Grand Canyon in Central Asia

Charyn Canyon is located about 200 kilometers east of Almaty, Kazakhstan, and features a valley terrain similar to the Grand Canyon in the United States. The scenery of the canyon is majestic, and certain areas are accessible on foot. It is often referred to as a miniature version of the Grand Canyon. It takes about 40 minutes on foot to reach the Charyn River one way, and you can also use a paid shuttle service to get there. The name "Charyn" originates from a Uyghur word referring to a type of ash tree, which led to the naming of the local area. This unique natural formation was designated as a national park in 2004. "Sharyn" is the Kazakh pronunciation, but it is commonly referred to as "Charyn."