Volcanic gorge
Black rock.
Chongkian — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Josep Renalias Lohen11 — CC BY 4.0 · Bernard Gagnon — CC0 · en:User:Vidor — Public domain
Mongolia's best-known waterfall, which locals call Ulaan Tsutgalan, the red waterfall, where a small river drops about twenty metres into a narrow, deep gorge of black volcanic rock amid the open green steppe of the Orkhon Valley. The gorge formed when lava poured through the Orkhon Valley thousands of years ago and covered it in thick layers of rock, through which the river then cut its course, so walls of columns and cracks now frame the falls and the calm pool beneath. The falls can be seen from the gorge rim, or you can take a steep path down to the pool. Around it are meadows where herders graze their flocks, gers and camps for overnight stays. The falls are at their strongest in July and August after the rains and can shrink greatly in spring. The road there is long and rough, needing a 4x4 and an experienced driver. UK travel advice reported fuel shortages in 2026 that may disrupt domestic flights and road travel to remote areas, so check with your operator before setting out. June to September is the best time; winters are bitter, with temperatures far below freezing.
Black rock.
Below.
Herders and flocks.
Orkhon Valley, Ovorkhangai Province, about 120 km south-west of Kharkhorin
In July and August after the rains; in spring its flow can shrink greatly.