Mangystau, the Aral Sea and classic Uzbekistan in 14 days
Mangystau → Karakalpakstan → Muynak & the Aral Sea → Nukus → Khiva → Bukhara → Samarkand → Tashkent
Price on requestView tour
An ancient seabed · Kazakhstan
Mangystau
White cliffs, stone spheres and underground mosques by the Caspian.
Mangystau, on the eastern shore of the Caspian Sea, was once a seabed. Today it is a desert of white chalk cliffs, canyons and strange rock formations. The cliffs of Bozjyra, the field of stone spheres at Torysh and the lone mesa of Sherkala feel like another planet.
The region is also a place of pilgrimage, with underground mosques such as Beket-Ata carved into the rock. It requires a 4×4, camping or simple stays, and a few days.
- Time needed
- 3–4 days
- Best time
- April–May and September–October
- Getting there
- Fly to Aktau, then travel by 4×4 with a driver and guide.
Don’t miss
Highlights
- 01
Bozjyra
White cliffs and fang-like pinnacles on the Ustyurt edge.
- 02
Torysh
A valley scattered with giant stone balls.
- 03
Sherkala
A mesa shaped like a yurt, or a sleeping lion.
- 04
Beket-Ata
An underground mosque and pilgrimage site.
Tours
Tours that include Mangystau
Kazakhstan in 10 days: Almaty, the Tian Shan lakes and the mysteries of Mangystau
Almaty → Charyn Canyon → Kaindy Lake → Kolsai Lakes → Mangystau
Price on requestView tour
Mangystau and the Aral Sea in 9 days: from the Caspian to Karakalpakstan
Mangystau → Karakalpakstan → Muynak & the Aral Sea → Nukus → Tashkent
Price on requestView tour
Mangystau expedition in 9 days: canyons, salt flats and the Caspian
A week by 4x4 and tent across Kazakhstan’s wild west: the underground mosque of Shakpak Ata, the stone spheres of Torysh, Sherkala, the Valley of Castles, Tuzbair, Bozzhyra, the Tiramisu hills and the Caspian shore.
Price on requestView tour
Nearby
Continue your journey
