Charyn Canyon
Kazakhstan · Almaty Region · 1100 m
Description
Charyn is a hundred and fifty kilometres of red sandstone canyon cut into the steppe east of Almaty, and the stretch everyone walks is the Valley of Castles, a two kilometre corridor of eroded towers between walls of about a hundred metres. A staircase drops from the rim and the path ends at the Charyn river, where there is shade and cold water. The wider park holds four more canyons and a grove of relict Sogdian ash. Nothing here is watered and nothing is shaded, so high summer on the canyon floor is punishing. The road is asphalt and open all year.
Length of stay
Recommended length of stay: 1 to 2 days (optimal 1 day)
Travel season
Best time to visit: April – May or September – October
- Jan
- Feb
- Mar
- Apr
- May
- Jun
- Jul
- Aug
- Sep
- Oct
- Nov
- Dec
Highlights
- Valley of Castles trail
- Charyn river beach at the trail's end
- Rim viewpoints and the staircase descent
- Relict Sogdian ash grove
- Temirlik Canyon(Day trip)
- Yellow Canyon(Day trip)
- Bestamak Canyon(Day trip)
- Red Canyon of the Charyn system(Day trip)
- Black Canyon and the Bartogay reservoir(Day trip)
- Night sky over the canyon rim