Iskanderkul - One Day Tour

The name of the lake in Tajikistan comes from the name "Iskander" (meaning "Alexander") and the word "kul" (translated as "lake"). Some legends say that the reservoir got its name since the Great Alexander visited it during a campaign to India from Central Asia.

The lake, located in the amazingly beautiful Fan Mountains, has a rather rich and long history. It is believed that it was named in honor of the commander the Great Alexander, whom the locals called Iskander Zulqarnain, which means "Iskander the two-horned" (because of the unusual helmet that resembled horns).

The lake located in the northern part of the country, in the Sugd region. The distance from the capital of Tajikistan is more than 180 kilometers along a high-altitude and quite decent highway. Along the way, you can see fascinating natural landscapes with snow-capped mountain tops rushing into the deep blue of the sky. This small piece of untouched land can show a lot of interesting things, including Lake Iskanderkul. There are magnificent blue lakes, fast mountain rivers and picturesque forests.

Lake Iskanderkul resembles a triangle in shape. Its area is 3.5 square kilometers. The water depth is 70 meters. The mirror surface of the reservoir surrounded by mountains looks great. The uniqueness of the lake lies in the fact that it is the largest in the mountains and is located at an altitude of more than 2000 meters.

The nearby 43-meter waterfall is called "Fan Niagara". It is located on the river flowing out of the lake. There is also a rock with an inscription dating back to 1870, it was left by the participants of the expedition led by the famous Russian traveler and scientist A. Fedchenko.