Sharyn Canyon Kazakhstan

Sharyn Canyon is an interesting natural phenomenon also famous as Charyn Canyon located on the Sharyn River in Kazakhstan, almost 200 kilometers east of Almaty, near the Chinese border. Sharyn Canyon is part of Sharyn National Park within the Sharyn River Valley. The canyon is 90 kilometers in length has gained colorful formation of varying shapes and sizes. The size of Sharyn Canyon is much smaller than the prominent U.S. Grand Canyon, but has been equally important site of Kazakhstan.

A very impressive canyon (Valley of Castles) is famous due to its unusual rock formation. The impressive natural canyon formation is along the banks of fast flowing Charyn River in a northern flow stretch 80 kilometers stated a tributary of the IIe River. The river lengths is 393 kilometers, rises from Tian Shan Mountains. Moreover, the geological formation is sedimentary red sandstone which have been subject to the atmogenic process, wind action or deposition from volcanic vapors, water and wind erosion ultimately result in weird and colorful formation in the form of sculptures. The Canyon was formed about 3 million years ago as the land around the canyon started to rise, result in large lake existed in the area around the top of the canyon and it started to empty.  Over the next million years the canyon generate a large earthquake disturbed the flow of the river by blocking it with a land-slip forming the rock sculptures relatively soft and are a geologists dream, revealing hundreds of millions of years of the earth’s history at this location.

Canyon access is from Almaty on the main road toward east which passes through small villages. The Canyon views are very scenic, adventure lovers likes white white-water rafting and canoeing. Moreover fishing is another activity can be done on the river side. The local fish Naked Osman is famous fish here. Furthermore downstream of the Canyon is a dry zone of the gorge recognized as Red Canyon or Valley of Castles. A beautiful track has naturally sculpted red stone formations.  A forest, 20 kilometers away under the Umbrage of Canyon (Sogdian Ash) away remnant of a relic forest, the trees are to be a derivative from the Ice age, one of unique forest formation in the world. In 1964, it is declared protected reserve, Ash tree and other species of trees willow, poplar and barberry are extremely important trees. 

It is recommended to make a day plan of Charyn Canyon from Almaty, however, two days are suggested to take in a few different sights and activities. Therefore, due to rich popularity between local and foreign tourists, camping at the bottom of Dolina Zamkov has become a crowded affair which is best avoided.