Just back from 2 and a half days along the amazing karakoram highway which stretches from kashgar 1300 km to Rawalpindi in Pakistan. Went as far as Tachkurgan the last town before Pakistan about 400km from Kashgar. At first the road is nothing special but after around 90 minutes you start climbing into the Pamir mountains that just stretch into this Western most part of China. Up and up you go, surrounded by mountains on both sides continuously. Past the highest peak of the Pamirs in China which is 7,546m high as the road reaches around 4,100m. Snow all around the mountain tops but surprisingly little on the ground at this altitude. All along the views are amazing and had to stop many times to grab photos. First day we went all the way to Tachkurgan where we stopped the night. There we saw a 600 yr old stone walled crumbling city, played pool in the streets with locals and made a brief visit to the local disco.
Left: Ancient stone city at Tashkurgan
Right: Villagers of Kyrgyz inhabited Karakul play pool.
Top: Lake Karakul and a camel
Bottom: Lake karakul and the 7546m high Mt Muztagata in the Pamirs
Left: motorbike and driver around part of lake Karakul
Right: Liah, Tom and Alarvo at the local disco in Tashkurgan
Next morning we headed back and stayed a second night by the beautiful lake Karakul with snowy mountains all around. Walked part way round the lake and did the rest on motor-bike when a passing local offered to take us around. Stopped in Karakul village - inhabited entirely by Kyrgyz people - where we were giving tea and nan. Then back to our camp which had a number of yurts and a stone house where we stayed and were fed and looked after by a local Kyrgyz family.. Around the mountains and lake I saw yaks, camels and sheep which were not in the least bothered by strangers wondering by. The tea was strange, made with yak's milk and a good helping of cooking fat, which may be good for people living at high altitude in cold weather, but doesn't taste so good to me!! The dinner was very tasty though...
Left: Our family host at Karakul lake
Centre: Easly morning at the yurt camp with moon still shining
Right: Entrance gate to Karakul village
Just seeing this section of the Karakoram highway is enough to make you come back to see the rest, it really is absolutely stunning....
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