Karakol & The Pamirs Tours & Holidays

The Pamirs encompass the mountains of the 'Pamir Knot' and its surrounding areas, the core and majority of which lies in Tajikistan. A trip down the legendary Pamir Highway (the section of the M41 between Khorog and Osh within the Pamirs) is the mother of all road trips and evokes a sense of freedom and adventure like no other. Over 90% of the country is mountainous with the highest peaks (of over 7,000m) found in the Pamir region. The Pamirsky National Park is UNESCO enlisted and home to the longest valley glacier outside of the Polar region. Detours off the main highway are encouraged in order to delve deeper and further explore the area's valleys, mountain passes and glacial lakes such as the Wakhan and Bartang valleys and Karakol Lake. Karakol, meaning black water, is perhaps not the most appropriate name for this sparkling, turquoise lake that was created by a meteor impact. The village of Karakol is just off the Pamir Highway and is one of the closest settlements along it to the Kyrgyz border. The whitewashed buildings spread down to the lake's edge and walks can be taken along its salty shoreline. The village lies at an altitude of 3,900m which can prove a problem for those affected by altitude sickness.