The lake sits about 2,195 metres above sea level, surrounded by pine forests, steep cliffs and snowy peaks. It is about 3.5 kilometres long and about 2.5 kilometres wide - roughly the size of 700 football pitches laid side by side. In summer, the water is cold enough to make you catch your breath when you swim.
Iskanderkul is fed by mountain streams and snowmelt. Near one side of the lake, a waterfall tumbles down the rocks - it is tall enough that standing next to it feels like standing beside a small skyscraper. Where the waterfall hits the pool below, the mist keeps the air cool and fresh even on the warmest days.
Stories say Alexander the Great and his soldiers camped near this lake more than 2,000 years ago. Whether or not every detail is true, the name has stuck for centuries. Today, visitors come to hike, camp and watch the sunrise turn the water from deep blue to golden pink.