Charyn Canyon 3 in 1

What to Expect

Although Charyn Canyon is called the 'youngest brother' of the American Grand Canyon, they are almost peers - their sheer cliffs, columns, and arches were formed over 12 million years ago. For natural science enthusiasts, these places are a real paradise: the slopes and the valley of the river are home to a variety of mountain rocks and fossils, as well as rare representatives of the local fauna. Charyn Canyon will also captivate lovers of beautiful views at first sight, especially since we will visit three unique locations:

• Black Canyon
  Enjoy the dark, almost black cliffs, approach the very edge to look at the turbulent river of bright turquoise color and feel the fresh wind. Incredible spaciousness!

• Moon Canyon
  Imagine yourself as heroes of a fantasy movie or a western: the clayey soil and the eroded by time and winds cliffs resemble either lunar landscapes or the lands of Native American Indians. If we are lucky, we will take a photo with a live golden eagle - this huge majestic bird is a symbol of Kazakhstan.

• Valley of the Castles
  It seems that the most dramatic events of 'The Lion King' animated film took place in these locations. Do you hear a distant sound resembling a howl? No, it's not hyenas - and not the voices of witches, as the locals believe. It's just the wind playing between the stone columns - thus the 'music of nature' is created. Here we will descend along the trail among saxaul thickets to the bed of the purest river, where you can see every pebble at the bottom. In good weather, you can have a small picnic on the bank.

• The trip will take place in a compact minivan (Toyota Avensis Verso)

• I or another guide from our team will accompany you on the journey

• The canyon is located 195 km from Almaty, the trip will take just over three hours one way. Transfers between different sections of the canyon last about 20 minutes

• We will walk approximately 2.5 km along the rocky canyon floor, so wear comfortable shoes