Karakul Lake

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Karakul Lake
with Mt Kongur at the background
Location	Xinjiang
Coordinates	37°59′N 75°10′ECoordinates: 37°59′N 75°10′E
Basin countries	China
Surface area	380 km²
Max. depth	242 m
Surface elevation	3600 m

For the lake in Tajikistan, see Kara-Kul.

Karakul Lake (Kirgiz: "black lake") is located approximately 200km from Kashgar, Xinjiang province, China, in Kizilsu Kirgiz Autonomous Prefecture on the Karakoram Highway, before reaching Tashkurgan, the Khunjerab Pass on the China - Pakistan border and Sost in Pakistan. At an altitude of 3600m (though a height of nearer 3,900 m has been quoted), it is the highest lake of the Pamir plateau, near the junction of the Pamir Mountains, Tian Shan and Kunlun Shan mountain ranges. Surrounded by mountains which remain snow-covered throughout the year, the three highest peaks visible from the lake are the Muztagh Ata (7546m), Kongur Tagh (7649m) and Kongur Tiube (7530m). The lake is popular among travellers for its unreal scenery and the clarity of its reflection in the water, whose color ranges from a dark green to azure and light blue. There are two Kirgiz settlements along the shore of Karakul lake, a small number of yurts about 1km east of the bus drop-off point and a village with stone houses located on the western shores.