Zorkul sits at around 4,100 metres on the border between Tajikistan and Afghanistan, and is among the most remote lakes in the region. It is surrounded by high peaks, its clear water holds several fish species, and it is reachable only on foot or on horseback.

The lake feeds the Pamir river, which joins the Wakhan to form the Panj, and the Panj in turn becomes the Amu Darya. Water leaving Zorkul is therefore at the head of one of Central Asia's great river systems.

The nature reserve#

The surrounding area is a protected nature reserve, established for its wetland birdlife. The high marshes around the lake are a breeding ground for waterfowl, and the wider area holds Marco Polo sheep and, rarely seen, snow leopard.

Why the border runs here#

Zorkul was fixed as a boundary point by the Pamir Boundary Commission in 1895, when Russia and Britain agreed a line through the Pamirs to separate their spheres of influence. The lake was known for a time as Lake Victoria in British sources. The border drawn then is essentially the border today, which is why a line on the map runs through an uninhabited high valley.

Zorkul lies within GBAO, so a permit is required in addition to a visa, and the practical difficulty of reaching it means very few visitors do.