The cascades
Between the rocks.
روتانا — CC BY-SA 4.0 · TeebaAW — CC BY-SA 4.0 · TeebaAW — CC BY-SA 4.0 · TeebaAW — CC BY-SA 4.0 · TeebaAW — CC BY-SA 4.0
Bekhal Waterfall is a mountain waterfall in Erbil Governorate in the north of the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, near the town of Rawanduz and about 135 km by road from Erbil. It is one of the region's best-known places for an outing, and people come from all over Iraq. The water flows from a spring on the side of a rocky mountain and tumbles in a chain of white cascades between rocks and trees. The high Zagros mountains surround it and trees shade the stream, so the place stays cooler than the cities of the plain in the hot summer months. Restaurants, cafés and stalls built on the rocks over the water surround the falls, with small bridges and steps that bring you close to the cascades. It is very crowded on holidays and feast days, while early mornings and weekdays are calmer and you can hear the water clearly. Rawanduz is about 3 km away in a straight line, Rawanduz Canyon about 3 km and Gali Ali Beg waterfall about 10 km. One trip can easily take in all three. The UK Foreign Office currently advises against all but essential travel to this area, so check official guidance before planning.
Between the rocks.
Over the water.
The Zagros around you.
Near Rawanduz, Soran District, Erbil Governorate, Kurdistan Region, Iraq
In spring when the water is high, and in the morning to avoid crowds.
Yes, they are about 10 km apart.