Iskanderkul · A Tog's Trek

Iskanderkul is a mountain lake, and a beautiful one. It is named for Alexander the Macedonian, who is said to have loved this place. On the drive in, to the small lakefront hotel and restaurant we were stopping at for lunch, the view was good enough to stop for twice. After lunch and a walk along the lake shore, we did a fairly strenuous hike, and came back with some panic, having apparently lost a hiker. It turned out he'd told one of the people searching for him that he'd gone back to the van, and the searcher hadn't felt that was information worth passing on.

The stony shore of Iskanderkul lake, cold blue water below the surrounding mountains

Sights & Culture

Toll Crossing

The official toll collection on the approach over the bridge is a man with a piece of string. It is, in its way, efficient.

Iskanderkul View Point

The most distant of the viewpoints we stopped at. From up here the river is a pencil-thin ribbon snaking along the valley floor, the mountains rising steeply on either side.

The Iskanderkul valley seen from a high viewpoint, a thin river threading across the floor between steep mountains

Mountains falling away toward the distant valley floor at Iskanderkul

The river a thin ribbon far below, canyon walls rising on both sides

A wide panorama of the Fann Mountains around the Iskanderkul valley

Iskander Lake Viewpoint

Much closer to the bridge over the river, and the first place the lake itself comes into view — a wedge of water set past the mountain slopes.

The lake appearing as a wedge of water past the mountain slopes at Iskanderkul

The Iskanderkul valley and lake framed by the surrounding peaks

Iskanderkul Lake

With its stony shore, the lake is cold, deep, and beautiful. No one was up for a swim, but it's a fine place to sit and take it in.

The far shore of Iskanderkul, mountains reflected in the still lake water

Sports & Activities

Waterfall of the Fann Mountains

A long but relatively easy hike brings you to the Waterfall of the Fann Mountains. It's not Victoria Falls, but it's worth the walk. The water changes colour constantly as you follow the river: most often a snow-white froth over an almost beige flow, heavy with silt from the canyon walls; occasionally, where enough of it runs over smoothed stones, it turns a clear, vibrant blue.

Silt-heavy white water on the river below the Waterfall of the Fann Mountains

The trail following the river up toward the waterfall through the canyon

Beige, silt-laden water running over a bed of smoothed stones

A stretch of the river turning clear blue over smoothed rock

Canyon walls rising above the river on the walk to the waterfall

The waterfall coming into view at the head of the valley

The Waterfall of the Fann Mountains falling over dark rock

Looking back down the river valley from near the waterfall

Restaurants & Bars

Zumrad Restaurant

A hotel and restaurant on the lake serving simple local fare. It's decent rather than remarkable, but the view, more than anything on the plate, is the selling point.