Charyn Canyon is a natural monument composed of sedimentary rocks, the age of which is about 12 million years. The h of the sheer mountains of the canyon reaches 150-300 m.
The most interesting place for tourists is the so-called Valley of Castles, whose length is about 2 km, width - 20-80 m.
In the bosom of the canyon there is a grove of relict species of ash, which survived the era of glaciation - the ash of Sogdian. Another similar grove is only in North America. Since 1964, the ashen grove has been declared a nature monument. Also of great interest is the turan grove - a grove of Asian poplar.
The landscape diversity of the Charyn canyon determines the diversity of flora and fauna. There are more than 1500 plant species, 17 of which are listed in the Red Data Book of Kazakhstan and 62 species of mammals, 103 species of nesting birds, 25 species of reptiles.