🇰🇿 Central Asia’s Wonder: The Best Hiking Route in Charyn Canyon 🏞️
Located 300 kilometers east of Almaty, Charyn Canyon is often the first stop for many travelers visiting Kazakhstan. Surprisingly, it’s the second-largest canyon in the world, which instantly raised my expectations! 🌍 ⚠️ Route and Photography Tips: 🧡 Advantages: The entire route is downhill, saving time and effort while offering stunning views from every angle. 1️⃣ Start with a bird’s-eye view of the canyon, then head to Viewpoint 1 and descend. 2️⃣ Walk closer to the canyon for photos (downhill). The one-way hike is about 2 kilometers (around 1 hour). Be prepared for sun ☀️ and dust 🏜️. The trail ends at a river. 3️⃣ At the end of the trail, buy your ticket first! 🎟️ 4️⃣ Tickets cost 500 KZT 💰. Staff will write a number on your ticket—listen carefully for your number as English proficiency is limited. 🩸 Lesson learned the hard way: Not buying tickets in advance meant waiting for an hour under the scorching sun, strong winds, and dust. Each shuttle fits only 13 people, and there are usually just 2 shuttles running, taking about 30 minutes for a round trip. Thankfully, a kind Kazakh guy helped us swap tickets with other visitors, allowing us to leave 20 minutes earlier. 💙 Additional Info: 1️⃣ At the entrance, there’s the TARY Café ☕, perfect for resting, dining, or using the restroom. The gift shop also has stylish hoodies! 🛍️ 2️⃣ The canyon’s brick-red and earthy tones make bright-colored clothing or denim outfits (like mine) stand out in photos. 📸 3️⃣ Not far from Charyn Canyon is the Black Canyon, which is also worth a quick stop. (See the last 3 photos.) 💙 Travel Tip: Kazakhstan offers 30-day visa-free entry for Chinese citizens. A direct flight from Beijing to Almaty takes just 5 hours. A two-day car rental allows for a relaxed tour of two lakes and the canyon. 🚗 ❤️ Follow for more Central Asia travel stories! 🌏 #ScenicJourney 🌄 #Travel ✈️ #Canyon 🏞️ #Hiking 🥾 #Photography 📷 #Kazakhstan 🇰🇿 #NatureLovers 🌿 #HikingRoutes 🗺️