At about 3,900 metres, Karakul is high enough that you will notice every step. The lake lies in a bleak, enormous basin in the eastern Pamirs of Tajikistan, a sheet of cold, salty, turquoise water ringed by bare brown mountains and white peaks, with the Chinese border not far off. It filled the crater left by a meteorite that struck the Earth some five million years ago, according to the geologists, which explains its odd, nearly round shape and its lack of any outlet. No fish live here, the water being too salty, and in the early morning the surface can be glassy and still.
The village on the shore is a scatter of low mud-brick houses, a few shops and the homestays that serve travellers on the Pamir Highway. Life is hard here. Winter temperatures drop to forty below, the wind is constant, and the people, mostly Kyrgyz herders, survive on yaks, sheep and trade with passing trucks. Even in summer the nights are bitterly cold, and a homestay with a coal stove and a pile of blankets is a blessing. Meals are simple: bread, tea, soup, perhaps some fried potatoes.
The road is the legendary M41, the Pamir Highway, running from Osh to Khorog and crossing some of the highest passes in the world. To the north it climbs over the Kyzyl-Art Pass, at about 4,280 metres, which marks the border with Kyrgyzstan, and to the south the Ak-Baital Pass, at 4,655 metres, is the highest on the route. Surfaces are variable, from decent asphalt to broken, rutted patches and corrugated gravel, and the thin air robs engines of power and riders of patience. Altitude sickness is a real risk, so ascend slowly, drink plenty of water and be ready to descend if you feel unwell.
Fuel is the serious question. Karakul has little, and supplies are patchy and often of poor quality, so carry extra in jerry cans and plan carefully. The larger town of Murghab, to the south, is the main supply point. Border permits and the special GBAO permit are required, so check the rules in advance.
Dawn here is the best moment. The light spreads over the lake, the peaks turn pink and gold, and the silence is so complete that the click of a cooling engine seems loud.