Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Ask your tour operator about the status of the falls. The water doesn't run all year and
will only start to flow after the first good summer rain. Late July and August are the best
times to see it, although it's still a very attractive spot in autumn. If you arrive when the
waterfall is not in flow, take solace in the fact that the region is still gorgeous, and a fine
area for
camping
and
horse riding
.
There are a few different ways to approach the waterfall; all of them involve rough
travel in parts, on very rocky roads. Coming directly from Ulaanbaatar, most traffic will
go on the road via Khujirt (around 35km from the falls). You'll pass a lovely
viewpoint
(GPS: N 46°53.465' E 102°22.762')
on this track, as the river skirts a cliff face it helped carve
into the steppe. One or two kilometres further along you'll pass a remarkable collection
of large, Bronze-Age
square graves
(GPS: N 46°52.899' E 102°20.687')
on your left. The
road from Kharkhorin is longer but by taking this route you can stop at Tövkhön Khiid
(
Click here
)
on the way. From Arvaikheer, it's possible to take a remote backcountry
road via Züünbayan-Ulaan and Bat-Ölzii; but you'll need an experienced driver and a
very sturdy 4WD to attempt it.
In summer, a number of nomad families open up
guest gers
, charging around
T10,000 per person. One such place, less than 1km back from the falls, is run by a herds-
man known as
Shar
( 8832 7388)
. He charges T8000 per bed, T2500 for breakfast and
T4500 for lunch or dinner. Like most of the families here, he also rents horses (T7000/
15,000 per hour/day, plus the same again for the guide). The three- or four-day round trip
to Naiman Nuur (
Click here
)
is popular from here.
Nearby
Orkhon Tushee
( 9588 7175; GPS: N 46°46.537' E 101°57.575'; per person incl
meals US$35)
has hot showers, and is the nearest tourist ger camp to the falls, although
there are a number of others further downstream.
If you have a rod and reel, you could try catching your dinner. Good spots for catching
lenok trout can be found downstream from the waterfall.
TOP OF CHAPTER
East of Kharkhorin
There are several interesting places between Kharkhorin and Khustain National Park en
route to/from Ulaanbaatar.
Khögnö Khan Uul Nature Reserve
Located just off the main Ulaanbaatar-Kharkhorin highway, this 46,900-hectare nature
reserve centres on a large, boulder-strewn rocky mountain which rises up surreally from
