Unusual and very beautiful places in Almaty region -
Tour and excursion to Charyn -
The Valley of Castles (Red Canyon) is an amazing natural formation, it is a small canyon 3 kilometers long into which you can descend from the top of the plateau from where a wonderful panorama of the Valley of Castles canyon opens up. Going down from the observation deck, where the parking lot is located, you find yourself surrounded by castles, towers, and unprecedented natural formations. Orange-pink rocks, formed by washing away rain, snow and wind, create a unique shape and transport any person to the world of fairy-tale monuments - palaces, towers and minarets. The gorge acquired this modern appearance about half a million years ago. The depth of the gorge reaches 100 meters. It is especially beautiful in the Valley of Castles at sunset and dawn; at this time the canyon acquires an incredible red color, which, due to the red color of the rock, becomes even more saturated with red, which gives the canyon an even more magical look.
How to get there, visit -
The Valley of Castles is located 200 kilometers from the city of Almaty, on the territory of the Charyn National Reserve, Raimbek district, Almaty region, Republic of Kazakhstan.
GPS coordinates: 43°21'35"N 79°03'01"E
Information -
Due to its small size, the Valley of Castles and Charyn Canyon envelops you with its beautiful natural miniatureness. Everyone compares this canyon to the Grand Canyon in the USA, but I don’t advise you to do that. The Valley of Castles is unique and is not at all similar to the American canyon; the American canyon is nothing compared to this canyon on the Charyn River. The Valley of Castles and the Charyn River Canyon are two different places and two different locations, which are located in the same place, but a little distance from each other. Many people get confused and say that the Charyn Canyon is the Valley of Castles and often when they say “let’s go to Charyn” they mean the Valley of Castles. But in reality, this is not so, the “valley of castles of the Charny canyon” is a separate 3-kilometer-long branch along which you can walk to the main Charyn canyon and the Charyn River. At the entrance to the location, you will need to pay for the passage of vehicles. Next, you need to leave your car in the parking lot and follow the signs to descend into the canyon. Further along the canyon after three kilometers you will reach the main Charyn canyon and the Charyn River.
Safety on the Charyn River in the Charyn Canyon -
When near the Charyn River, follow safety precautions; the river is very stormy, especially in the summer, when there is more water in the river than in the winter. DO NOT SWIM IN THE RIVER. Swimming in the river is prohibited. Also, when taking a selfie in front of the river and taking pictures, be vigilant and be careful not to fall into the river. If you fall into a river, the water can carry you downstream and it is not a fact that you will survive. We also do not recommend visiting this location in early spring, when there is a lot of snow melting and heavy rain. There was a case when a mudflow with a number of smaller branches descended into the canyon, people were injured. It is best to visit the Charyn Canyon from May, when all the snow has melted and in winter it is also beautiful and unusual here. Also, be sure to monitor the weather, visit the canyon only when there is no rain, in the dry season.
The famous “Valley of Castles” (Sharyn Canyon) in Charyn National Park
Photogallery:
