Located between Almaty and the China border

Charon Canyon is located between Almaty and the China border, near the Horgos port on the Chinese side, about 200 kilometers from Almaty city. The canyon was formed about 12 million years ago as a result of long-term erosion of sedimentary rock layers after the retreat of the ancient Mediterranean Sea. It was carved by the Charon River over millions of years. Through river cutting and wind erosion, it has created a unique wind-eroded landscape. It is known as the "Colorado Canyon of Kazakhstan." Along the canyon are green mountains and snow-capped peaks, stretching continuously. It looks like a long, narrow crack in the earth, as if a god had cut the ground with a serrated long knife, splitting this rugged and interlaced canyon. On the opposite cliff, red giant rocks exposed by rain erosion are stacked like layers of stone slabs. Walking slowly down to the valley bottom, the cliffs on both sides stand steeply, and the canyon is filled with strange rocks and dangerous cliffs. The red and yellow giant rocks and cliff faces are covered with mottled marks left by years of weathering from wind, frost, snow, and rain.