Gorno-Badakhshan

To the west of the high plateau of Karatorpok-Keskesdala and the village of Rangkul, the lake is endehoric, and receives its waters from its neighboring lake, Lake Shorkul, which is about the same size, about 4km long. It fills up with snowmelt and is completely frozen over in winter.

On the edge of the world, among the vast expanses of the Alichur-Yug Range, there is a small farm, modestly and mysteriously called Jarti-Gumbez. This is a place where time stands still and history whispers its secrets through the centuries.

Archaeologists have come to the conclusion that Jarti-Gumbez was home to generations of people long before our era, back in the Bronze Age. They have unearthed evidence of the Scythian era that has left its mark on the land. We can only imagine what stories and destinies each stone, each object discovered under the layer of time hides.

Karajylga Peak (Karajilga ; Qara Jelga) is a peak in the Vakhan mountain range, marking the border between the Tajik Pamirs and the Afghan Vakhan Corridor. It is the top of three glaciers on the northwest, north, and northeast flanks. The northeast glacier is on Afghan territory while the other 2 are on Tajik territory.

Zorkul Lake stretches from east to west for about 20 km and is located 4120 meters above sea level on the Afghan-Tajik border. Part of the waters have their source in the Vakhan chain located to the south and its Concordia peak (5,470 m), about 11 km (as the crow flies) south of the lake. The northern half of the lake is in Tajikistan, at the foot of the Alichur-South Range. where it is protected as part of the Zorkul Nature Reserve. From the lake, to the west, flows the Pamir River, tracing the Afghan-Tajik border. It is therefore a source of the Amu Darya or the Oxus river.

23 km west of Alichur there is a hydrogen sulfide geyser that spurts out onto a plateau, 300 meters south of the Alichur River, surrounded by mountains, with temperatures reaching 71 ° C.

Akbaital, Kyrgyz word meaning "white mare" is a pass of the Eastern Pamirs, located on the M41 motorway between Osh and Murghab. The height of the pass is 4655 meters. The highest point of the Pamir Highway. The pass is open all year round and it connects the Sarykolsky and Muzkol ridges and separates the Karakul Lake Basin from the upper reaches of the South Akbaital River (Murghab Basin). The climb from the Muzkol valley is relatively gentle, but on the south side it is steeper with several hairpin bends.

The small Ak-Balyk lake, about ten km from the village of Alichur is at an altitude of 3896 meters on the edge of the "highway" M-41 and the Gunt river. In the Kyrgyz language, "Ak" means "white" and "Balyk" means "fish". Local shepherds say that we have never been able to measure the depth of this lake.

The hot spring of Bibi Fatima-Zahro (name of the daughter of the Prophet Muhammad) is located at 3200 meters alt. on the heights of the village of Yamchun, near the river. According to beliefs, it is also a place of worship.

The thermal spring would have healing properties against urological and gynecological diseases, digestive problems, etc. The locals also believe that being exposed to water improves female fertility. Although located in the high mountains, it has a temperature above 40 degrees Celsius all year round.