Experiences

A lovely little park in the town center, with the Gunt River running alongside it. PECTA (Pamir Eco Cultural Tourism Association) with its tourist information office is located in the park, together with Chor Bogh Restaurant where you can sit on tapchan with your choice of tea or coffee and enjoy the world go by.

Karakul Lake was formerly known as the Lake Victoria, named after Queen Victoria by the British cartographers/ military geographer. It was marked as such by most maps of the area until the 1920s when the new Soviet cartographer replaced the British name with the Kyrgyz name Karakul, or Black lake. The lake lies at an elevation of 3,960 m above sea level. It is endorheic (lacking a drainage outlet) and the water is brackish. There is a small village with the same name on the eastern shore of the lake.

Garm Chashma Hot Spring is 42km from Khorog, on the way to Ishkashim. The spring is least several thousand years old and by now exists as a huge travertine mound cascading down to the river. The curved cascades are bright white, yellow and brown and range from 1,5 km long, 35-45 meters wide and from 7 to 35 meters high. The water comes out of the earth in the form of micro geysers from 10 cm to 1,5 meters high. 

You have a choice of three Afghan markets –Khorog, Ishkashim, Vanj and Darvaz. So if your time is limited, focus on the nearest to you and remember, they are only open on Saturday mornings.