Mangystau Tour With Silk Road Vibes In Kazakhstan
About this tour
Our Mangystau region SUV tour covers all must see locations in west and south Kazakhstan. With the start of the tour in the city of Almaty (which is the best airways node to arrive) you will feel and see the ancient Silk Road’ vibes because we will reach Mangystau region while moving exactly through it. In our tour you will discover the famous Boszhira valley. You will see the mysterious valley of balls (we will tell you the secret of it’s formation which even scientists doesn`t know yet). You will enjoy the breathtaking view next to the Fallen Land near the Caspian Sea. You will even swim and take sunbaths exactly on the coast of the Caspian Sea! Also you will have the opportunity to feel the manmade disaster of Aral sea by setting a camp on white salty ground. We provide all-inclusive SUV tours, we can customize it for your time and needs.
As you can see on the map the tour ends is in Beyneu village. From there according to tourist's needs we can drive you to Aktau city's airport in the same day, you can return to Almaty with us (but get ready for long distances and meals are not included to the price) or we can continue discovering stan countries because Beyneu is the best locating to start Uzbekistan tour.
Our tandem explored this route lots of times, we have huge experience and know all potholes to avoid. Our advantage is our work integration, so you will have a guide and a driver NOT in one person, which is important. Also you will have mom &dad during the tour who will protect and take good care of you :)
Sincerely yours, Dmitriy&Kristina
Day-by-day itinerary
Day 1: Almaty, Kazakhstan to Shymkent, Kazakhstan
Early in the morning we are leaving Almaty city and keep our way to the city of Taraz. Our first location to see will be Tanbaly (Tamgaly) open air gallery with petroglyphs (rock carvings). This place became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2004. Tanbaly petroglyphs were made by different generations dating from the 2nd half of the second millennium BC to the beginning of the 20th century. Those generation’s settlements and necropolis were found around: the complex of curved stones, burials and altars were used as a cult place for thousands of years. Our second place of interest will be Akyrtas Buddha Palace complex. Nobody still doesn’t know what for and for whom it was built and the research is still in process. But we will tell you about all versions that even exist. The ancient palace complex is really a place for the imagination and who knows may be you will invent a new story for Akyrtas? Then the road leads us to the city of Shymkent and the place to overnight is the tourist’s choice. We can take you to our camping spot or make a reservation in the hotel.
Day 2: Shymkent, Kazakhstan to Kyzylorda, Kazakhstan
Early in the morning the road leads us to the famous Ak-Meshit cave. The cave has a peculiar microclimate. It is usually warmer inside it than outside, in spring it is cooler inside. In addition, trees do not grow in the vicinity of the cave, but inside it there is an oasis with its own ecosystem. This unusual phenomenon strikes the imagination of any traveler. Then we will visit ancient City of Otrar - one of the most ancient cities in Central Asia. It is a ghost town that was a city located along the Silk Road. Otrar was an important town in the history of Central Asia, situated on the borders of settled and agricultural civilizations. It was the center of a great oasis and political district, commanding a key point connecting Kazakhstan with China, Europe, Near and Middle East, Siberia and Ural. Then we arrive in Turkestan city and will visit mausoleum of Khoja Ahmed Yasawi. It was built 233 years later Ahmed Yasawi was passed away by Tamerlan. The place is a huge complex which except the mausoleum has a medieval sauna, mosque, big and small palaces. Turkestan city is interesting by itself and last couple of years attaches great government invests and someday may become the capital of Kazakhstan Republic. Then the road takes us to the city Kyzyl – Orda where we will stay overnight in the hotel.
Day 3: Kyzylorda, Kazakhstan to Saksaulskiy, Kazakhstan
On the next day we take our way to Aral village. On the way we will see worldwide famous Baikonur Cosmodrome from the road. The Cosmodrome is the world's first spaceport for orbital and human launches and the largest (in area) operational space launch facility. All known human launches were made from this place. It is a great chance to see the story of world space discovering. We will appear in Aral village closer to evening and stay overnight next to the hot spring on Aral sea (62 degrees).
Day 4: Saksaulskiy, Kazakhstan to Beyneu, Kazakhstan
On the 4th day we will have a goal to reach Beyneu village. It will be a real adventure to drive through the desert next to the Aral see. You will see and feel the manmade disaster of Aral See. Our road lays through the desert rich by the oil and gas. You will see the oil pumps and how do they work. It I really surprising how much do they have oil and how poor the villages around are. On this day camels which we see on the road are changing, because different regions breed different camels. In the evening we arrive at Beyneu and will overnight in a hotel/guest house.
Day 5: Beyneu, Kazakhstan to Ozero Tuzbair, Kazakhstan
On this day the Mangystau and Ustyurt plateau tour starts. We will start with absolutely alien panoramic location with the view on the bottom of the ancient see. Our first location will be snow-white landscapes of Sor Tuzbair. Almost the entire territory of this region is covered with saline and deserts, water sources are absent. You will see the Tuzbair mountain, which is captured on 1000 tenge paper money. You will see the Kazakh Sphinx (Egypt) made of salt. There will be amazing possibility to learn about paleontology with our guide because everywhere you can find traces of ancient animals and take with you as a souvenir. In the end of the day we will go down the cliffs and set up a camp on the salt.
Day 6: Ozero Tuzbair, Kazakhstan to Sherkala, Kazakhstan
The next day will be start with the visit of Airakty Castle Valley. Mind-blowing landscapes of Ayrakty-Shomanay Mountains fascinate everyone who visits Mangystau Province. Ayrakty-Shomanay Mountains were named "The Valley of Castles" in the 19th century, when the Ukrainian poet and artist Taras Shevchenko, exiled to Kazakhstan, made a series of sketches called "The Valley of Castles". And the mountains live up to their second name: the rock formations resemble palaces and towers, making up a fabulous view that you can admire for hours. The fauna of this area includes asian mouflons, and the flora is rich in delicate Sogdian tulips that bloom in spring and create an amazing view. Then we will visit the mysterious mountain, formed of clay, limestone, sandstone, and chalky rocks. It is caller Sherkala (from Kazakh Language Lion’s fortress). Mount Sherkala has been described as looking like a piala (a small bowl), a yurt (Kazakh national round dwelling) or a lion. These various metaphors have caused the appearance of many legends and beliefs that now surround the mountain. According to historians, a fortress city once stood near it. The ruins, which you can see here, are traces of an ancient burial. In addition, around the mountain there are round boulders, some of which are destroyed by weathering. There is a belief that the mountain will fulfill your desire, if you go around it. Next will be an amazing piece of nature ranges of Western Karatau mountain gorge Samal. Winding valley on the slope of the ridge (the ridge height of 500 m). At the bottom of the gorge for about a kilometer flows a copious stream with fresh water. Then we are going to Kokala lunar valley. It is a little tunnel through the centuries to the time of dinosaurs. We won’t see there any fossilized bones or traces of long-extinct reptiles. But we can touch the real charcoal of a forest on which dinosaurs walked which was burnt 200 million years ago. Next to Kokala we will set a camp and stay there overnight.
Day 7: Sherkala, Kazakhstan to Balls Valley, Kazakhstan
The next day starts with the visit of the Valley of Balls and underground mosque next to it. Scientist still doesn’t know the exactly story of formation of this balls. Imagine hundreds perfectly round balls made of stone spread on the ground? You won’t find in the internet any information about it’s formation but we during our last expedition solved this question! And will tell you about it. Next we are going to Shakpakatasai canyon. The northwestern part of the canyon is strongly dissected by meridional temporary streams. The length of the canyon from south to north is small, only about 2 kilometers, a width of about 900 meters. The most attractive eastern part of the canyon, it is represented by cliffs that pass into the bottom of the canyon. The plain part in the vicinity of the canyon is located at an altitude of 160 to 186 meters above sea level. In the western part of the canyon, on the plain there are several ancient nameless burials and here on the edge of the cliff there is a well used by a livestock farm nearby. In the end of the canyon we will see a unique Shakpakata underground mosque. Better to see this place one than to tell 100 words about it. After the road leads us to the fallen land – Zhygylgan hollow. Scientists are split on the origin of the hollow, but most think that the rocks were washed, creating the basin. Others assume that a meteorite has fallen here in prehistoric times. Near the hollow the shore of the Caspian Sea lies. Inside the hollow, one can see ancient rock paintings and fossils of Neogene animals such as prehistoric horses and saber-toothed tigers. There are deep caves, some of the rocks resemble particular figures. Next to the coach of Caspian sea we will stay overnight.
Day 8: Balls Valley, Kazakhstan to Fort-Shevchenko, Kazakhstan
On the next day we are going towards Shevchenko fort city. We will see the most attractive sights of it and also the ferries standing nearby. After it we are going to the lake with turtles Tamshaly. Here you can see a unique phenomenon - groundwater seeping through cracks in the cliff creates the illusion of rain. First time we will have a look on it from the top of the canyon and you will see hundreds of turtles taking sun baths. But when we will go down to the pool, all turtles will hide inside the pool and make funny noises. Next to the turtles pool we will see the ghost city in sands. People left it in the time of Soviet Union but right next to it crazy beautiful wild beach of Caspian sea is located. May be in a few years people will come back there and set up modern tourist center but by this time we can enjoy the piece of untouched nature and stay there overnight.
Day 9: Fort-Shevchenko, Kazakhstan
On day 9 we finally won’t get up very early and will spend all day on the blue beach. We will take sunbaths, swim in the Caspian sea and will have a rest from the long road. According to our feelings this is needed. But if tourist is short of time or feels ready for next adventures we can skip this day.
Day 10: Fort-Shevchenko, Kazakhstan to Shopan Ata Necropolis, Kazakhstan
On the next day we will take our road to Kapamsay Canyon. The rocks of Kapamsay canyon are composed of sedimentary deposits of the Jurassic-Cretaceous period. In the northeastern part is Mount Kapam, 199.4 meters above sea level. In the south of the canyon are the ruins of the village "Way to Communism", which in Soviet times, the local inhabitants of the village were engaged in fishing, then the northern coast of the Caspian Sea. In the Silicon Valley of Mangistau, the Kapamsay tract is located. These are large chalk cliffs, at the foot of which a narrow but deep river once flowed. At the bottom of a dry riverbed there is a green grove with huge centuries-old trees. Travelers sometimes never reach the bottom of the river, as they are fond of collecting silicon stones, which are strewn with terrain. The surface of the soil is covered with a touch of salt, there are no fresh water sources, nor are vegetation. Then we are going to the city of Aktau and will have a little city tour in the best sights of the largest city in west Kazakhstan. Next our road lays through Karakiya depression. Karagiye is 85 kilometers long and up to 25 kilometers wide and was previously part of the Caspian Sea. According to archaeological data, the formation of the depression is associated with phenomena characteristic of this region of the Caspian Sea, known as karst. Groundwater in these places seeped deep into the earth and dissolved rocks for centuries. The result of this phenomenon was the formation of underground voids, grottoes and caves, which collapsed under their own weight of sand layers and were filled with crushed rock. The depth of the depression has reached more than 130 meters below sea level and continues to increase. Our next place of interest will be Shopan ata underground mosque. It is one of the most famous places in Mangystau regon. Hundreds of people come there with the hope to heal. The cemetery next to it is very old. You can have a look how does the graves develop through the centuries. Some of them are already unknown but by the size of grave you can guess that it was someone very famous. The host of underground mosque is very friendly and welcomes tourists. He will tell you about the history of this place and the personality of Shopan Ata in Kazakh language and our guide will translate it to you. Closer to evening we appear next to the perfect creation – Bokty mountain. On one side it looks like a giant upside keel of the boat when viewed from the South, the mountain is related to majestic, rugged horizontal, multi colored stripes miraculous pyramid. From the base to half of the mountain is colored white-yellow-red stripes, the remaining part to the top is a solid color from gray-brown to greenish. The base of the mountain like the paws and figures of fantastic animals. With the great view we will stay overnight.
Day 11: Shopan Ata Necropolis, Kazakhstan to Beyneu, Kazakhstan
On the 11th day we are going to the pearl of all Mangystau region – Boszhira valley. Once it was a bay of the sea that dried up ages ago. It can be compared to Arizona though the Kazakh valley is completely white. It fascinates with its vastness and spectacular views as if it belonged to another planet with no rivers or highways, where the greatness of nature is unwavering … These are dazzling white rocks, the most famous of which is the one with limestone peaks reaching toward the sky resembling two claws. There are a lot of online images of them, and anyone who is planning to visit Western Kazakhstan has seen them. Surrounded by fantastic dazzling white, lunar-like landscapes you can fully experience the power of nature. Firstly we will look and take amazing pics from the panoramic location and then take lunch and go down to the valley to explore the area. Next we are going to Beket Ata underground mosque. This is the most sacred place in west Kazakhstan. Here we expect a little hike to reach it. The landscapes on the way are absolutely wonderful and you are always thinking how did the man in 18th century build it by himself. Beket ata was a Sufism Muslim and when he turned 40y.o he started to teach children how to read. During his life he has built 4 underground mosques in Mangustau region. In this day Mangystau region tour ends up. There are some options about the road back. We can take you to the airport of Aktau city and you can return home or to Almaty on it(plane tickets are not uncluded to the price). Second option is to return to Almaty city with us but get ready for long transfers. Third option is to continue the tour to Uzbekistan. The place where we finish Mangustau tour is perfect to continue on Uzbekistan.
What's included
The price includes 2 nights in a hotel in the city of Beyneu and Aktau. The rest of nights we offer you to stay in beautiful camping spots (we provide all camping equipment). According to your wished it is posible to provide more campings/more hotel stays.
What to know
This tour can be customized. Please get in touch with me.
Route & locations
Almaty, Kazakhstan to Shymkent, Kazakhstan