Trip to Charyn National Park from Almaty -
Individual Tours and Excursions in Almaty Region -
The Charyn Ash Grove is an amazing natural monument in Almaty Region, where centuries-old trees preserve centuries-old history. These giant Sogdian ash trees, many of which are over 300 years old, stand as living witnesses of eras – they remember the times of the Great Silk Road and nomadic empires. The grove appears to the traveler as a living open-air museum, where each ash tree is a page of an ancient chronicle. The road here from Almaty is already part of the adventure: as you approach, the landscapes change from city blocks to the foothills of the Zailiysky Alatau, then to the endless steppes, until finally the first majestic silhouettes of relict trees appear. Sogdian ash grows only in the Charyn Canyon and Temerlik Canyon, both canyons are part of the Charyn National Park and are its main natural attractions. This is not a park in the usual sense, not an attraction. This is a living book. Whoever can read such books will understand. Will understand why it needs to be protected. Why it is worth coming here more than once. And why you leave this place not the same, but different.
How to get there and visit -
The Charyn Ash Grove is located in the Charyn National Nature Park in the Sarytogay tract, 230 kilometers from Almaty, Uyghur District, Almaty Region, Republic of Kazakhstan.
GPS coordinates: 43°35'46"N 79°20'19"E
Information -
The Charyn Ash Grove is a relict, it has existed here since prehistoric times. Its trees – Sogdian ash – are not just a rarity, but a botanical miracle. Similar forests have survived only in two places on the planet: in North America and here, in the Charyn Canyon. You must admit, it sounds almost mystical – as if an invisible force saved this piece of living history just for us. The trees here are special. Their trunks are crooked, their branches are twisted, as if each of them has its own character and destiny. Some trees look as if they are hundreds of years old. Or maybe they are. They survived the ice age, droughts, storms – and they stand. They are silent, but they speak to many. In the spring, the grove blossoms – delicate leaves appear, birds sing, everything is filled with life. In the summer – dense shade and coolness, salvation from the scorching sun. In the fall – gold and crimson, quiet sadness and tranquility. And in the winter – fragile silence and the white sleep of the trees. Each season in the grove is beautiful in its own way and real in its own way. There are wooden boardwalks and paths across the territory. Tourists can walk without disturbing the peace of this fragile ecosystem. Somewhere in the distance, the murmur of water can be heard – the Charyn River flows very close. Sometimes a fox runs past, a bird flutters up. All living things in this place behave quietly, respectfully – as if they know that they are in a holy place. And people, people become quieter here. They talk less, listen more. To nature, to the wind, to themselves. The Charyn ash grove does not require words. It simply is. And that is enough.
The Charyn ash grove is a place where time slows down. The rustle of leaves, the sun's rays on the bark of ancient trees, the aroma of steppe grasses – all this creates a unique atmosphere of peace and unity with nature. Here you especially keenly feel the connection between generations and understand that we are only temporary guests in this ancient world.
Attractions nearby:
Valley of Castles in Charyn Canyon
Charyn River
Kurtogay tract
Temirlik Canyon
Temerlik River
Charyn Moon Canyon
Bestamak Canyon
Bugutty Mountains
Charyn ash cottage
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