Lake Karakul located on the Karakoram Highway 200km outside Kashgar is a magnificent sight! The waters of this pristine lake are a brilliant turquoise colour in the sunshine and the lake is surrounded by splendid snow-capped mountains, the highest of them being the impressive Muztag Ata towering at 7546m above sea level. It is undoubtedly one of China's most impressive sights and certainly one of my favourite places in the world!
It's well worth spending a while at the lake since the ever changing light showcases the lake in a fantastic array of colours. The sunset and sunrise are also incredible. Numerous hikes are possible around the lake, and local Kyrgyz offer camel and horse rides.
It is easily accessible being by the roadside, and buses pass a few times a day heading towards Tashkurgan and further on to Pakistan. The road is smooth practically all the way to the lake and affords breathtaking views of snow-capped peaks and ever-changing mountains, some red, some beige, some brown, some grey. The variety is astonishing! To get the best of this spectacular journey through the Pamir Mountains, I highly recommend getting a taxi to the lake, as it will then be possible for you to stop and take photos or simply admire the views. It has to be one of the most spectacular road journeys in the world!
Once at the lake, you can avoid the ridiculous entrance fee by getting off before the official entrance gate. That way you will also avoid the only ugly part of the lake where concrete yurts have been built for tourists. A much better option is to stay with local Kyrgyz people in their yurt. They are extremely friendly and the yurts although basic are guaranteed to keep you warm and cosy for the night. Locals are most likely to approach you as you arrive.
Make sure you bring warm clothes as the lake is at an altitude of 3800m and the weather is highly unpredictable.