A solitary man walks through the village of Karakul, on the banks of the Karakul Lake in East-Pamir (Tajikistan). Local residents live with their herds of yaks, flocks of sheep and trips of goats. At an altitude of 3900 meters above sea level and surrounded by high peaks that block out the humid air, the valley only benefits of an average of 30 millimeters of rainfall each year, making it one of the most arid locations in Central Asia. From October to May, the lake is frozen solid and the entire region becomes completely secluded from the outside world.
Other artworks by Pascal Mannaerts