Charyn Canyon is deservedly called the Small Grand Canyon.
It extends 150 km in length and can reach a depth of 300 m. The formation of the canyon continued as its surroundings grew over 3 million years. A geological shift caused the existing lake to drain and slowly erode the canyon. This phenomenon, combined with erosion caused by the Charyn River, left us with tall columns and a deep valley that we can explore today.
The bizarre shapes of the Charyn Canyon's columns resemble castles, which is why the hiking part of the canyon is called the Valley of Castles.
It is located in the Charyn National Park, about 195 kilometers east of Almaty.
The road to the canyon takes about 2.5 hours, but on a comfortable car you will not even notice it. If you want we can stop for sanitary stops or to take pictures of the locations you like.
The trip to Charyn Canyon can be classified as a weekend tour, because it takes one day.
The most popular tour of the Charyn Canyon is a walk in the Valley of Castles. It runs along the trail at the bottom of the canyon, a length of about three kilometers. The walk usually takes about an hour and a half, the level of complexity - easy. The trail ends at the river Charyn, where under the greenery of coastal trees you can relax in the cool and shade, and arrange a picnic. On the way back you can order a special eco-taxi.
If you have no desire or physical strength to go down to the bottom of the Charyn canyon, you can enjoy the views from above. At the top of the canyon there is also a trail with equipped platforms for photos, huge letters of the name of the canyon and a bell. These locations will be great ideas for photos and videos.
