The name of the lake in Tajikistan comes from the name "Iskander" (meaning "Alexander") and the word "kul" (translated as "lake"). Some legends say that the reservoir got its name since the Great Alexander visited it during a campaign to India from Central Asia.
The lake, located in the amazingly beautiful Fan Mountains, has a rather rich and long history. It is believed that it was named in honor of the commander the Great Alexander, whom the locals called Iskander Zulqarnain.
Iskanderkul, considered the heart of the Fan Mountains, is surrounded by several peaks- five thousand meters – Bodhona, Chapdara, Maria, Mirali, Zindon. The highest is Chimtarga (5,487 meters).
The nearby 43-meter waterfall is called "Fan Niagara". It is located on the river flowing out of the lake. There is also a rock with an inscription dating back to 1870, it was left by the participants of the expedition led by the famous Russian traveler and scientist A. Fedchenko.