Charyn Canyon - a Place where time stood still...

Recommended by 95% of travelers

Badge of Excellence

Almaty, Kazakhstan

9 hours (approx.)
Pickup offered
Group discounts
Mobile ticket
Offered in: English

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Overview

Embark on a journey through time at Charyn Canyon, an ancient natural wonder formed millions of years ago. Immerse yourself in the magical vibe of this sacred place where time stands still. Feel connected to nature and experience the pure energy the canyon shares. As you explore, enjoy views of the Valley of Castles, where natural stone sculptures line the canyon's bottom.

Explore the ancient wonders of Charyn Canyon
Take in stunning views at the Valley of Castles
Enjoy a walk along the bottom of the canyon
A private tour means a personalized experience

What's Included

Air-conditioned vehicle
Private transportation
Professional guide service
All Fees and Taxes
Bottled water

Lunch

Lunch at good local cafe on the way is available. You can also take your own lunch box or preorder with our help as well.

Meeting and Pickup

Pickup points

Select a pickup point

Pickup details

We pick up from any hotel/apartment/hostel in the city area of Almaty

Itinerary

Charyn National Park

4 hours • Admission Ticket Included

Additional Info

Confirmation will be received at time of booking
Not wheelchair accessible
Stroller accessible
Service animals allowed

Infant seats available
Most travelers can participate
This is a private tour/activity. Only your group will participate

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Cancellation Policy

You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.

Traveler Photos

Gallery picture 1 (from a traveler's review)

Gallery picture 2 (from a traveler's review)

Gallery picture 3 (from a traveler's review)

Gallery picture 4 (from a traveler's review)

Gallery picture 5 (from a traveler's review)

Featured review

YewHim_M

We had the best experience on this tour with Dimash. He gave us the best possible experience with his hospitality and service mindset. He was accommodating and we could stop along the way to get snacks for our kid and find toilets when we needed. He was very knowledgeable and provided excellent information. Dimash knew all the best tips for the tour to ensure we were productive and efficient with time. He also taught us how to optmize the route to get the best views and experience. Dimash is the absolute best tour guide you can have!

Reviews

4.8

based on 21 reviews

Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor

We perform checks on reviews

Nur was a great &...

Pavan_A, Jan 2026

Nur was a great & knowledgeble travel guide , keen to share information regarding history, geography .also very helpful & willing to understand need of fellow travellers. Also good comfortable driving. Good to have Nur as a tour guide

Best Tour Guide - Dimash

YewHim_M, Dec 2025

Great day trip from Almaty

Daniel_D, Oct 2023

The canyon itself is a beautiful spot. The guide was great, well prepared and knowledgeable and made the drive back and forth interesting with commentary and stops along the way. There is a bit of walking and stairs involved at one point.

100% recommend

Weiyiping_H, Aug 2023

Had a blast at Charyn Canyon! The landscape was epic and my guide Nur was super nice and professional. We spent a good 5 hours in the national park and pretty much hit all the viewing spots. Nur also brought water, fruit and tea so we had a nice picnic by the river. Amazing experience that I’d definitely recommend to anyone!

Response from Host, Aug 2023

Thank you Yiping! Appreciate your feedback. Welcome again one day!

Nur organises the whole day around your wishes.

Patrick_R, May 2023

Great day in large part due to Nur who arranged the whole day around our wishes and was patient and kind through out. We couldn’t have asked for a better guide. Thank you.

Great Road Trip

anuttam_m, May 2023

This was a lovely and relaxing one day road trip. Nursultan is an excellent host and comfortable driver who literally went the extra mile to help me locate loca playing cards as a souvenir. The canyon is an excellent place to visit and is a gentle but long stroll with fantastic views.

Response from Host, May 2023

Thank you for the review! Always welcome again!

Great canyon, tour needs to be improved though!

Asaf_D, Oct 2021

The Canyon is great and definitely worth visiting. The tour guide though seemed to be totally indifferent, lethargic and bored and she actually never spoke without being asked. We all were quite astonished about that because we could have walked alone tnrough the canyon and it would have been quite the same….

Response from Host, Oct 2021

Good day Mr.Asaf! My name is Nursultan. We are really sorry to hear about your experience. The guide was new to us and not so experienced for bigger groups. We will definetely take note of your feedback and make some changes. Thank you for your review! It will help us to improve our service.

October Diversion

Mark, Oct 2020

I had a great visit to Charyn Canyon with my guide Ata. We were fortunate to have mild weather and small crowds. The trip there was smooth and entertaining, talking with this multilingual guide. The canyon is impressive with incredible and varied rock formations. It was quiet, and protected from the famous Kazakh winds. The river at the end of the hike was a treat to experience.

Response from Host, Oct 2020

Thank you dear Mr.Mark! We are happy that you enjoyed your trip with us! Always welcome!

Beautiful excursion

Christoph_M, Jun 2025

Bring enough water. The trip to the canyon takes a certain amount of time. It was good that we had a private tour and did not have to squeeze into a Japanese minibus. These are made full on the cheaper tours. We wanted to do the tour with Pandatravel in a Mercedes Sprinter. The tour was overbooked. People who had paid less were packed into the good buses. Absolute chaos. Everything worked great here. Our guide was unfortunately a bit late, but he made up for it with the tour.

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