Charyn Canyon
Шарын шатқалы
The “Little Colorado,” 200 km from the city, with red sandstone castle-like valleys stretching 3 km. A trail along the valley floor leads to the Charyn River, making it Almaty's most popular day trip.
Charyn Canyon lies along the Charyn River about 200 km east of Almaty, within Charyn National Park. The canyon is 154 km long and 150–300 m deep. Formed from red sandstone about 12 million years ago by wind and water erosion, it closely resembles the Grand Canyon in Colorado, USA. The most visited area is the Valley of Castles. From the parking lot, stone steps lead down to the valley floor, and a trail about 3 km long passes red stone pillars on both sides that look like towers and castles. At the end is an eco camp on the Charyn River, with a small shop and yurt accommodation, and camping is possible. The one-way walk takes about 1 hour. If you don't want to walk back, you can pay for a park off-road vehicle to return, about 1,000–1,500 tenge per person. Viewing platforms along the canyon rim offer panoramic photos. Nearby branches include Moon Valley, Black Canyon, and Red Canyon, as well as a rare protected ash (Fraxinus) forest reserve. Admission is about 1,200 tenge per person, with a separate vehicle fee. Transport: there is no public bus. Driving from Almaty via the A351 road takes about 3–3.5 hours. Most Chinese travelers book local one-day tours, often combined with Kaindy Lake and Kolsai Lakes as a two-day trip for about 25,000–40,000 tenge per person. Notes: the valley offers no shade and is extremely dry, so bring at least 1.5 liters of water per person and sun protection. Avoid hiking at midday in summer, wear sneakers on the steep steps, and expect weak phone signal near the canyon.
Opening hours
08:00–20:00 (national park entrance station)
Nearby sights
- Temirlik Canyon
- Moon Canyon
- Black Canyon Viewpoint
- Charyn Ash Grove
- Lake Kaindy
- Saty
- Kolsai Lake 2
- Kolsai Lakes