Kyngarga River Gorge

The Kyngarga River Gorge (Ущелье реки Кынгарги) is a marble canyon with a cascade of waterfalls in the Tunka district of the Republic of Buryatia, within Tunkinsky National Park, about a mile and a half from the resort village of Arshan. The Kyngarga River rises on the southern slope of the Tunka Goltsy range at an altitude of about 2,000 metres and runs for roughly 27 kilometres; it is full-flowing all year round and does not freeze even in winter.

Waterfalls

The gorge holds a cascade of 12 to 20 waterfalls of different heights. The first and largest reaches 5 to 8 metres (sources differ) and lies about 1.5 kilometres from the village. The second waterfall is a cascade of several steps, the tallest of which is about 3 metres. Further upstream a trail leads to the next cascades, though far fewer visitors go that far, since the route grows noticeably harder.

Legends

Several Buryat legends are tied to the gorge. One says the valley was once the bottom of Lake Baikal, and fish swam above it. Another tells of 33 warriors who descended from the sky to defend the valley from evil and turned into stone cliffs. There is also a legend that the arshan springs in these places appeared from drops of water that fell from the beak of a raven flying over the mountains. The river's own name translates from Buryat as "drum", for the noise of the falling water. According to the legend of the Kyngarga's origin, the river's clear water is the blood of a girl turned to water, and the rock that split the first waterfall in two is the petrified sword that killed her. Local people tie ribbons to the trees of a sacred grove by the trail in gratitude for healing, and the spots where ovoo (ritual cairns) stand are considered places of worship for the local spirit-masters of the land.

Getting there

A maintained ecological trail, the "Health Trail", leads into the gorge, starting near the entrance not far from the centre of Arshan. The route runs through a conifer forest along the river, with footbridges, viewing platforms and rest spots; along the way are sheer cliffs and noisy cascades. Walking from the trailhead to the first waterfall takes about 30 to 40 minutes at an easy pace. More experienced hikers can go further, to the upper cascades. The best time to visit is from May to October.