Iskanderkul Lake Tour: Dive into History and Beauty of Tajikistan's Natural Attraction

Discover the captivating beauty and historical significance of Iskanderkul Lake in Tajikistan’s Fan Mountains. Dive into its rich history and explore its stunning natural attractions.

Duration: 10 hours
Cancellation: 1 day learn more
Highlights
  • Dushanbe - 09:00-09:30 - departure to Iskandarkul lake, Ayni district
    Our trip will start from the Dushanbe.
    We will pick up travelers from the hotel residences in territory of Dushanbe.
  • Varzob - 09:30-12:00 - we will driving through the Varzob valley and Hisar mountains in line with the Varzob aggressive river
  • Fann Mountains - 12:00-13:00 - in way we will meet the Fann mountains.
    Iskanderkul, considered the heart of the Fan Mountains, is surrounded by several peaks- five thousand meters – Bodhona, Chapdara, Maria, Mirali, Zindon. The highest is Chimtarga (5,487 meters). The Fanns boast about a hundred peaks, with several rising to altitudes of more than 5,000 meters and relative elevations of up to 1,500 meters.
  • Iskanderkul Lake - 13:00-14:00 - arrived to Iskandarkul and lunch at the Iskandarkul Beach
    Lake Iskanderkul resembles a triangle in shape. Its area is 3.5 square kilometers. The water depth is 70 meters. The mirror surface of the reservoir surrounded by mountains looks great. The uniqueness of the lake lies in the fact that it is the largest in the mountains and is located at an altitude of more than 2000 meters. The volume of the lake’s water is 172 million cubic meters. The length of the coastline is 14 thousand meters.
  • Panj-Chashma Springs - 14:00-15:30 - Iskanderkul lake - Panjchashma - Busefal canyon; In this time we are visiting Busefal canyon and have opportunitie swimming and boating in the lake.
    According to another legend, the Macedonian horse, Bucephalus, drank water from the lake during a halt after a long march and fell ill. The commander himself went further to India, leaving his faithful horse here. However, even at such a great distance, he felt the death of his master and threw himself into the lake, remaining in it forever. Since then, during the full moon, every month Bucephalus comes out of the water to graze: the waters part, and a snow-white horse comes to the surface of the lake, accompanied by grooms.
  • Waterfall of the Fann Mountains - 15:30-16:30 - hiking to the Lake Moron and Iskandarkul Waterfall
    The nearby 43-meter waterfall is called “Fan Niagara”. It is located on the river flowing out of the lake. There is also a rock with an inscription dating back to 1870, it was left by the participants of the expedition led by the famous Russian traveler and scientist A. Fedchenko.

Not far from Iskanderkul there is another lake called Snake Lake. According to the stories of old-timers, many snakes live in it. Locals claim that reptiles will not bite in two cases: when they are in the water and when people drink water. The water in it is warmer than in Iskanderkul, so it is quite possible to swim here.

  • Dushanbe - 17:00-20:00 - end of the tour, leave Iskandarkul, way back to Dushanbe
What's Included
  • Lunch
  • In-vehicle air conditioning
  • All fees and/or taxes
What's Not Included
    • personal costs, alcohol drinks, boating at lake etc.
Additional Information

Originating from the word ‘Iskander’, signifying ‘Alexander’, and ‘kul’, interpreted as ‘lake’, is how the Tajikistan lake got its name. Folklore purports that the lake was named after the illustrious Alexander the Great, during his voyage from Central Asia to India. Nestled in the stunning vistas of the Fan Mountains, the lake encompasses a deep-rooted and bountiful history. Locals bestowed upon the Great Alexander the name Iskander Zulqarnain, who was believed to have been honoured by naming the lake after him.

Famed as the centerpiece of the Fan Mountains, Iskanderkul is encapsulated by various towering summits – Bodhona, Chapdara, Maria, Mirali, Zindon, each reaching over five thousand meters. The apex is the Chimtarga, majestically standing at 5,487 meters.

A nearby waterfall of 43 meters, also known as ‘Fan Niagara’ is positioned on the river ebbing out of the lake. Moreover, a rock from 1870 graced with an inscription still exists, a memento from a journey helmed by renowned Russian voyager and scientist A. Fedchenko.

Location
Dushanbe
Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings
4.9
(12 Ratings)
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Mdurian
May 28, 2024
Pleasant day excursion from Dushanbe - Scenic drive through snow covered mountains to a pretty lake. Visited a number of sights around the lake - a 500m hike to a water fall, a flat grass area near the lake, and a sister lake. We had lunch by the Iskanderkul lake with local families and walked around and enjoyed the pleasant climate and fresh air. The driver/guide was excellent and shared many stories and insights. We were two solo travellers and it was a nice day trip - we started off at 8am and we were back around 15:30-16:00. The car (a Lexus) made the drive comfortable.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Pioneer303946
May 25, 2024
Unforgettable journey - The view is stunning. We did hiking and took many photos, especially the Fann Nagara Waterfall and surely The Iskandarkul Lake. Our guide Hikmatulloh lead us to finish the journey with professional knowledge and attitude.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Lukass178
Sep 14, 2023
Nice Tour - The Iskanderkul one-day tour we did with Bunyod-Tour LLC was amazing and everything was as described. We recommend this company!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Lukas_s
Sep 13, 2023
Amazing Tour - We really enjoyed the tour and the beautiful landscapes of Tajikistan. The Iskanderkul lake is truly worth visiting, and the countless places we have seen on the tour and the lunch were great. Our guide was very friendly and we also apprechiate all the nice conversations - we could learn much about Tajikistan. We strongly recommend this tour!
Review provided by Viator
Jitka_m
Aug 15, 2023
Well organized tour. Tour... - Well organized tour. Tour guide and driver were very friendly. Iskandarkul lake is definitelly worth to visit!
Review provided by Viator
Hailsk2411
Jul 29, 2023
Great company! - I did two, one day tours (iskanderkul and skirkent) and really enjoyed both of them! The guides were on time! The vehicles comfortable. Drivers were safe. Scenery was beautiful. The hike to the dinosaur footprints was challenging but totally worth it and the lakes were stunning! Would definitely recommend.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Jason125_23
Nov 4, 2022
Wonderfull - An amazing nature keeps me to stay there for more days, the trip went smoothly. Thanks to the guide and the company one more time
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Alexander_k
Oct 26, 2021
Wonderful trip to Fann Mountains and Iskanderkul lake - A fantastic day trip to Fann Mountains and Iskanderkul lake. Relatively long driving from Dushanbe turned out to be pretty comfortable thanks to proper vehicle and experienced driver. Upon arrival we spent around 3 hours at the lake enjoying wonderful views, relaxing, hiking to the Snake lake and Fann Niagara waterfall and tasting delicious local food. The day turned out to be just wonderful thanks to perfect team of guide and driver. And Fann Mountains and Iskanderkul lake are definitely worth visiting for all coming to Tajikistan - in my opinion, these are one of the most beautiful spots in the whole world (I’ve been to 100+ countries).
Review provided by Viator
Elif
Oct 4, 2021
Great views and service - We had a very friendly tour guide and we really enjoyed the hike around the lake. Would recommend it.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Alyssag617
Jul 17, 2023
Excellent views and good service! - I booked a private tour with Bunyod-Tours. The drive to Iskanderkul was very comfortable with good conversation with the guide who had great knowledge to share about the country and the tour sites. The trip included a small hike to the Iskanderkul waterfall which was absolutely worth it! I stayed in Dushanbe and the journey to and from Iskanderkul is approximately 3 hours each way. I'd say we spent about 2 hours including the light lunch (included in the ticket price) at the sites around the lake itself. So we left at 9 am and returned by 5 pm. The beauty is in the journey. I'd say it might be more fun if you're in a small group of 2-3 people. I was on a business and was travelling alone, nevertheless it was a wonderful experience. I would recommend this tour!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
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September 2024
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