Snake Lake near Iskanderkul Lake, Fann Mountains, Tajikistan

Another famous landmark near Iskanderkul Lake is Snake Lake. It has been named so by numerous tourists who believed that there must be a large number of snakes in its stagnant water. While there are indeed snakes, they are not more abundant than elsewhere, they are simply more visible due to the transparent water. Snake Lake is not its only name, as the lake has several others including Vernikul, Serima-darun, and Morkul....

Waterfall on the Iskandar River, near Iskanderkul Lake, Fann Mountains, Tajikistan

Waterfall on Iskanderia, one of the main attractions in the vicinity of Lake Iskanderkul and a must-visit for tourists. This waterfall is sometimes called the "Fann Niagara". It is located 800 meters downstream from the Iskanderia River, which flows from Lake Iskanderkul. The prominent scientist-botanist V.I. Lipsky officially mentioned this waterfall in his memoirs.

Iskanderkul Lake: Description, History, Legends

Lake Iskanderkul in the Fann Mountains of Tajikistan has a very ancient and rich history. It is believed that Lake Iskanderkul is named after Alexander the Great, who was called Iskander Zulkarnain in the local language, meaning "Iskander with two horns," due to his helmet resembling two horns. But this is only partly true, as the lake existed here before Alexander the Great's arrival and was called Iskan-dara (which may be slightly different), meaning something like "high water" or "high mountain lake."

Iskanderkul Lake, Fann Mountains, Tajikistan

Iskanderkul in the Fann Mountains is probably the most famous and photographed lake in Tajikistan. I had the chance to visit there and, of course, take pictures of this beautiful mountain lake. We stayed at Iskanderkul for a few days, walking around the lake and its surroundings. We were very lucky with the weather, we swam and sunbathed, and only on the last day did clouds appear and it started to rain. In the end, we had a great time, and I put together this and several other photo reviews of our outings in the area, as well as a separate detailed article about the description and legends of Iskanderkul Lake.

Spring hike to the waterfalls in Gusgarf, Varzob Gorge, mountains of Tajikistan

I can't say exactly how many waterfalls there are in Gusgarf, but the most famous ones are two waterfalls: "Pioneer" and "Eagle's Nests". Well, officially, these waterfalls are called the Big Gusgarf Waterfall and the Echo Waterfall, respectively. However, I have been to these waterfalls even three times, as I found another one, let's say, unnamed but quite decent waterfall. I visited these waterfalls at different times, and it was interesting to see how these waterfalls look in spring, when there is a lot of water. So, when spring came, I went to see the waterfalls in Gusgarf.

Journey of Journeys

Travel, it can be said without exaggeration, is one of the most interesting, exciting, and perhaps beloved pastimes of a person. Even Mark Twain once remarked, 'Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines, sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.' Travel comes in many forms, from a picnic in a nearby park to the great outdoors just outside the city, to far-off lands and extreme adventures. But I am not writing about them.

Hiking to Childukhtaron Pass, Odzhuk Gorge, Varzob, Mountains of Tajikistan

The elongated canyon along the Odzhuk River begins from the Varzob highway, or from the Varzob River if you will. The canyon has many branches that lead to Begar, Kharangon, and Chayka. The official end of the Odzhuk canyon is considered to be the Childukhtar, Kichkine, and Kumkayakutal passes. The first two passes lead to a high mountain plateau with Takoba tributaries, respectively, beyond which lies the Takob canyon. The Kumkayakutal pass leads to the mouth of the Semiganch River, a tributary of the Romit River, and thus to the Romit canyon.

Hiking to the mine in the Ojuk valley, Varzob, mountains of Tajikistan

I was always amazed at why there was such a good, wide path in Odzhuk that went almost all the way through the canyon. It turned out to be an old dirt road that led to an abandoned mine where they mined or searched for something like fluorite until 1947. There are many such abandoned mines in the vicinity. Apparently, they dug and searched, but didn't find anything significant and abandoned them. Industrial fluorite mining may still be taking place in the Takob and Magof valleys, not far from here. Locals also call these mines quartz, but quartz is just a accompanying mineral of fluorite and is not of interest for development and mining, at least not the local variety.

The hike to the Big Gusgarf Waterfall, in the Varzob Gorge of the Tajikistan Mountains

The Big Gusgarf Waterfall, also known as the Pioneer Waterfall, is located in the Varzob Gorge past the village of Gusgarf. The hike to this waterfall was quite an adventure. The first time, back in June, I went alone to Gusgarf without any idea of where it was located, relying only on oral descriptions. As it happens, I got lost but eventually stumbled upon some waterfall, apparently nameless.