Charyn Canyon (also known as Sharyn Canyon, , Sharyn shatqaly) is a canyon on the Sharyn River in Kazakhstan ( east of Almaty, close to the Chinese border). The canyon is roughly in length. It is part of the Charyn National Park (established on 23 February 2004), and is located within the territory of the Uygur District, Raiymbek District and Enbekshikazakh District (of the Almaty Province). The canyon features peculiar and colourful formations in the likeness of chapels, towers, animals, etc., each formed by the weathering of sedimentary rock. Though it is much smaller than the Grand Canyon, it has been described as being equally impressive. Etymology Some scholars believe that the name of the river is derived from the Uyghur word 'sharyn', meaning "ash tree". Another theory is that it is a derivative of the Turkic root word 'char', which means "precipice". Both these explanations are plausible given the geography of the site, where the terrain is precipitous, and ash trees can be found. Features The canyon consists of a formation along the banks of the Charyn River of approximately ( is also stated). The river has a total length of . The river originates from the Tian Shan Mountains that range over the arid semi-desert to eastern Almaty. In various places, it attains a depth of . The Charyn Canyon consists of 5 different canyons: the Valley of Castles (the most popular part of the Charyn Canyon), the Temirlik Canyon, the Yellow Canyon, the Red Canyon and the Bestamak Canyon. There are also a number of smaller canyons or tracts, including the Kurtogay Canyon and the Tazbas tract. The geological formation of the canyon consists of sedimentary red sandstone that has been subject to the "atmogenic process", defined as "atmospheric origin by condensation, wind action, or deposition from volcanic vapors". This water and wind erosion has resulted in rock formations which resemble colourful sculptures. One section of the canyon is known as the Valley of Castles (Dolina Zamkov) for its unusual rock formations. The Relic Forest is located approximately away from the canyon. The forest, located in the shadow of the canyon, is known as the "Sogdian ash" (Ash Tree) (a tree that is said to be a derivative from the ice age). The site is considered unique on various accounts. It was declared a protected reserve in 1964. It is now integrated with the Charyn National Park.