Yangykala Canyon

Yangykala Canyon is a dramatic geological formation in northwestern Turkmenistan where eroded cliffs of Miocene-era limestone and marl display vivid horizontal bands of white, pink, and red. The canyon walls rise up to 60 metres above a flat valley floor and extend for several kilometres, with the best colour saturation in the low light of early morning or late evening. The site lies in a remote corner of the Balkhan uplands and is rarely visited, giving it an atmosphere of isolated grandeur.