The most popular section, the Valley of Castles, is accessible by a regular car; for the rest, a four-wheel drive vehicle would be necessary. This section is accessible by either a guided tour from Almaty, driving, or taking public transportation and then hiking the rest of the way.

From the car park, a rough 3 km road descends into the Valley of Castles, with some spectacular red rock formations reminiscent of Utah or Arizona, before ending at the Charyn River. It's an idyllic spot, but apart from taking a quick and very cold dip near the shore, swimming is dangerous, as the river is deceptively fast.

Armed with a vehicle and GPS(or on a tour with a knowledgeable guide) it is possible to access more remote parts of the canyon, and marvel at the contrast in scenery. The Yellow Canyon is a sculpted, arid moonscape, while from a more precipitous viewpoint, high above the river, there are tremendous views over bare, dark slopes, crisscrossed with precarious paths used by nimble-footed mountain goats, visible to those with enough luck, and the right pair of binoculars.

What makes an exploration of Kazakhstan so exciting, besides the unbounded freedom, is its surprising diversity. Northern Kazakhstan is a case in point. There is still plenty of steppe on offer, but the scenery edges into a more Siberian style of terrain. It's colder and wetter. Trees and lakes start to dominate. The ethnic mix changes.

And at the center of it all, Astana prevails. It is often called the Dubai of the Steppe, which is an apt nickname in many different ways. The area is simultaneously an agricultural powerhouse, an industrial monolith, and a spacious camping ground.

Further to the east lie more hidden gems ready to be discovered. Semey and its surroundings have surprising tales to tell, while Ust-Kamenogorsk forms the gateway to the storied Altai Mountains.