By road
Almaty, ~200 km east, about three hours
East Asia · Kazakhstan
Charyn Canyon, Kazakhstan
Red rock towers in the Valley of Castles · Almaty, ~200 km east, about three hours
Getting there
By air
Almaty (ALA), ~200 km, about three hours by road
Best time to visit
April to June and September to October; summer midday heat is fierce
Don't miss
Valley of Castles
Charyn River
Charyn Canyon rim viewpoints
Kaindy Lake
Kolsai Lakes
Things to do
Walking the Valley of Castles to the river
Viewpoints along the rim
Combining the trip with Kolsai or Kaindy lakes
Where to eat
What to pack
Sturdy shoes, plenty of water, sun protection, a hat, snacks for the day
A quieter corner
The ash-tree grove in the canyon's lower reaches, a relict forest that survived the ice age
Questions travellers ask
When is the best time to visit Charyn Canyon?
April to June and September to October; summer midday heat is fierce. What to pack: Sturdy shoes, plenty of water, sun protection, a hat, snacks for the day.
How do I get to Charyn Canyon?
Fly into Almaty (ALA), ~200 km, about three hours by road.
What is there to do in Charyn Canyon?
Walking the Valley of Castles to the river, viewpoints along the rim, combining the trip with Kolsai or Kaindy lakes. A quieter find: The ash-tree grove in the canyon's lower reaches, a relict forest that survived the ice age.
What should I eat in Charyn Canyon?
Picnic food from Almaty, shashlik at the canyon's camp, tea.
About Charyn Canyon
- Desert
Where it is
Charyn Canyon is a gorge cut by the Charyn River through the steppe of southeastern Kazakhstan, about two hundred kilometres east of Almaty near the border with China.
History
The river carved the canyon over millions of years through layers of red sandstone, leaving the towers and pillars of the Valley of Castles. The area became a national park in the early twenty-first century and is a standard day trip from Almaty.
People
Kazakh and Uyghur villages dot the steppe around the park; a few guides and a riverside camp serve visitors, and the canyon itself has no settlement.
Known for
- The Valley of Castles
- Red sandstone pillars
- Day trips from Almaty
- The Charyn River
Did you know?
The Valley of Castles is a few kilometres long, with walls that rise far above a walker in the narrows.
We haven't written a guide for this place yet — you can still plan a trip here.