It’s not day by day a spot wows me. I’ve traveled to over 100 nations, and the bar is ready excessive. However Kazakhstan did simply that, and in the present day I wish to share my itinerary for spending 4 days in Mangystau with you. Sometimes called “Mars on Earth,” this a part of Central Asia is known for its otherworldly landscapes, beautiful salt flats, and Caspian Sea shoreline. If you wish to journey someplace that can really amaze you, learn on for my information to methods to go to this distinctive area. I’ve included a map, too.
4 Days in Mangystau
One of many downsides of working a journey weblog for a dwelling is that the extra of the world I expertise, the tougher it’s for a brand new place to actually fill me with a way of awe. It’s uncommon that I am going on a visit that genuinely takes my breath away. Enter Mangystau.
When you’ve learn my latest weblog submit with an itinerary for Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan, you’ll know I’ve traveled to Central Asia to talk at a convention in Almaty. After my discuss at TBEX, I’m off to western Kazakstan for a post-conference tour sponsored by the organizers.
The 4-day itinerary for Mangystau guarantees a mixture of city highlights and off-road journey by surreal pure landscapes. I can’t wait to see what’s in retailer for my group.
Day 1: Aktau
After a 3-hour flight from Almaty to Aktau, my group lands at 2pm and meets our information within the arrivals corridor. From there we’re pushed to our lodging, the Dostyk Enterprise Lodge. We drop our luggage in our rooms and head off on a strolling tour of town.
Aktau Strolling Tour
Our first cease is correct close to the resort. There are three murals of Kazakh feminine heroes from World Battle II painted in larger-than-life kind on the edges of buildings. From pilots to machine gunners, their tales are inspirational.
The following cease on our strolling tour of Aktau is the Everlasting Flame Memorial. It’s additionally devoted to those that fought in World Battle II, and there are statues throughout it.
From there we stroll to the Caspian Riviera Lodge, which is correct on the ocean. We’re right here to study concerning the area’s well-known sturgeon fish and see the resort’s spectacular in-house aquarium (it even has a glass ground).
The ultimate cease on our tour is the Rock Path. Strolling alongside this seafront boardwalk is among the hottest issues to do in Aktau, and we’re fortunate to reach throughout golden hour.
The sunshine is gorgeous, and it’s enjoyable to look at the boat cruises from the waterfront as we stroll beside the cliffs.
Dinner
When the tour is completed, we hop in vans for the trip to the Rixos Water World resort, a family-oriented resort with a water park. We arrive at sundown and revel in beautiful views from the seashore. Afterwards we’ve got a buffet dinner in an enormous eating room earlier than heading again to our resort for the night time.
Day 2: Mangystau
The following morning we get up early, have a fast breakfast on the Dostyk Enterprise Lodge, and hop in vans for the drive to the Mangystau desert within the inside of the area.
Tuzbair Salt Flat
After 4 hours on the Aktau-Beyneu freeway and a collection of dust tracks, we arrive on the Tuzbair Salt Flat. This beautiful place is 9 miles (15 kilometers) lengthy, and it seems like one thing from one other planet.
The panorama is glowing white so far as we will see, and the dramatic cliffs of the Ustyurt Plateau stand up across the edges. We even spot mirages that seem like lakes. It provides me goosebumps.
Quickly we cease at a novel pure rock arch within the cliffs to take photos. As we do, our information tells us that this place is 200 million years previous. It was as soon as on the backside of the prehistoric Tethys Ocean, and there are seashells, urchin skeletons, and fossilized shark enamel embedded throughout us.
After our photograph cease, we drive a bit farther into the salt flat for a picnic lunch. It’s sizzling and breezy exterior, however our drivers do a formidable job establishing a desk with a noon feast for us to get pleasure from.
Mount Sherkala
Leaving the salt flat, we drive to Mount Sherkala. Also referred to as the Fortress of the Lion, it’s a solitary chalk-and-limestone mountain rising up out of the flat panorama round it.
Positioned close to the city of Shetpe, Mount Sherkala tops out at almost 1,000 ft (300 meters) above the desert plain surrounding it.
As we {photograph} the mountain, our information tells us that there was as soon as a medieval fortress and a caravanserai within the space. Touring retailers used Mount Sherkala as a waypoint and relaxation cease on their journeys.
Valley of the Castles
After a second cease to {photograph} Mount Sherkala from one other perspective, we drive to a well-liked spot within the Airakty-Shomanai Mountains. Ukranian author and artist Taras Shevchenko dubbed this place the “Valley of the Castles” when he got here right here to color it in 1851.
After photographing the beautiful orange rock formations (aka “castles”), we drive deeper into the valley to look at the sundown. It’s magical right here, what with wild horses working by the hills and the moon rising between jagged peaks because the sundown paints the sky orange and pink.
As a lot as I like photographing and filming all of it, I can’t assist placing my digicam and cellphone away after some time so I can take in the magic of the second.
Yurt Camp
When the sky begins to darken, we drive into Shetpe to spend the night time in yurts at Qazaq Camp. We every get our personal spacious lodging, full with air-con and linens that look model new.
There are a number of blocks of bathhouses dotted all through the camp. Every comprises separate rooms with showers, sinks, and bogs. There’s WiFi, too, which is sweet in a area with restricted cell reception.
After getting settled in, we get pleasure from a standard family-style dinner within the spacious eating yurt. There’s stay music to accompany the feast, and we welcome the meals and leisure after an extended day of exploring Mangystau.
Day 3: Mangystau
The following morning we’ve got a fast breakfast at Qazaq Camp earlier than heading out to find extra of the area. If yesterday is something to go by, it’s going to be wonderful. Spoiler alert: it’s much more awe-inspiring.
Shopan Ata
Our first cease is at Shopan Ata. It’s comprised of a centuries-old sacred burial web site and a novel underground mosque reduce right into a rock.
Located alongside historic caravan routes that join Mangyshlak to Khorezm, the mosque options 12 interconnected chambers. It’s a testomony to the truth that the Kazakh individuals see Mangystau as a spiritually important area. I can see why. This place has otherworldly written throughout it.
The encompassing necropolis is house to round 4,000 historic graves, stone monuments, and conventional Kazakh memorial constructions.
Shopan Ata is a significant non secular pilgrimage vacation spot, and it was named a UNESCO World Heritage Website in 2026. We tour the mosque, stepping contained in the rock and exploring the collection of small carved-out rooms.
From there we stroll by the necropolis, see spiritual pilgrims being supplied holy water from a effectively, and go by a tea home the place guests are supplied refreshment earlier than they proceed their journeys.
Tiramisu Canyon
Our journey continues on the Kyzylkup tract, which is affectionately (and precisely) nicknamed Tiramisu Canyon. After seeing it from above at a viewpoint alongside the freeway, we drive deep into the valley for a more in-depth look.
The rocky layers of the canyon amaze us with their orange, pink, and white stripes. We take within the hills, absorbing the views as we {photograph} and movie all the pieces we see.
Afterwards our information tells us that the colourful strata shaped over hundreds of thousands of years on the ground of the Tethys Ocean. Iron oxide, chalk, and gypsum contribute to the various hues within the rock.
Botky Mountain
From there we drive a brief distance to Botky Mountain, the place we get pleasure from a picnic lunch. Like Tiramisu Canyon, Botky Mountain is thought for the colourful stripes at its base. It rises dramatically up from the flat plain round it, and it’s the right backdrop for our feast.
Bozzhyra Nationwide Park
From Botky Mountain issues get much more wonderful. We drive to Bozzhyra Nationwide Park, an awe-inspiring desert tract on the western fringe of the Ustyurt Plateau. Recognized for white limestone rock formations and dramatic landscapes for miles in each course, this place feels prefer it’s on one other planet.
Our first cease is at The Fangs in Bozzhyra Valley. These two iconic limestone spires kind the nationwide park’s most acknowledged landmark. White in shade and surrounded by a cracked plain, they wow us with their otherworldly look.
From The Fangs we drive to Dragon’s Crest. We arrive on the clifftop viewpoint simply in time for sundown (and are stunned that there are just a few different individuals right here).
The scene takes our breath away. As we stand on the sting of a cliff, we take in views of white chalk and limestone landscapes so far as the attention can see.
The sinking solar units the ridge throughout from us ablaze in orange, and we’ve got to maintain pinching ourselves to consider this place is actual. It’s genuinely one of the wonderful landscapes I’ve seen on all my travels.
After sundown we drive to a different viewpoint referred to as Mars on Earth. This one presents extra beautiful panoramas of volcano-like mountains and rocky plateaus. All of it seems surreal within the mild of blue hour.
Zhanaozen
From Mars on Earth we drive to Zhanaozen for dinner at a restaurant locals name Marjan’s Cafe. We arrive at 11pm, and we welcome the family-style feast of wonderful pumpkin manti dumplings and different Kazakh delicacies.
Aktau
From Zhanaozen it’s an extended drive again to Aktau. We arrive at 2am, examine into the Dostyk Enterprise Lodge, and sleep as late as we will.
Day 4: Aktau
The following day we get pleasure from an enormous breakfast on the resort, then pack up for our flight again to Almaty. We’re all nonetheless in awe of the landscapes we’ve seen for the previous two days, and we will’t assist recounting our adventures as we make our solution to the airport for our flight.
4-Day Mangystau Itinerary
So there you may have it. My itinerary for 4 days in Mangystau. This a part of Kazakhstan is actually one of the memorable locations I’ve ever skilled, and I hope I’ve impressed you to come back right here your self sometime. If I’ve, you’ll be able to ebook a tour with the corporate I traveled with right here, or a barely longer tour with the identical firm right here. When you discovered this submit useful, purchase me a espresso!
Mangystau Map
As promised, I’ve created an interactive Google map of all of the locations on my Mangystau itinerary. You possibly can see it right here. It should assist provide you with a really feel for the place issues are in relation to 1 one other so you’ll be able to plan a visit of your individual.
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