The Chegem Waterfalls are a group of cascades at the head of a narrow side gorge in the Chegem canyon, and they are among the most visited natural sights in Kabardino-Balkaria. The largest falls drop sixty metres or so over a lip of dark rock in a long, white plume, and the roar of the water can be heard before you see it. In spring and early summer, when the snow is melting, the falls are in full flood, and the mist drifts across the path, so that anyone standing near the foot is soon soaked. Moss and ferns grow on the wet rock, and rainbows form in the spray on sunny afternoons.
The gorge itself is a place of great drama. The Chegem River has cut a deep, steep-sided canyon through limestone and shale, with walls that reach several hundred metres, and in places the road clings to the rock above the river. Balkar villages, with their stone houses and old towers, stand on the slopes above, and the Balkars, a Turkic people who have lived in these valleys for centuries, were deported en masse to Central Asia in 1944 and allowed to return only in the late 1950s. Their memory is strong here, and many of the villages carry the traces of those years.
The road up to the falls is a good mountain road by regional standards, though narrow and winding in places. From the town of Chegem, it climbs through the gorge, past small settlements and viewpoints, with tunnels and bridges, and a few rough or patched sections. In the final stretch, a path leads from a car park to the base of the falls, and there is a cluster of stalls and cafés selling tea, shashlik, honey and woollen goods. Expect crowds at weekends in July and August, and aim to arrive early for a quiet visit. Rockfalls are possible after heavy rain, and the surface can be slippery.
In the afternoon, thunderstorms can build over the ridges, and the road can become muddy, so keep an eye on the sky.
Stand close enough to feel the spray, and then step back. The noise and the cold air are part of the effect.