The gorge is small and ends with a waterfall, but the waterfall isn't the main attraction here. Near the end of the gorge, there’s a rock formation shaped like a face hanging over the path. It reminded me of the scene in The Lord of the Rings where the figures of ancient kings are carved into the cliffs, and Aragorn says: "The Argonath... long have I desired to look upon the kings of old. My kin." Well, the rock in this gorge looks more like a smiling "trollface." I couldn't help but think: "Well, I guess someone just got unlucky with their relatives."
As I mentioned, it was October, and the weather was warm and sunny. I even thought I might take a dip in the waterfall. In October, that’s usually quite doable—for instance, when I hiked to the Big Gusgarf waterfall, I went for a swim there. But not this time. It’s higher up here, and as soon as I moved past the entrance of the gorge, it got noticeably colder deep inside—I even had to put on a jacket. There wasn't much sun by the waterfall, so the "water procedures" had to be postponed for a more suitable time.
Otherwise, this day trip provided the usual set of great impressions. It was a good walk—breathing the mountain air and admiring the stunning mountain landscapes of Tajikistan. Naturally, I captured it all on camera, and I’m happy to share the results with you in this photo review.
The spot on the Varzob road where the gorge begins.
Right there, a bit further into the gorge—I just liked the view of the road heading toward the Fann Mountains.
And here is a photo of the gorge itself at the start.
My path continues further.
I encountered some interesting things. Apparently, some huge spiders live here. One of them tried to get into the shot, but they all have such perfect camouflage that the result is... well, what it is.
A cleft in the rock, possibly a cave, but it was on the other side of the river. I was short on time because the car was arriving soon. I thought I’d check it out on the way back if I had time, but I didn't.
And then, around the next bend in the gorge, the rock I mentioned earlier came into view.
A few photos as I moved through the gorge under the watchful eye of this strange creature.
Walking a bit further along the river...
...I reached the waterfall. In the photos, the pile of rocks makes it look small, but up close, it’s actually quite impressive.
A photo in the immediate vicinity of the waterfall.
On one side of the waterfall, there’s a picturesque wall—or a cliff, I’m not sure of the exact term. But it looks interesting.
A photo from above the waterfall. There is no walking path further up, only climbing, and as I mentioned, I was pressed for time.
Right here, not far from the waterfall, I had a snack, rested, and headed back to the road where the car was already waiting for me.
Until next time on my blog.
I wish you all the best and many exciting new hikes.
