Charyn Canyon National Park

Our second day with Steppe Spirit (check out Day 1 here) was spent in Charyn Canyon. Charyn Canyon is actually a canyon system consisting of several canyons that were carved by the Charyn River. It’s often compared to the Grand Canyon in the US (what canyon isn’t?) and while Charyn is smaller, it still has its own unique beauty.

We visited three canyons: Black Canyon, Moon Canyon, and the Valley of the Castles. Below are some photos with a bit more information about my trip there and each of the canyons.

Black Canyon

The least impressive of the three we visited, in my opinion. The Black Canyon is named for the granite that gives the canyon its dark color. It’s also known as Death Valley because the canyon is very slippery, leading animals - and sometimes humans - to their deaths in the ravine below.

Moon Canyon

My favorite of the three - can’t you tell by my smile?

Moon Canyon is given its name because if you look at it from an aerial view, the landscape resembles something you might see on the moon.

The reds and oranges of Moon Canyon come from the clay that make up the canyon’s walls. The river that carves through the canyon is still the Charyn River.

Valley of the Castles

I was going to say that it was really cool to walk through the Valley of the Castles, but it was actually quite hot! Yes, that is my dad joke humor coming through. It was fascinating to see these naturally sculpted rock formations emerging from the floor of the canyon.

A cool photo of me running accompanied by a fun fact. There are bunkers scattered throughout Charyn Canyon National Park that were built during tensions between the USSR and China. They are not used today but still exist in the park, a legacy to an era not too long gone.

One of the towering rock formations of the Valley of Castles.

A close up view of the Charyn River from the Valley of the Castles.

Our hiking crew in the Valley of the Castles! We took a short hike down to the river, where we had a packed lunch of plov (rice pilaf).

We headed back to Almaty in the afternoon, and I promptly conked out in the bus. It wasn’t until we were about an hour from the city that I woke up - our minibus was encountering some mechanical issues and had the telltale stutter of a car breaking down.

We all got out of the car to lend a hand and push the bus to get it moving. Hurrah! We got it going once more before it broke down for real and we had to wait for a replacement vehicle. All’s well that ends well - we arrived safely in Almaty and well before the sun went down.

It was an amazing trip with Steppe Spirit, and I formed friendships with many of the other travelers in the group. It was wonderful to see these natural wonders of Kazakhstan accompanied by some of the most enthusiastic, fun, and caring group of people I’ve met so far.