Karakul Lake & Muztagh Ata

Muztagh Ata, the "Father of Ice Mountains," is reflected in Karakul Lake; along the China–Pakistan Highway you'll pass Ghez Canyon, Baisha Lake and Kongur Tagh to reach Muztagh Ata Glacier Park, the Pamirs' most classic stretch.

Karakul Lake and Muztagh Ata lie on the eastern edge of the Pamir Plateau in Xinjiang, on the border of Akto County in the Kizilsu Kyrgyz Autonomous Prefecture and Taxkorgan County, about 190 km from Kashgar. This is the most classic stretch of the China–Pakistan Friendship Highway (G314 Karakoram Highway). From Kashgar the road passes Oytak Town and enters Ghez Canyon, climbing steadily to Bulungkol at 3,300 m, where Baisha Lake and the Baisha Mountain suddenly come into view. About 50 km farther south is Karakul Lake at 3,600 m, ringed by three snow peaks: Muztagh Ata, the "Father of Ice Mountains" (7,546 m), Kongur Tagh (7,649 m) and Kongur Tagh Jiubie (7,530 m). Continuing south over Subash Pass, you can enter Muztagh Ata Glacier Park to see the glacier up close, then descend for about 1 hour to Taxkorgan County town (covered as a separate destination). On the return trip you can also stop at Oytak Glacier Park, another easily accessible glacier. The best season is June–September, when pastures are green and roads are clear; May and October offer clearer views of the snow peaks but are cold, and heavy winter snow can close the road. Getting there: hiring a car or joining a shared car from Kashgar is the most common option; a day round trip to Karakul Lake takes about 8–10 hours, but it is more common to spend two days and one night, passing the lake on the way to stay in Taxkorgan; if self-driving you need to be familiar with high-altitude mountain roads. Notes: the area south of Bulungkol is a border control zone, so you must obtain a border-area permit in advance (available at your place of household registration or online) and carry your ID card, with several checkpoints along the way; altitude rises quickly, so walk slowly, drink plenty of water, carry oxygen, and descend immediately if you have severe altitude sickness; UV is strong and day–night temperature swings are large, so bring a down jacket even in summer; lodging at the lake is mostly in Kyrgyz yurts, with basic conditions.

Top sights

Itineraries