Yangykala Canyon

Yangykala Canyon lies in the western desert of Turkmenistan, about 160 kilometres east of Turkmenbashi and 165 north of Balkanabat, a maze of steep canyons and cliffs 60 to 100 metres high whose floor was once flooded by the Garabogazköl gulf. Its rock walls, red above all - locals call the place Gyzyl Dag, the red mountains - are banded in vivid, glowing stripes of pink, red, crimson, orange and creamy white, which blaze most intensely in the low light of sunrise and sunset, and the name means fiery fortresses. Empty and silent, though it draws a steady flow of visitors on jeep trips and camping tours, especially in summer, its surreal, otherworldly formations spreading to the horizon make it a stunning and unforgettable desert landscape.

What you'll find

• The banded cliffs - the walls striped in pink, red and white.
• The sunset colours - the rock blazing in the low light.
• The canyon rim - the viewpoints over the vast formations.
• The desert emptiness - the silent, otherworldly wilderness.

When to go

Spring, April to May, and autumn, September to October, for the mildest weather, as the desert is scorching in summer; the canyon glows most spectacularly at sunrise and sunset, so an overnight camping trip or an early or late arrival captures its colours at their most vivid.

Practical notes

It is extremely remote, in the far west of the country, reached by a long four-wheel-drive journey with no facilities, and, like all travel in Turkmenistan, is undertaken on an official guided tour, adding cost and planning. There is no infrastructure at the canyon itself. For the reward of a spectacular, banded desert canyon glowing at sunset in near-total solitude, though, it is one of Central Asia's great hidden natural wonders.

Nearby

The Caspian coast at Turkmenbashi and the western deserts are within reach.

Key facts