It is formed by confluence of two upper streams of the river Bilyi Cheremosh (White Cheremosh) and Chornyi Cheremosh (Black Cheremosh) near the village Usteriky (Verkhovyna Raion) and has a length of . Chornyi Cheremosh is 87 km long with a basin of 856 sq km and Bilyi Cheremosh is 61 km long with a basin of 606 sq km. The river starts in the Carpathian Mountains and flows roughly SW to NE. It leaves the Bukovina Obchinas (a mountain range in Outer Eastern Carpathians stretching in Ukraine and Romania) to the river's right, and the historic subregion of Pokuttya to the river's left side.