The canyon is located on the spurs of the Tien Shan Mountains, near the border with China. Charyn Canyon is a natural monument composed of sedimentary rocks that are about 12 million years old. It stretches for 154 kilometers along the Charyn River valley. The most interesting and frequently visited tourist attraction is the so-called “Valley of Castles.”
Within the canyon lies a grove of relic ash trees that have survived since the Ice Age—such a grove exists only in one other place in the world, in North America. The landscape diversity of Charyn Canyon contributes to the variety of its flora and fauna. Charyn Canyon resembles the Grand Canyon in Colorado, North America, and while it may be smaller in size, it is no less beautiful.
