Karakul Lake, Xinjiang: Altitude and Kashgar Planning
Plan a Karakul Lake visit from Kashgar: 198 km on the Karakoram Highway, CNY 45 admission and how to handle the 3,600 m altitude.
Photo: Max W / Pexels
Contents
Karakul Lake lies about 3,600 metres up in the Pamir region of Xinjiang, between Muztagh Ata, Kongur and Kongur Jiubie. The lake covers about 10 square kilometres and is more than 30 metres deep. Its name is Kyrgyz for "black lake", and the Karakoram Highway runs along its shore.[1]
Getting there from Kashgar
The lake is 198 kilometres from Kashgar city on the Karakoram Highway,[1] so you go by road, most easily by hired car with a driver. It is a 3A scenic area, and the Kizilsu prefecture's 2023 table lists admission at CNY 45, with opening hours of 10:00 to 20:00.[2] Before you set out, agree the pick-up point, the waiting time and the return trip with your driver.
Things to Do
Offers are only loaded from GetYourGuide after you click. GetYourGuide can then process your IP address and set cookies. Privacy Policy
GetYourGuide partner offers. GoAsia may earn a commission if you book through these offers. Check whether tickets or transfers are included, and follow the attraction's official booking and admission rules.
What to see at the lake
Morning is the lake's best hour. At dawn the water lies like a dark-green mirror, and as the sun rises it shifts from pale blue to yellow to pink. After heavy cloud or a storm it turns grey-black. South of the lake a grassland opens out, where white felt yurts and herds of the Kyrgyz herders stand against the reflection of the snow peaks, with Muztagh Ata, the "Father of Ice Mountains", rising above the lake. Visitors from China and abroad start arriving in May and June.[1]
Plan around altitude, not just drive time
The biggest concern at altitude is low oxygen, and it is worst during sleep. A day trip with an evening return to lower ground is much easier on the body than a night at the lake. Any traveller who has not acclimatised and sleeps at 2,450 metres or higher is at risk of altitude illness, and a first night above 3,400 metres puts you in the high-risk category. The acute phase of acclimatisation takes 3 to 5 days, and above 3,000 metres you should raise your sleeping altitude by no more than 500 metres a day.[3]
Altitude sickness feels like a hangover: a headache, often with nausea, dizziness or tiredness, usually starting 2 to 12 hours after you arrive. Never go higher to sleep while you have symptoms, and descend if they get worse despite rest. If you have a heart or lung condition, talk to a doctor who knows high-altitude medicine before you go.[3]
For broader trip planning, see our China travel guide.
Sources and background
Numbers in the text such as [1] refer to these sources.
- [1] Kashgar Economic Development Zone government website: Karakul Lake geography, government description published in 2013. Retrieved October 26, 2026.
- [2] Kizilsu Kyrgyz Autonomous Prefecture Culture, Sports and Tourism Bureau: 克州A级旅游景区门票、开放时间一览表 (A-level scenic area tickets and opening hours, 2023). Retrieved October 23, 2026.
- [3] US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: CDC Yellow Book: high-altitude travel and altitude illness. Retrieved October 23, 2026.
Frequently Asked Questions
In the Pamir region of Xinjiang, between Muztagh Ata, Kongur and Kongur Jiubie, at about 3,600 metres. The lake covers about 10 square kilometres.
198 kilometres from Kashgar city by road. The Karakoram Highway runs along the lake shore, and most visitors go by hired car with a driver.
The Kizilsu prefecture's 2023 table of scenic-area tickets lists CNY 45 and opening hours of 10:00 to 20:00.
It is 198 kilometres each way, but a day trip with an evening return to lower ground is much easier on the body than sleeping at 3,600 metres. Agree the pick-up point, waiting time and return trip with your driver.
Low oxygen is the biggest concern, and it is worst during sleep. Anyone who has not acclimatised and sleeps at 2,450 metres or higher is at risk of altitude illness, and acclimatisation takes 3 to 5 days.
A headache, usually with nausea, dizziness or tiredness, often starting 2 to 12 hours after arrival. Do not go higher to sleep with symptoms, and descend if they get worse despite rest.
In the morning. At dawn the water changes from dark green to pale blue, yellow and pink as the sun rises. Visitors start arriving in May and June.
