Best Mangystau Tour

in 5 Days

Mangystau Tour - Bozzhira Mangystau region

Overview:

Mangystau tour: Mangystau region is located in south west of Kazakhstan, bordering Caspian Sea to the west. Mangystau is desert with some semi-desert areas. It’s dry and has different geological formations, including Ustyurt Plateau which occupies big part of the region.

Main attractions for tourists of Mangystau region are Boszhira Valley, Sherkala Mountain, Valley of Balls, Tuzbair and many other historical sites such as underground mosque of Shakpak-Ata and Beket-Ata Merdesah.

Administrative centre and largest city of Mangystau is Aktau, located on the eastern shore of Caspian Sea. It’s a big port city and important hub for transport and trade in the region. Aktau means “White Mountains”. Aktau’s economy is based on oil and gas extraction due to big reserves in Caspian Sea. Fishing is also important economic activity due to region’s coastal location.

We offer you the best planned 5 day Mangystau Tour with Jeep that covers all main sights of the region. This is wilderness based expedition where we will camp in the middle of nowhere and stay overnight in tent. We are well equipped with camping and cooking gear so it will be real wild nature tour.

Please ask if you have any questions about Mangystau tour. Hope to see you in this mysterious region of Kazakhstan!

Itinerary:

Welcome to Mangystau tour! Mangystau is really amazing region of Kazakhstan, with mysterious landscapes, rich history and cultural heritage. Our team will meet you on arrival at Aktau airport.

Drive approximately 200km to Zhygylgan Cape. Zhygylgan means “ fallen down” in Kazakh and it really looks like the earth has fallen down in this place. Zhygylgan Cape is beautiful place with stunning chalk cliffs and fascinating lion footprints from ancient times.

Get ready to be amazed by the views and discover extraordinary geological wonders that will leave you speechless. Visit Sultan Epe (35km)Sultan Epe Mosque, underground mosque of the protector of sailors holy Sultan Epe – monument of religious architecture, the mosque was built around IX-XII century.

The mosque has 11 rooms. It’s so narrow that in some places you have to crawl to get from one room to another. Its architecture, ventilation system and lightning show that it was built according to the most advanced models of the time.

Drive another 20km to Kapamsai Canyon. Kapamsai is narrow limestone canyon with steep and even walls that reach 70 meters high. Overnight stay in the tent.

Morning in the middle of nowhere. After breakfast pack the camp and drive to underground mosque Shakpak Ata. The other underground mosque was built back in 9-10 centuries and is famous for its masterpiece of architecture of that time, where you can see how the ventilation system and lightning work.

It’s worth to visit. Next stop is Torysh or well known as The Valley of Balls. Here you can enjoy the mysterious creation of nature, where you can see balls of different sizes and colours, made of sedimentary rocks – sand and clay. Today’s final destination is Sherkala Mountain (70 km).

Sherkala is lonely standing mountain of unusual shape, created during the formation of mountainous Kara-Tau valleys as a result of the land rising from the depths of the sea.

From one side the mountain looks like huge white yurt, but from the other side Sherkala looks like sleeping lion with its huge head resting on its paws. That’s why the mountain is called Sherkala, which in Turkmen means ‘Lion Mountain’.

Airakty-Shomanai Mountains, also known as Valley of Castles, where colossal rock formations resembling grandiose castles provide the tourists with beautiful backdrop for exploration and photography.

These mountains were formed by ancient ocean of Tethys, leaving behind fascinating remnants of marine life that contributed to the region’s unique landscapes. Climb to the top of the mountains and enjoy the views.

Next stop is Tuzbair (130 km). Tuzbair is landscape with deserted shores surrounded by hills of multicoloured clay are amazing. Here you can explore and enjoy Martian landscapes. Overnight stay in the tent.

Drive to Beket Ata Mosque in western Kazakhstan, it will take about 1.5 hours. Beket-Ata was important Sufi scholar who founded several underground mosques and madrasa in Mangistau region in 18th century.

Enjoy another historical legacy at Beket Ata Mosque. Drive to one of the best attractions of Mangistau region, Bozjyra Tract. It’s part of Ustuyrt plateau. Enjoy Martian views of the area! Overnight stay in tent.

Mount Bokty is colorful natural wonder and one of the symbols of Mangystau region. It rises 165 meters above surrounding plains and is striped with shades of white, yellow, coral and brown, looks like layered cake.

Clearly visible boundaries between its multicoloured clay and sandstone deposits make it really amazing. Kyzylkup invites you to admire Tiramisu Canyon, where dark brown and white striped rock formations create mesmerizing view, similar to Antelope Canyon.

In the afternoon drive back to Aktau city. Check into local hotel in city centre. Farewell dinner with the team. Thanks for coming!

Best Mangystau Tour

Duration: 5-Days
Availability: Four seasons
Best time: April, May, September, October
Begin and end: Aktau / Aktau
Tour type: Sightseeing
Price from: 1550 USD p.p

Our highlights

Bozzhyra Track
Ustyurt Plateau
Sherkala Mounains
Beket Ata Ground Monastery
Zhygylgan Cape
Torysh, Valley of Balls
Tuzbair
Airakty

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Tour Price Includes

Land Transportation 4*4
Local Driver
English speaking guide
Camping gear tent, matrass, sleeping bag, kitchen tent
Accommodation in Aktau
Eat & Drink
Fees & Permits
Activities

Tour price excludes

Personal needs
Alcoholic beverages
Gratitude

Tour details:

Please pack all necessary things that you think might be needed. Here are some tips: day pack, sunglasses, anti-mosquito, sunscreen, waterproof jacket, hand sanitizer, toiletries, power bank, camera, headlamp, hat, hiking shoes, warm jacket, sandals, and personal medicine. And please have some cash in case you want to go shopping or buy souvenirs.

Most attractions have their own toilet facilities. But if you’re driving between attractions or hiking in the wilderness, it’s likely to be an outdoor toilet.

Mangystau is land of Martian views. Anyone who loves wilderness expedition and local cultures can join the group tour. This journey is truly unique expedition journey that covers many beautiful places and visits historical heritages.

Please do not hurt the feelings of the locals and respect their traditions. When visiting mausoleum, mosque and other local sacred sites, please dress promptly. Please be ready for the trip at the scheduled time. And if there is any inconvenience please inform your guide first.

Generally there are not many inconveniences on this trip, but let’s remember we are traveling and try to enjoy the moment! The group atmosphere is important and as an experienced team we try to make the tour as enjoyable as possible and ask you to help us.

We are responsible to visit the world of places and see the attractions that we have mentioned in our website and itinerary. We are responsible to guide you with pleasure and give you great expedition.

We are not responsible for any unplanned inconvenience during the tour. We are not responsible for the traffic in the city and finally we are not responsible for the bad weather conditions that you as visitors have to be prepared for in advance.

Please book your trip as soon as possible. To ensure everything runs smoothly, bookings must be made at least two months in advance.If some photos of the attractions are not available, we will replace them with photos of other highlights that are not less exciting.

The tour is flexible and we can create your own personal expedition based on your wishes, including private or group tours.

With Mangystau tour, We will be visiting many places and will always be on the move, there will be several transfers and flights between Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan and it would be appreciated if you could bring very well packed luggage and probably duffel bags rather than suitcases.

We travelers will be visiting many bazaars and public places, so travelers please take care of your belongings and be careful with your money and documents.

It’s perfectly fine to take a day or two off during the trip to just relax. If you are in your 40s or 50s we will probably have a day off to rest. It’s cool to visit a new attraction every day, but you do get tired sometimes.

The best time to visit Mangystau is rather Spring or Autumn. During the summer time it gets extremely hot and challenging for trekking. But if you are used to do that hot weather conditions, we can arrange that.

To confirm your trip we ask you to pay 600 USD deposit and the balance can be paid 2 months before the tour start date. For private tour the same payment terms apply. We ask you to make your payment by bank transfer (SWIFT CODE).

Here is our cancellation policy that we recommend our clients to follow.

Cancelling the tour more than 2 months, 50% of the cost of your deposit payment will be rebussed (300 USD)

Cancelling within less than 1 month, the deposit will not be refunded (600 USD)

The Mangystau tour in 5-day is based on camping in the country in the wild nature. During the trip you will stay in the country in a tent and enjoy the surrounding Martian views. On the last day of the trip you will stay in a comfortable hotel in the centre of Aktau city on the coast of the Caspian Sea..

We have an expedition chef and three meals a day are included in the tour. At lunchtime we will always be on the move so lunch will be served as a packed lunch or visit to a small town in that region.

Our experienced chef cooks traditional local and international dishes and if you prefer a vegetarian or vegan meal please let us know in advance. That is absolutely fine with us!

This is a wilderness expedition and you will visit several attractions each day, covering over 1000 kilometres in total. The local support team is therefore very important. During your Mangystau tour, you will be supported by the local driver who is experienced in this region and will take you from one place to another very smoothly.

We will have an off-road vehicle which can survive in such a dust mountain route. Our English speaking tour guide will introduce you to the local traditions, cultures and history of the mausoleums, all while showcasing the warm hospitality of the local people. Additionally our expedition cook will serve three meals a day and take good care of you during your visit, ensuring you experience the region’s famous warm hospitality.