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.

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.