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Mount
Muztagata |
 Karakul
Lake, known as "the father of glaciers", is
located at the foot of Mount Maztagata, sitting
at 3,600m above sea level, measuring 30m deep,
and covering an area of more than 100,000 square
kilometers.
The trip out here from Kashgar takes travelers
200km through treeless sand dunes, past grazing
camels and yaks until suddenly this dramatic and
spectacular lake appears by the roadside, as if
from nowhere. The surface of this huge lake
reflects the snow-covered peaks of Mount
Muztagata, which towers in the background.
The unusual shape of the mountain (it appears to
have been divided into two parts) is associated
with Chinese legend. The story goes that a
beautiful princess living on the Mountain was in
love with the snow mountain prince, who lived on
nearby Mount Gogir, the second highest mountain
in the world. The prince's evil father, who
disapproved of this romance, used a stick to
divide the two connecting mountains and separate
the couple. The poor princess, overcome by
grief, wept and wept until her tears turned to
glaciers. The mountain now glitters with ice
(apparently formed by her tears) and is covered
in snow all year round.
There are some great hikes and walks around
here, and the area is especially nice in the
summer, when the flowers on the trees bloom, the
air is fresh and temperatures are pleasant. It
can get very cold at this altitude however, so
bear in mind that you may need to take extra
clothing with you to keep warm. The entire lake
can be walked in one long day. You can also
spend more time here, staying in the Kazakh
Yurts or camping if you have your own tent.
How to get there: A bus leaves daily at 8.30am
from the long distance bus station in Kashgar.
Returning from the mountain is less
straightforward. The simplest solution is to
flag down a passing minibus on the road that is
heading in your direction. John's Information
Service and Cafe also organize two and three day
trips to the mountain and lake. Inquire at the
cafe opposite the Seman Hotel for more
information.
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