Sarez Lake Tajikistan is a naturally formed lake tucked deep in the heart of the Bartang Valley. While hauntingly beautiful, unlike many of Tajikistan’s other alpine lakes such as Iskanderkul Lake, Lake Sarez’ creation involved its fair share of disaster.
It was formed when a massive earthquake shook the Bartang Valley in 1911 and a huge part of the mountain collapsed into the Murghab River below. This became known as the Usoi Dam and it is one of the tallest dams on Earth. However, when the mountain fell, huge amounts of debris buried the villages of Sarez and Usoi, taking the lives of around 90 villagers along with them.
With the natural dam began to block the flow of water from the Murghab River, Lake Sarez was formed and has continued to grow and expand. It now measures 75 kilometers long! Keeping the Lake Sarez risk in mind, the water level is continually supervised.
If anything were to breach the walls of the dam, the huge volumes of water would surge down the Bartang Valley in Tajikistan and cause immense and irreparable damage. Certainly, it would annihilate the authentic Tajik villages beneath Lake Sarez and even cause havoc in Afghanistan and Uzbekistan. For safety reasons, the government forbid any foreigners from visiting the lake for 15 years as part of its Sarez Lake risk mitigation project.
Since 2015, visitors have once again been allowed to trek to Lake Sarez Tajikistan, provided they have obtained the three necessary permits: the Sarez Lake permit, a GBAO permit, and a Tajik National Park permit. They also require the services of a local guide. Paramount Journey can arrange all of these for you. Simply provide your guide a copy of your passport, a copy of your Tajik visa, a copy of your GBAO permit, and proof of travel insurance. Those without a permit will face a huge fine or even jail time or deportation.
Sarez Lake trekking trips usually begin from Barchidev village Tajikistan. This is the easiest Lake Sarez trek that takes two days and one night in total, staying overnight at the Lake Sarez Camp. For those looking for more of a challenge, there are longer eight-day treks to Lake Sarez that also visit the alpine lakes of Bachor and Yashilkul, Tajikistan.
As the Sarez Lake in Tajikistan treks cover a height of over 3,000 meters, hikers will need to make sure that they acclimatize first so as to avoid altitude sickness. The best time to trek to Lake Sarez is from July to September. Make sure you carry your passport and visas on your as they will be checked at several GBAO checkpoints along the Pamir Highway.
These treks to Sarez Lake can be combined with a trip to the Fann Mountains, Tajikistan or any other treks in the Pamirs. Chat to us today about organizing your trekking permit for Sarez Lake.
Sarez Lake by Discount Dave
