Equally impressive as the USA's Grand Canyon, a smaller version can be found in the Kazakh Steppe in the Southern part of Kazakhstan called Charyn Canyon (or Sharyn Canyon)! Not that I have seen the Grand Canyon yet, but many of the visitors who did, have told us so. So what's the hype of the Charyn Canyon National Park in Kazakhstan? Let's find out!
What's in the Charyn Canyon National Park?
A popular day trip from Almaty, Charyn Canyon is a canyon on the Charyn River and part of the Charyn National Park in Kazakhstan. With a total of 5 canyons, the most famous and visited among all is the Valley of Castles due to its unusual reddish rock formations.
The Temirlik Canyon, the Yellow Canyon, the Red Canyon and the Bestamak Canyon are the remaining four canyons. Although not commercially accessible like the Valley of Castles, these canyons can be visited with a knowledgeable guide.
Location
Close to the Kazakh-Chinese Border, the Charyn Canyon National Park is located about 200 KM away from Almaty. Due to its remoteness in Kazakhstan, a trip to the Charyn Canyon National Park is usually done with a visit to the Kolsai Lakes and Kaindy Lakes. Sometimes, a stay in Saty Village is recommended.
Additionally, if you add a visit to Altyn-Emel National Park (I didn't), you will complete the Golden Triangle of Kazakhstan.
How to visit Charyn Canyon from Almaty?
Budget-Friendly Way: Similar to other places in Kazakhstan (and Kyrgyzstan), Charyn Canyon in its remoteness, is a challenge if taken with public transportation. It will be again a combination of a bus and hitch-hiking with no guarantee and I couldn't really recommend it.
You may check the instructions from Adventures of Nicole if you're adventurous enough to try it!
Straightforward & Easiest: By far, the most straightforward way of visiting Charyn Canyon is by joining group tours. I tried my best to avoid it, but it remains recommended again and again for a reason. You pay and go. However, joining a group tour comes with a catch. Either they are budget-friendly but time-constrained or hella expensive.
Based on my experience, I went with a budget-friendly tour that included a visit to Black Canyon, Moon Canyon, and Kolsai Lakes. Walking down theย Valley of Castlesย (the most famous part of Charyn Canyon) and to the panoramic viewing points was too stressful for me. The itinerary was too tight, and I wasn't able to enjoy the panorama at all. I even ran for my life to catch the busโthe most embarrassing part of traveling so far!
Convenience & Comfort: If money and time are not a problem, renting a car or renting a private car with an English guide is the dream. You get to explore every nook and cranny of the canyon without the rush. An overnight stay in Saty Village is also usually added to give you enough rest and comfort from the long drive. I don't know how much a car rental would cost but private tours with an English guide could cost you $100 and above (depending on your negotiation skills).
Day Tour Costs & Logistics:
Mostly held in Russian, group tours are still the easiest way to visit Charyn Canyon. Although the whole tour can't be translated into English, there are amazing guides who would still try their best to accommodate non-Russian speaking travelers.
At the same time, the tours usually start at 6 AM and end at 10 PM due to its remote location. Driving from and to is about 4 hours per way! Make sure to bring enough snacks and water with you. There would be toilet breaks in between though.
As for the tour cost, I paid KZT 13,000 (USD 27/AED 98). I paid in person directly to Onyx Tour (reachable through WhatsApp atย +77777306598). The tour cost includes stops to the following:
- Black Canyon
- Charyn Canyon's Valley of Castles
- Moon Canyon
- Kolsai Lake
- Lunch stop at Saty Village (lunch is not included)
However, the tour operator on the day of the tour is JoinMe Asia. Probably the most famous and largest tour operator in Kazakhstan, tours with JoinMe Asia are always well-organized. Even though I booked from someone else (like a third party), I was happy I ended up joining the tour with JoinMe Asia.
Highlights of Charyn Canyon Park in Kazakhstan
During my Solo Trip through Kazakhstan, I finally got the chance to visit Charyn Canyon. It was the main reason why I wanted to visit Kazakhstan in the first place. However, since I only joined a group tour, we're only visiting the Valley of Castles.
As a slow traveler, I decided to walk along the canyon on both ways (6 KM in total). This way, I could be up close and explore every corner that interests me. It also gave me a wonderful experience of interacting with locals, especially with families since it was during a weekend.
I traveled during the summer (June 2024) and at midday, it was scorching hot, even for me who's based in the Middle East. Scorching hot in summer and chilling in winter, I was told that this is the normal weather here.
Having the chance to be in awe of dramatic rock formations one after another at my eye level is yet another bewildering and humbling experience. They come in different shapes and hues depending on angles and sun position.
After savoring my limited time along the canyon, I then walked to the nearest viewing point above to enjoy the panoramic view. There are multiple viewing points and the walk was as long as the canyon below. If you're on a group tour, it's really not possible to do both at a leisurely pace.
The best way to do both is to walk the canyon (one way) and take the vehicle back to the starting point for an additional fee as soon as you can. Then, walk to one of the viewing points as fast as possible for a magnificent panoramic view.
Short but sweet, finally seeing the Charyn Canyon was worth the wait. Next time, I'll probably devote all my time to the panoramic viewing points. Or, maybe I'll be lucky and get the chance to explore the other four canyons! Who knows?
