Gulkam Canyon

The canyon

The Gulkamsay is one of the streams draining the Greater Chimgan massif. Over millions of years it has cut a long, deep corridor through the rock — a narrow canyon with vertical walls several tens of metres high, so that sunlight reaches the floor only around midday. A chain of waterfalls tumbles down the stream, and below them the water has scoured clear basins that hikers call “bathtubs”.

According to tour operators, the narrowest section runs for about 2 km with a drop of some 200 m. A side stream feeding the Gulkam has another attractive waterfall.

The route

The usual route starts on a path between Chimgan village and the tourist base, climbs to the Peschany (Sandy) Pass at about 1,820 m — roughly two hours — and then drops into the gorge. The whole walk takes 5–6 hours. Inside the canyon you will ford the stream several times and hop from boulder to boulder, so bring spare footwear. The best season is mid-May to mid-September; staying overnight at Chimgan lets you start early and finish in daylight.