Walking in sights of Almaty region.

“There is pleasure in the soulless thickets, there is joy on the mountain slope”

D.G. Byron

Short description of excursion tour to canyons of Charyn:

Almaty - village of Chilik - canyons of Charyn river - Saki-Hun cemetery - Charyn ash grove - Almaty.

Distance of route: 400 - 500 km.
Season: all year round.
Best time for excursion: April - September.
Duration: 1 to 2 days.

Detailed excursion program to Saki-Hun burial mounds in Almaty region:

Trip from Almaty to Charyn River.

A trip from Almaty to the Charyn River. The trip can consist of two parts lasting 2 days: in one of the side canyons of Charyn - Direct canyon with the oldest ash tree of Charyn and in Ashen Grove with a walk to the Saki-Hun cemetery of the 1st millennium BC. or from one part lasting one day - to the Direct Canyon, or to Ashen Grove.

Day 1. Transfer: Almaty - Charyn Canyons (200 km, 3 - 3.5 hours). From Almaty to the village of Chilik, the distance along the Kuldzhinsky tract, 120 kilometers. After the village of Chilik, we bypass the bridge on the Chilik River and soon we will have the first short stop in the village of Baiseit, on the main street of which there is a large vegetable market.
Here you can stretch your legs. The further path lies through the small Soghety ridge, along the narrow Kokpek gorge, 11 km long.
The Soghety Range separates the Ili Valley from the large latitudinal ridge Zailiysky Alatau. Gradually, the Kokpek gorge expands and passes into the Sogety valley, which is fenced from the north by the Sogety ridge, from the north by the Toruaygyr ridge.
After the Sogety valley, the road goes along the Toraigyr ridge to the Charyn canyon. Passing a turn into the side canyon of the Valley of Castles, the path continues along the dirt road to the “Direct Canyon”. On the way we stop at a panoramic platform with a magnificent view of the central part of the Charyn Canyon and 15 km from the turn to the Valley of Castles we arrive at the descent point in the “Direct Canyon”. We go down to the river on foot - 2700 meters (the same distance to the river along the Valley of Castles). The descent is easy. On the way there is an interesting geology of the Paleozoic era. The Straight Canyon is a tectonic fault.
On the Charyn River there are convenient glades for lunch and overnight. From the place of lunch, a short excursion to the oldest ash-tree of Charyn, about 400 years old and with a trunk circumference of 4 girths. The path runs along the river.
Since prehistoric times, the waters of Charyn, the largest tributary of the Ili River, have been channeling themselves among the rocks, grinding off stone and forming a huge passage in the rocks. Charyn Canyon - a unique natural complex of Kazakhstan, has a length of about one hundred kilometers.
The end of the walk, return to Almaty.

Note:

If the tour is planned for two days, then in this case, after spending the night by the Charyn River, the path continues to the lower reaches of the river to the Ashen Grove and the ancient mounds of the 1st millennium BC.
The ancient Saki-Hun cemetery is located above the Charyn River and represents several hundred burial grounds and barrows surrounded by stone calculations in the form of a ring or square, as well as oval altars.
In addition, on this day there will be an opportunity to walk along the Ashen grove to the Charyn river, which flows 1 km from the cemetery, or go to the river by transport, if it is possible to drive through the forestry.
Upon completion of the excursion, return to Almaty via Chunja along the new expressway between the Ili River and the Boguty mountains and further through the city of Chilik.

The note:
 The author program is Alexander Babkin. Copying and introduction - only from the sanction of the author - <mailto: petrovsra@mail.ru>

Alexander Babkin
photos.