Almaty - Charyn Canyon - Karakol

[dch92]

Hi
I'm going to travel to Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan this summer. I'm interested in possibility of getting Karakol in Kyrgyzstan from Charyn Canyon through Karkara valley, without a return to Almaty. Of course I'm aware there are not public buses in this region, but maybe shared or private taxi or even hitch-hiking (the most likely I will beat this tour on Sunday). I read about buses from Almaty to Kegen - is the regular line and could I count on catching this bus at turn to Charyn Canyon from A-351 route in the last resort?

My second question concerns about accommodation in Charyn Canyon. Are there any yurts or something similar?

Thank you for answers in advance

[Traveller11]

Hi, from the day trip we took last year with a tour company on a very old Ex German Long Distance Coach that the driver locked off the Loo so it could not be used, while the drive was 3 hours each way!

From memory the Canyon is at the end of a road that didn't go any further than the entrance gate unless you had a business in the Canyon.
Having said that there were a few bungalows and Yurts at the bottom of the Canyon that we saw people using as I think they were in 2 small Eco Parks.

Maybe running a search on Google would bring up the Eco Parks.

Sorry cannot be any more specific.

[steven]

http://caravanistan.com/kazakhstan/charyn-canyon/ has a link to the eco park.

There is no bus to Kegen. Of course you can hitchhike. Might take a while to get there, but you will get there in the end.