Interesting places in Almaty region -
Jeep tour from Almaty to Charyn Canyon -
Charyn Canyon (also known as Sharyn Gorge, Valley of Castles, Red Canyon) is a natural monument, a canyon on the Charyn River, located 200 kilometers from the city of Almaty near the border with the People's Republic of China. The length of the canyon is from 80 to 90 kilometers, the most interesting part of the canyon is the famous Valley of Castles, the length of the canyon is 2.5-3 kilometers, along the canyon you can go to the Charyn River. There are places for recreation, a small yurt camp is open in the summer, here you can have a great rest and spend time. The places here are very beautiful, the canyon is an analogue of the Grand Canyon (Great Canyon), which is located in the USA.
How to get there, visit -
The Charyn Canyon is located 200 kilometers from the city of Almaty, in the Charyn National Natural Park and Reserve, Raimbek district, Almaty region, Republic of Kazakhstan.
GPS coordinates: 43°21′29″N 79°05′33″E
Information -
Charyn Canyon is located along the banks of the fast-flowing Charyn River on the northern watershed, which is the Ili River. The total length of the river is 393 kilometers; it flows from the Tien Shan Mountains, which means “Heavenly Mountains”. The geological formation of this canyon, "strange and colorful formations" in the form of natural sculptures, is a red sedimentary rock formed as a result of water erosion and weathering.
Travel from Almaty to Charyn Canyon, Valley of Castles -
You can get to Charyn Canyon from Almaty along the main road in an eastern direction, which passes through small villages called Chilik, Bayseit and Kokpek, a distance of about 190 kilometers. There is a sign on the road to the parking area for tourists who want to visit the canyon. From the parking lot there is a path leading to the canyon. On the Charyn River you can practice extreme sports such as rafting and canoeing. Fishing on the river is prohibited; the Naked Osman fish is found in the river. Along the Charyn River and Charyn Canyon there are many panoramic points where you can look at the canyon from above and admire the views, take photos and shoot videos.
Relict Ash Forest in the Charyn Canyon on the Charyn River -
About 20 kilometers from the Charyn Canyon is the Ash Forest. This forest is in the shadow of the canyon. This forest contains a tree known as the Sogdian ash, a tree that is said to have existed since the Ice Age and is one of the unique trees in the world. The Ash Forest was declared a protected nature reserve in 1964. Currently, the reserve is united with the Charyn National Park. In addition to ash trees, other tree species such as willow, poplar and barberry grow here. In the spring you can come to this location and watch all these trees bloom, it’s a very beautiful sight. This area can be reached by another road from Almaty, which passes through the villages of Kokpek, Shonzy and Zharkent.
Charyn Canyon and Valley of Castles in the Charyn National Natural Park and Reserve
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