Fann Mountains 2: Iskanderkul

The pride of the Fanns, where the longtime president of Tajikistan (whose face is everywhere, in unofficial dictator style) has his dacha.  This large glacial lake is the big outdoor visitor draw of western Tajikistan.  Its name is the Tajik/Persian form of Alexander, who dragged his armies (and their genetic material) through here a couple thousand years ago.  The big peak at the focal point of the lake is called Alexander’s Head.  

There are some challenging hikes up from the lake and some easy strolls along the shore. There’s also a nice (shortish) hike to a waterfall called—no kidding—Niagara Falls.  

I have to say: this place should be a climbing destination.  These walls are so impressively tall and threaded everywhere with cracks and chimneys and this very grippy igneous rock.  And have I mentioned that 93% of Tajikistan is mountains?!  But there’s really not much of a climbing culture here, from what I can tell.  I spoke to a Russian climber at the lake, who’d just done a route about a mile from the lake.  He said that he hadn’t really ever seen any other climbers than his small group; he also indicated that it’s pretty much all trad climbing and that Tajiks don’t have the cash for trad gear, so it takes a pretty determined effort to hit those walls.  I’m just saying: Tajikistan should consider investing in recreational tourism more than it has.  In some ways, it’s an outdoor paradise.  And yet, there are so many obstacles to casual travel here (little English, low connectivity, no intercity public transport, the water situation, mostly cash economy, police corruption [search online for tales of police demanding bribes of travelers]) that I fear this country will continue to be outpaced by other Stans in attracting foreign travelers and their money.  Uzbekistan is totally ready to receive you, intrepid explorer; Tajikistan needs you to think hard about it and do a lot of planning in order to visit.  And you still might get super sick.