A memorable road trip to Karakul Lake

Karakul Lake is a high mountain lake at an elevation of 3.900m (12,800ft) above the sea level, located in the Pamir Mountains of Tajikistan.

The road to this beautiful blue water lake is the M41, known informally and more commonly as the Pamir Highway. Located within the Tajik National Park, the road is paved is some areas, but mostly unpaved. It’s heavily damaged in places by erosion, earthquakes, landslides, and avalanches and was built partly in the 19th century, partly in the 1930s.

This is a hard climb even for 4-wheel drive vehicles and it can produce headache and difficulty breathing. The dusty roads and constant wind mean that you get a bunged up nose which makes it harder to breath and the just getting in and out of the vehicle is hard work. Construction and maintenance levels vary substantially along the highway. 
Pic: Gareth Williams