Gretchen Stuppy Carlson
Just a few hours from Almaty, Charyn Canyon is a deep gorge carved into the red and brown rocks of Kazakhstan. With view rivalling some of the more famous canyons of the work such as the Grand Canyon and Zion, Charyn Canyon also boasts great hiking trails that take you on an easy walk right into the heart of the canyon. In this guide, we’ll share how to hike Charyn Canyon and general things to know to help you plan your visit.
We visited the Canyon on our way from Karakol to Almaty on a 2 week trip through Kyrgyszstan and Kazakhstan and it was a highlight of our trip. We spent a few hours enjoying the canyon and had a quick lunch in the welcome center.
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Charyn Canyon at a Clance
- Location: Charyn National Park, east of Almaty by about 3 hours.
- Trail: Valley of Castles to the Charyn River. The main trail goes down into the canyon, but you can also walk along the upper rim.
- Difficulty: easy
- Entrance fee: When we visited in 2026, the entrance fee was: Passenger cars: ~2,752 KZT (~$5.50 USD)
- Best time to visit: April to June and September to October – there is very limited shade!
- Good for families? Yes! There were lots of people there with kids.
What makes Charyn Canyon worth the trip
The canyon is far from anything else, but is absolutely worth a trip. The views are stunning and the walking trail is easy. There are also lots of options so even if you aren’t up for a long walk, you can still get to the canyon rim or take the truck ride in the canyon down to the river.
The most famous part of the canyon, the Valley of Castles formations is the most famous stretch and is really beautiful. Other sections of the canyon (such as Black Canyon, Yellow Canyon, Temirlik) are also stunning.
Getting to Charyn Canyon from Almaty
You’ve got a few options to get to Charyn Canyon. Because most people are coming from Almaty, I’ll share how to do that, but I wanted to note that we came in our own rental car from Karakol, Kyrgyzstan. If you are coming from here, the roads are all well paved and easy to navigate and the border crossing was easy and took about 1 hour start to finish.
You can get to Charyn Canyon from Almaty in a private car, as part of a small tour or a bigger tour bus. Many of the tours also include a visit to Kolsai Lakes. You can find tours on Viator.
The road conditions are good and while the last stretch to the canyon is dirt, it is very well maintained.
Hiking Charyn Canyon (along the Rim)
There are two main ways to hike and enjoy the canyon. The first is to hike along the canyon rim. This is the easiest way since you have limited elevation gain. The trails lead to incredible views of the canyon in a short distance (about 1/4 mile from the visitor Center). Even if you do the hike into the canyon, I recommend taking the walk to these overlooks.
One word of caution. The rocks here are very loose and we saw so many people walking off the trail on very unstable rocks.
Hiking The Valley of Castles Hike, step by step
The best hike in the Canyon, and the one that most people do is the Valley of Castles hike. This is an easy trail that starts at the welcome center and descends into the valley and goes all the way to the Charyn River. Here’s a step by step guide with how to hike Charyn Canyon.
Starting at the Welcome center, the short trail to the canyon is on your right. Follow the signs and descend via a series of stairs into the canyon. Once you get to the canyon floor, there is a stop for the shuttle so if you decide not to hike, you can take the shuttle one way or both ways to the river.
From here the trail continues into the canyon with a very gentle downhill. The trail itself is actually a road and is easy to walk and follow into the canyon. Be aware of occasional shuttles back and forth. At some points smaller side trails go off the main road and offer a good and easy alternative or a way to discover a cool rock feature or side canyon.
The valley continues to narrow slightly and the rock walls are truly stunning. At one point the valley narrows and you need to talk through a small opening (still big enough for the shuttle to get through).
There are also some really amazing rock formations and rocks that seem to be hanging off the canyon walls.
After walking just under 2 miles, you will reach the end of the hike at Charyn River. This is another beautiful spot as the rock walls and the color of the river make a great spot for photos.
Taking the Shuttle
Another way to enjoy the canyon and get all the way to the river is to tale the shuttle through the Calley of the Castles. You can take this one way or two ways.
An open air minibus runs between the Charyn River and the parking area for roughly 500 KZT, about a dollar, though it doesn’t always operate, so don’t count on it as your only plan. We did not take the ride, but we watched it run up and down the canyon. Note that even if you take the ride, you still need to walk up and down the stairs to get into the canyon.
What to Bring
The most important thing is to watch the weather. There is pretty much no shade in the canyon and it can get hot, so make sure you have plenty of water, cash if you need a ride and snacks (once in the canyon, there is no food) although these are a few bathroom stops.
At the welcome center you can buy food and water.
Tips we learned the hard way
- Go early. The canyon floor heats up fast and has almost no shade until you reach the river.
- Pack more water than you think. There’s little to buy along the trail, so carry what you need for the round trip.
- Bring cash in tenge. Handy for the entrance fee, the shuttle, and snacks at the bottom. [verify current fees]
- Wear real shoes. The trail is gravelly and loose in spots, especially on the descent.
- Save energy for the climb out. The walk back up is uphill, so plan to ride the shuttle if legs are tired or the heat kicks in.
FAQ
- How long does it take to hike Charyn Canyon? It took us about 2 hours total, but we’re fast walkers. If you plan to linger or want to take your time, plan 3-4 hours total for your visit.
- Can you visit Charyn Canyon as a day trip from Almaty? Yes – many people visit for the day.
- Is Charyn Canyon safe for kids? Yes. Make sure kids stay away fromt he canyon walls and don’t climb on the loose rocks.
- Do you need a guide for Charyn Canyon? No – if you’re coming from Alamaty a guide can make the trip easier, but you don’t need a guide in the canyon itself.
- How much does it cost to visit Charyn Canyon? It cost us about $5 for our car to get into the lot to visit the canyon.
