How to Visit Charyn Canyon

One of the big three attractions for many visiting Kazakhstan, Charyn Canyon is located 200 kilometers (124 miles) east of Almaty.  That’s about 3 to 3.5 hours by car, and it’s often called Kazakhstan’s answer to the Grand Canyon.  The most visited and famous part of the Charyn National Park is the red sandstone Valley of Castles that began over 12 million years ago, carved out by the Charyn River and then sculpted by wind and water into towers, spires, and columns that look built rather than eroded. It’s one of the most-visited natural sites in the Almaty region, and for good reason.  But how do you get there? How much time do you need at Charyn Canyon and what shouldn’t you miss when you’re there? This is my guide to visiting Charyn Canyon.

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The canyon itself is 154 kilometers (96 miles) long and is within the Charyn National Park, which was established on 23^rd February 2004.    The canyon itself isn’t just one canyon.  It’s actually five different canyons, although most people only ever see the most popular one (the Valley of the Castles).  So let’s get started and dig into what to see here if you have a short amount of time, if you’re on the most popular day trip out of Almaty that visits Charyn, and what to see if you’ve got longer (like an overnight) here.

Why Come to Charyn Canyon

Charyn Canyon is nowhere near the size of America’s Grand Canyon, but it’s stunning all the same.  Walking through the Valley of Castles with no one else around is spectacular.  The sedimentary rocks are glorious in the setting sun.  And the colors of the rocks change as you walk down, not just because of the light, but also because of their content.  You’ll find, if you look closely, more than 1,000 plants here, some 50 of which are rare and endemic to this area.

The weekends are the busiest time to visit Charyn Canyon, and the easiest way to get here is on this day trip from Almaty, which usually gives you enough time to walk down to the end of the Valley of Castles and back.  What’s that tour like?  I wrote about it here.

If you want to experience Charyn without tour groups, then you’ll need to stay overnight, and the Charyn Canyon Camping and Glamping site is well worth the price tag for the views.

How to Get to Charyn Canyon

Charyn Canyon is 200 kilometers (124 miles) east of Almaty along the A351 highway (the Kuldzhinsky Trakt).  Getting here from Almaty takes 3 to 3.5 hours each way. You’ve got three real options: book a guided tour, rent a car and self-drive, or take a shared taxi (marshrutka) from Almaty and do it independently. If you’re taking a guided tour, then your entrance to the park is included in the fees; otherwise bring cash, card payments are rarely accepted at the park gate. For more on getting around the country generally, see our guide to how to get around Kazakhstan, and for cash logistics, see our guide to currency and paying in Kazakhstan.

Guided tours to Charyn Canyon

If you want Charyn Canyon on its own, without Kolsai or Kaindy tacked on, this small-group day tour is the highest-rated standalone option, and the numbers are limited to 6 people, with hotel pickup, entrance fee, and a guide included. If you’d rather combine it with Kolsai and Kaindy Lakes, this 2-day tour adds a yurt stay overnight, or there’s the 1-day version we did ourselves and reviewed in full in our Day Trip Worth It post.

Self-driving to Charyn Canyon

Renting a car in Kazakhstan means bringing your home driver’s license plus an International Driving Permit, your passport, and a credit card in the main driver’s name. Expect around 15,000-30,000 KZT (US$30-60) a day for a small car. The drive out is straightforward, mostly paved, with a short unpaved stretch in the final 10 kilometers to the park entrance, and it’s a border zone near China, so carry your passport at all times. If you’d rather not drive back the same day, check into accommodation near the canyon.

You don’t need a 4WD to visit Charyn Canyon, but when you rent, make sure that the company allows you to take the car outside of Almaty.  If you’re planning on tacking on Kolsai Lakes and Kaindy Lake, then I’d suggest you go for a 4WD, as the road up to Kaindy from Sary is pretty rough.

Using Public transport to get to Charyn Canyon

It’s doable to get to the Canyon without a car, or a tour, but it takes patience. Head to Sayakhat bus station in Almaty and find a shared taxi (marshrutka) heading toward Kegen; mornings are your best bet.

Tell the driver you want the Charyn turnoff (“stop Charyn povorot”) and expect to pay around 2,000-3,000 KZT (US$6-9) per person. You’ll be dropped at the highway junction, not the gate, and it’s about a 10-kilometer (6-mile) walk in from there. So you’ll either have to walk or hitchhike.

For the return, flag down a marshrutka coming back from Kegen; they tend to pass mid-morning. There’s no scheduled bus service, and you might be better off trying to hitch back to Almaty. There’s more on transport and how it works in Kazakhstan in my guide here.

What is Charyn Canyon?

Charyn Canyon is a 154-kilometer-long (96-mile) gorge cut by the Charyn River through the Almaty region’s semi-arid plateau.  The canyon is split into five distinct sections:

• the Valley of Castles
• Temirlik Canyon
• Yellow Canyon
• Red Canyon
• and Bestamak Canyon.

The Valley of Castles is the most-visited section, where the red sandstone formations took shape over roughly 12 million years. The red comes from iron oxide in the rock, and wind and water erosion have carved it into spires, columns, and shapes that look like ruined fortresses, hence the name. The layers underneath are even older; the volcanic rock at the base dates back around 330 million years, with Neogene lake sediment on top.  Most of the dramatic erosion into today’s shapes happened relatively recently, in roughly the last 350,000 years.

What to See at Charyn Canyon

The canyon splits into five sections, but almost everyone sticks to the Valley of Castles, and that’s where the walk below takes you.

The Valley of Castles

This is the main reason for coming; it’s a red sandstone trail, around 2 to 3 kilometers (1.2 to 1.9 miles).  It winds between eroded pillars and towers that kind of look like ruined castle walls. (You might need to squint a bit). It’s the section every tour and every photo of Charyn Canyon is actually showing you.

You need to descend the steps from the parking lot to get to the trail, and it’s a “same way there and back hike”.  Once you get to the bottom, it slopes down slightly, and there’s often quite a lot of loose rock underfoot.  So it’s not advisable to walk in poor light.

The river that you’ll get to at the end is the same one that runs through the Black Canyon – which, if you take this day trip, you’ll also get to visit.

• How to get to Valley of Castles: walk in from the main parking lot at the canyon rim; the trail is signposted down to the canyon floor.
• How long to spend at Valley of Castles: about 40-plus minutes one way to walk the full trail to the river at the end, so budget 1.5 to 2 hours round trip if you’re walking both ways.
• Valley of Castles Entry: included in the park entrance fee, 3,000 KZT. (Included if you take a tour)
• Getting back from Valley of Castles: walk back the way you came, or take the open-air eco-taxi (an old Soviet-era UAZ or minibus) for around 800 KZT.  It’s worth checking it’s still running late in the day.

Viewpoints over the Valley of the Castles

From the parking lot you can hike to the top of the canyon walls (it’s about 10 minutes) rather than heading down the steps to the canyon floor.  And it’s from here that you’ll get the magnificent views of the canyon.

Sogdian Ash Grove

The trail through the Valley of Castles ends at the Charyn River, and that’s where you’ll find this forest of Sogdian ash trees, thought to be around 5 million years old and one of only two such groves left in the world. It survived the Ice Age here, tucked into the canyon floor, and it’s now under UNESCO protection.   The grove of ash trees is the largest in Central Asia at 812 hectares.

Temirlik Canyon

Also called the Iron Canyon, this is one of the quieter branches of the wider Charyn system, with narrower rock corridors and more vegetation than the main Valley of Castles. It’s a smaller, more intimate scale than the main valley, and sees far fewer visitors.  You won’t get here on the standard tours.

Where to Eat Near Charyn Canyon

There’s really one obvious option right at the site: Tary, the restaurant by the visitor center. It’s known for a mix of Western and Kazakh dishes; burgers and steaks come recommended, with both indoor seating and a terrace looking out over the canyon. See it on the map here.

Where to Stay at Charyn Canyon

There’s really only one place to stay right at the canyon itself: Charyn Canyon Camp (also listed as Charyn Glamping Cabins). It’s a small glamping-style property a short walk from the entrance, with Comfort Cabins offering air conditioning, heating, a fridge, and a private bathroom.  The rates are worth it for the (people-free) views early in the morning. Check current availability and rates here.

The vast majority of people who visit Charyn Canyon, come here on a day trip and stay in Almaty. My guide to Almaty, including the best areas to stay is here.

Travel Tips for Visiting Charyn Canyon

Whether you’re walking down to the end of the Valley of the Castles (which I recommend), or just taking a look from the top, then you’ll need:

• Clothing/footwear: sturdy, closed walking shoes for the trail (it’s dusty, uneven, and unshaded), a sun hat, and sunscreen.
• Weather: Summer daytime temperatures are anywhere from 25-35°C (77-95°F), and the canyon floor traps heat, so you’re going to see it go past 40°C (104°F) in July and August. April to June and September to October are milder and more comfortable. There’s no water on the trail, so carry at least 2-3 liters per person. 
• Time needed: Minimum of 2 hours, aim for 3 if you can and want to hike to the end of the Valley of the Castles and back as well as see the viewpoints.

Costs for Visiting Charyn Canyon

If you’re traveling to Charyn Canyon independently, then you need to pay an entrance fee to enter Charyn Canyon. It’s 3,000 KZT per person. (on a tour? its included in your tour price) You can pay by cash or card. If you’re driving in (rather than hitching in), then you need to pay another 100 KZT for the vehicle. And if you want to camp here. 350 KZT per tent.

Final Words on Visiting Charyn Canyon

Whether you visit Kazakhstan’s Charyn Canyon on a day trip or independently, it’s a stunning landform to explore.  Walking down to the end of the Valley of the Castles is a glorious walk, and if you can manage to do it with just a few people around, it really is quite spectacular.

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