Iskanderkul Lake

Iskanderkul is a turquoise glacier-fed lake in the Fann Mountains at 2,195 meters elevation, surrounded by dramatic rocky peaks. It's the most accessible of the Fann Mountain lakes — reachable by road from Dushanbe in about four to five hours — and a popular destination for day trips and weekend camping.

A small waterfall (called Alexander's Waterfall) drops into a gorge at the lake's outlet; the walk around the lake takes about three hours on good trails. Guesthouses and basic camping are available near the shore. The lake is stunning in its setting, and the drive up through the mountains is itself worth the journey.

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A story
Alexander the Great supposedly camped here during his Central Asian campaigns — the lake's name means "Alexander's Lake" in Persian. Whether Alexander actually visited this spot is debatable, but the legend stuck. The Sogdians and later Persian sources located several of his camp sites in the Zerafshan mountains, and the turquoise mountain lake certainly looks like the kind of place a Macedonian king might pause.

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