Karakul Lake

Karakul is a high-altitude, endorheic salt lake located in Tajikistan’s Pamir Mountains at 3,960 meters above sea level. It sits within a 52 km-wide impact crater and spans 25 km in diameter. Believed to have formed during the Pliocene from a meteor impact, Karakul is divided into two basins, with the western reaching depths of up to 230 meters. The lake has no outlet and contains brackish water. Its surrounding wetlands and islands are designated as an Important Bird Area, home to species like bar-headed geese, Himalayan vultures, and Tibetan sandgrouse. From 2014 to 2017, Karakul hosted the “Roof of the World Regatta,” the world’s highest sailing competition.