyzstan Bishkek > Bokonbayevo (Issyk kul Lake) > Karakol > Kyrgyzstan Bishkek > Uzbekistan Tashkent > Tajikistan > Khujand > Panjakent (and Haft Kul/The Seven Lakes) > Iskanderkul > Dushanbe > China Urumqi > Hami > Dunhuang > Jiayuguan > Zhangye > Lanzhou > Xian