Lake Sarez, Bartang Valley, Pamir, Tajikistan, Adventures of Nicole

Lake Sarez Travel Guide

Updated April 2026, Lake Sarez Travel Guide was originally written January 2018

Lake Sarez is one of the most remote and fascinating places you can visit in Tajikistan. Hidden deep in the Pamir Mountains at the head of the Bartang Valley, this enormous turquoise lake was created by a massive earthquake and landslide in 1911.

Getting to Lake Sarez is not straightforward. Foreign visitors need a special Lake Sarez permit, a GBAO permit, a guide, and the logistics to reach the remote village of Barchidev before beginning the trek. The most common route is a trek from Barchidev to Lake Sarez, which takes roughly 9 to 10 hours each way.

I’ve visited Lake Sarez myself and have returned to Tajikistan many times over the years. When I first started researching the lake, there was surprisingly little practical information available about how foreigners could actually visit. That is why I’ve packed this guide with the details I wish I’d had before going, including Lake Sarez permits, trekking routes, guides, transport, packing, costs, and safety.

If you’re looking for an off-the-beaten-path adventure in the Pamirs, Lake Sarez is about as remote as it gets.

Start planning your adventure here: The Tajikistan Travel Guide

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Lake Sarez Table Of Contents

Lake Sarez Quick Facts
Lake Sarez, Tajikistan: What You Need to Know
Lake Sarez Permits: What You Need to Visit
How to Get to Lake Sarez
Barchidev to Lake Sarez Trek
Bachor or Yashilkul to Lake Sarez Trek
Lake Sarez Tours & Guides
Lake Sarez Packing List
Lake Sarez Practical Info
Lake Sarez Safety

Lake Sarez Quick Facts

Where is Lake Sarez? Lake Sarez is in the Pamir Mountains of eastern Tajikistan, at the head of the Bartang Valley.

How do you get to Lake Sarez? Most visitors travel from Khorog through the Bartang Valley to Barchidev, then trek roughly 15 km each way to Lake Sarez.

Do you need a permit for Lake Sarez? Yes. Foreign visitors need a Lake Sarez permit in addition to the permits required for travel in GBAO. A guide is also required.

How much does the Lake Sarez permit cost? Sarez permits cost $50 per person.

How long is the Lake Sarez trek? The Barchidev route generally takes about 9 to 10 hours to reach the lake, with the return requiring another full trekking day.

When can you visit Lake Sarez? The main trekking season is summer into early autumn, when high mountain passes and trails are more accessible.

Can you visit Lake Sarez independently? Not in practice. A special permit and usually a local guide are required for the Sarez area.

Lake Sarez, Tajikistan: What You Need to Know

Lake Sarez is one of the most unusual landscapes in Tajikistan. The lake sits high in the Pamir Mountains at the head of the Bartang Valley and exists because of a catastrophic natural event.

In 1911, a powerful earthquake triggered an enormous landslide that blocked the Murghab River. The resulting natural dam, known as the Usoi Dam, created Lake Sarez. The landslide was enormous, with USGS estimates putting its volume at roughly 2 cubic kilometers. The resulting natural dam is around 600 meters high, making it one of the most remarkable natural dams on Earth.

Today Lake Sarez stretches for roughly 60 kilometers through the mountains and reaches depths of around 550 meters. The lake and Usoi Dam continue to be monitored because of the potential consequences of a major landslide, earthquake, or other event affecting the dam.

If the Dam were to ever breach it would send a wall of water hurtling down the Bartang Valley, likely destroying most everything in its path. It would wipe out the villages in the narrow Bartang Valley below Lake Sarez, northern Afghanistan, and possibly even into Uzbekistan.

That sounds terrifying on paper, but it is important to put the risk into perspective. Lake Sarez has been monitored for decades, and visiting the lake is permitted with the required authorization and local arrangements.

The result is a surreal landscape: an enormous blue lake tucked between some of the highest mountains in Central Asia, reached only after a long journey through the remote Bartang Valley.

The Murghab River & Lake Sarez

Shadau Lake, Lake Sarez, Bartang Valley, Pamir, Tajikistan, Adventures of Nicole — Shadau Lake, next to Lake Sarez

Lake Sarez was created when the 1911 landslide blocked the Murghab River in the Pamir Mountains.

The river’s journey is considerably longer than the lake itself. The upper Murghab rises around the Little Pamir and flows through the eastern Pamirs before reaching Lake Sarez. Below the lake, the river continues through the Bartang Valley, eventually joining the Panj River near Rushan.

The Panj then continues toward its junction with the Vakhsh River, forming the Amu Darya, one of the great rivers of Central Asia.

And yes, there is another Murghab River in Afghanistan and Turkmenistan. Central Asian geography apparently decided one Murghab was not enough.

More adventure awaits in the Central Pamir: The Bartang Valley Travel Guide

Lake Sarez Permits: What You Need to Visit

Barchidev, Bartang Valley, Pamir, Tajikistan, Adventures of Nicole

Visiting Lake Sarez requires more preparation than most destinations in Tajikistan. Foreign visitors need a Lake Sarez permit in addition to the GBAO permit. The Sarez area is under the authority of Tajikistan’s Committee of Emergency Situations, and visitors are not permitted to travel through the area without the required authorization.

The practical way to arrange a Lake Sarez permit is through a local operator. Sarez Travel, Discover The Pamirs, or Bartang & Sarez Tours can all make these arrangements.

How to Get a Lake Sarez Permit

You will need to contact one of the above-mentioned agencies to secure a Lake Sarez Permit.

For Nurmuhammed at Sarez Travel, email: info @ sarez.travel, phone: +992 (93) 407 25 46.

For Saidmamad at Discover The Pamirs, phone: +992 (93) 120 11 14, email: info @ discoverthepamirs.com.

For Bartang & Sarez Tours phone: (+992) 93 597 37 25, email: bartangsareztour @ gmail.com.

Especially in summer/fall try to get in contact a good amount of time in advance as many of the guides that do take people here will be out leading tours and phone coverage is spotty out here.

Tell them what route you’d like to take, and which dates (most people choose to trek from Barchidev to Lake Sarez over the Usoi Dam and return to Barchidev, and a 4×4 from Khorog to Barchidev return, as this is the shortest trekking route to access the lake). They will need four things from you:

A copy of your passport information page
A copy of your Tajik Visa
A copy of your GBAO Permit (should be on your e-visa if you applied for them together). If you don’t have one, it’s possible to get one from the OVIR office in Dushanbe or have us obtain your GBAO permit for you in advance.

These items are what he needs to obtain your permit for you. The Sarez permits cost $50 per day.

It is mandatory to have a local guide to visit Lake Sarez. You will be fined if found by park rangers/police/local KGB without a permit.

It is a large fine, with possible detention and/or deportation. Sarez Travel can arrange a guide and donkeys to porter gear if necessary.

Technically You Should Have a Tajik National Park Permit as well

Tajik National Park Permit, Adventures of Nicole

Whether you approach Lake Sarez from Barchidev or from Bachor/Yashilkul you do technically need a Tajik National Park permit as it all sits within the park.

These are easy to obtain- just visit the PECTA office in the Central Park in Khorog or the Tajik National Park office in Murghab where you can pick one up. If you don’t get it in advance, you can pay on the spot if you run into one of the park rangers. Have a hefty stack of cash on you as the government has jacked the permit price way up.

The fee for the Tajik National Park is now 112.50 Somoni per day.

How to Get to Lake Sarez

There are several trekking routes to Lake Sarez, but the most straightforward and commonly used approach is from Barchidev in the Bartang Valley.

To reach Barchidev, most travelers first travel from Khorog through the Bartang Valley. From Barchidev, the trail follows the Murghab River toward the Usoi Dam and Lake Sarez.

The Barchidev route is the best option for travelers who want to visit Lake Sarez without committing to a long high-altitude traverse. The trek to the lake takes roughly 9 to 10 hours, according to Tajikistan’s tourism information, so this is still a serious mountain trek rather than a casual day hike.

Other routes approach Lake Sarez from the Bachor and Yashilkul area and connect with trails around the high mountain lakes and passes of the Pamirs.

Barchidev to Lake Sarez Trek

Barchidev ➤ Lake Sarez Camp ➤ Barchidev

You will likely start from Khorog, where you’ll make the roughly 7 hour 4×4 journey down the Pamir Highway to the village of Rushan- the gates of the Bartang Valley.

From here you will continue up the rough and wild Bartang Highway to the village of Barchidev. After spending the night in a homestay in Barchidev (likely Nurmuhammed’s family’s home), you’ll begin the day hike to the lake.

The distance is roughly 15 kilometers each way, you’ll cross a suspension bridge over the river and follow a valley to Usoi Dam where you’ll climb up to the top with views of Lake Sarez and Shadau Lake which are separated by the Dam.

You’ll then climb down to the edge of the lake and spend the night in one of the large tents set up outside the Geological Camp.

You will get to tour the Geological Camp and meet the men who work to monitor the lake’s stability, they’ll even show you how the seismic equipment they use works if you’re interested.

Taking on the world’s most epic road trip: learn everything you need to know in my Pamir Highway Travel Guide
and create the perfect itinerary using my 10 day Pamir Highway itinerary

The next morning you will have some time around the lake (that is unless you opt for a longer trip to have more time at the lake) before you make the journey back to Barchidev, yet again staying in the homestay, then depart the next day back to Khorog or wherever you continue onto.

This trek usually takes 2 days and 1 night to complete. Once you include driving to/from Khorog the trip easily becomes 4 days, 3 nights.

The cost including 4×4, guide, meals, and homestay was $708 including Sarez permit in August 2017, of course, this cost would be divided up amongst travelers (supplemental fees would be added for necessary additional meals needed to accommodate group size) if traveling in a group, or able to join a group already going.

It is possible to arrange a boat take you from Usoi Dam to Irkht where you can continue trekking down to either Bachor or Yashilkul.

Looking to do more hiking? Check out the 10 best hikes in Tajikistan for more ideas

Bachor or Yashilkul to Lake Sarez Trek

Bachor/Yashilkul ➤ Tsaxinkul ➤ Zarojkul ➤ Uchkul ➤ Irkht ➤ Lake Sarez ➤ Barchidev

Bachor/Yashilkul ➤ Langar Pass ➤ Uchkul ➤ Irkht ➤ Lake Sarez ➤ Barchidev

This is a much longer trip with some variations. I, personally have only hiked Bachor to Tsaxinkul and back to Bachor (got a stomach bug and had to turn back), so I don’t have personal information from doing this trek.

You will want to be well acclimated for this trek as altitudes reach just over 4,600 meters at the highest point.

The trek is roughly 100 kilometers to go from Bachor or Yashilkul to Barchidev.

For one option you can from Bachor or Yashilkul head north first to Tsaxinkul Lake, on to Zarojkul then Uchkul, and eventually on to Irkht where you can arrange for a boat to take you to the geological camp at Usoi Dam and complete the trek to end in Barchidev.

For those wanting a more gradual altitude gain, you can opt to head up the Langar Pass from either Bachor or Yashilkul to reach Uchkul and then continue on the same trail the remainder of the way.

Lastly, you can do this trek as a loop, starting from Yashilkul, up Langar Pass to Uchkul, and onto Irkhut for views of Lake Sarez and then head back south via Uchkul, Zarojkul, and Tsaxinkul and finish in Bachor (can also be done in reverse).

Some of the trails around Lake Sarez may be difficult to pass, as there was a large earthquake in December 2015 that had damaged some of the existing trails.

Planning to head east into the Murghab Plateau? Check out my Eastern Pamir Travel Guide

Lake Sarez Tours & Guides

Tsaxinkul, Bachor Mountain Lakes, Pamir, Tajikistan, Adventures of Nicole — Camping at Tsaxinkul

Nurmuhammed of Sarez Travel is who I arranged to go to Lake Sarez with as at the time it was the only agency taking trekkers out here. He was very kind and professional and would definitely recommend him.

Also, his wife cooks some great dishes at their homestay in Barchidev. If you go in August they will feed you fresh apricots until you nearly explode.

Saidmamad of Discover The Pamirs has begun guiding tourists out to Lake Sarez as well as other parts of the Pamir. He’s offering scheduled group departures in addition to custom and private trips.

Bartang & Sarez Tour is a newer company that’s popped up offering tours to Lake Sarez. I don’t have experience with them, so I can’t personally comment on their trips. You can find their Facebook page as well here.

Lake Sarez Packing List

Clothing

Warm outer shell jacket x1
Down jacket x1
Fleece x1
Long sleeve base layer top x2
Short sleeve shirts x2
Trekking pants x1
Leggings x2
Trekking socks x2
Warm socks x1
Sports bra x2
Mittons x1
Warm hat x1
Sunglasses x1
Microfiber towel x1

Recommended Gear

Inreach Explorer
Backpack (I personally recommend the Osprey Ariel 65 and an attaching daypack)
Hiking boots (My favorite are the La Sportiva Trango Tech GTX)
Waterproof sandals
Katadyn water purifier
Fann Mountains Map
Sleeping mat
3-season tent
Hydration Pack
Sleeping bag cold rated to -5ºC/20ºF
Campstove and Cooking set
Silicone squeeze tubes (for cooking with sauces, olive oil, etc.)
Propane/butane canister (available for purchase at Greenhouse Hostel in Dushanbe)
Trekking poles
Headlamp
Trekking in Tajikistan by Jan Bakker (Written by a friend and includes the Fann Mountains, Yagnob Valley, and Pamir)

Toiletries

Sunscreen
Biodegradable shampoo bar
Biodegradable soap
Toothbrush
Biodegradable wipes
Toilet Paper
First Aid Kit
Hand sanitizer

Electronics

Camera/lenses and necessary accessories
Battery Bank
Solar Panel
Phone and charging cables

Maps for the Pamir

Pamirs Map by Gecko Maps

Guide Books

Trekking in Tajikistan by Jan Bakker & Christine Oriol. You’ll find detailed descriptions of these hikes as well as those in the Pamirs in this book.
Tajikistan and the High Pamirs by Robert Middleton & Hue Thomas. This is a huge book, but it has so much good info on Tajikistan from history, great-game stories, travel information, and more.
Bradt Tajikistan by Sophie Ibbotson & Max Lovell-Hoare. The most comprehensive guide to Tajikistan in print.
Central Asia by Lonely Planet. Though I will say, their newest redesign is almost functionally useless and serves little more than a ‘X reasons to visit Tajikistan’. blog post.
The Central Asia Phrasebook by Lonely Planet I found this to be a handy item for Tajik, Russian and Kyrgyz phrases, not so much for the Wakhi phrase section.

Food

Dehydrated meals (you’ll need to stock up before leaving home)
Trail mix
Jerky
Dried fruit and nuts (easily purchased at a bazaar)
Peanut butter
Spice packets
Olive oil for cooking
Hot sauce (bring from home to jazz up bland food)
Instant mashed potatoes (so unhealthy, but I love them after a long trekking day)
Fresh veggies, noodles, bread, rice, and more can be purchased at a bazaar prior to setting out for your trek)

Lake Sarez Practical Info

Andravaj River, Bachor Mountain Lakes Trek, Pamir, Tajikistan, Adventures of Nicole — On the trek up from Bachor

This trek involves three permits: A GBAO Permit, Lake Sarez Permit, and Tajik National Park Permit. You can apply for your GBAO when applying for your Tajik visa, as you will need this permit to travel anywhere in the GBAO region (ie: the entire eastern half of Tajikistan… yes this includes the Pamirs). The next is the Tajik National Park Permit which can be purchased at the PECTA office in the Central Park in Khorog for 15 TJS per day. The Lake Sarez Permit will need to be arranged by your tour operator for $50 USD per day.
This trek takes place at over 3,000 meters, so do take care to avoid altitude sickness.
The best time for trekking to Lake Sarez is between July and mid-September.
Make sure that you do have your passport and e-visa paper with you. It will be checked at the GBAO checkpoints along the Pamir Highway.
In order to get the Lake Sarez Permit, you’ll most likely need to arrange a trip with either Discover the Pamir, Sarez Travel, or Bartang & Sarez Tour and they will arrange for the permit for you and guide you there. Permits are issued by the Tajik Ministry of Emergency Situations in Dushanbe and from my understanding will usually only issue permits to the two above-mentioned agencies, not to individuals.
You cannot fly in propane/butane tanks for cooking. You can pick one up in Dushanbe at Green House Hostel. If arriving from Kyrgyzstan it’s best to purchase one before leaving Osh.

Lake Sarez Safety

Bachor, Pamir, Tajikistan, Adventures of Nicole — Near Bachor

Tajikistan has frequent earthquakes and landslides are not unheard of. These are potential natural disasters to be aware of before heading here. The Biblical flood mentioned earlier in the post if the Usoi Dam were to breach is a concern.
Make sure and take the proper time to acclimatize as the trek to Lake Sarez does take place at higher elevations. Learn more about preventing altitude sickness here.
Due to the high-altitude nature of this area, it’s worth noting that temperatures can vary drastically day to night. Even in summer, it’s possible to see below-freezing temps overnight.
While highly unlikely you will run into them, Tajikistan’s mountain areas are home to Marco Polo sheep, snow leopards, bears, and wolves and are something to be aware of.