Mangistau Tour, Kazakhstan is guided tour to discover one of Kazakhstan’s most extraordinary natural regions. Renowned for its breathtaking and diverse landscapes, Mangystau offers travelers unforgettable impressions through visits to exceptionally beautiful and remote locations. The journey is conducted off-road in comfortable, air-conditioned 4×4 vehicles, allowing access to otherwise unreachable sites. The experience is further enhanced by overnight camping beneath clear, starlit skies, creating a deep connection with the surrounding wilderness. With its dramatic scenery and surreal terrain, Mangystau presents a truly out-of-this-world travel experience.
The Mangystau tour, including the Karynzharyk area, starts in Aktau and finishes in Aktau.
Day 1: starts from Aktau—Onere water source—Karynzharyk
Onere water source— the Onere water sourceis a significant artesian spring and oasis in the desert of Kazakhstan’s Ustyurt State Nature Reserve, created by a Soviet-era geological well that provides fresh water, supports local wildlife like jeyrans and wolves, and forms small lakes, making it a vital stop for travelers and a unique desert feature alongside the Karynzharyk depression and Onere buttes.
Karynzharyk is a large and remote depression located in the Mangystau. It is distinguished by its vast salt flats, chalk cliffs, and layered clay formations, creating a striking and otherworldly desert landscape. Parts of the depression lie below sea level, and the area is largely uninhabited, which adds to its pristine and dramatic character.
Day 2: Karynzharyk—Tiramisu
Karynzharyk Depression— is a vast natural hollow. It is known for its dramatic clay and chalk formations, striking desert landscapes, and remote, untouched character. The depression lies well below sea level and known for its unique geology and panoramic views.
Tiramisu—is not a dessert but the name of a unique natural landscape—the Kyzylkup tract in the Mangystau Region. It is characterized by bright red and white chalk layers that resemble the famous Italian dessert because of their distinct, multi-layered colors, and it is a popular destination for tourists.
Day 3: Tiramisu— Bokty Mount
Mount Bokty— is best known for its distinctive layered slopes, where bands of white, red, and brown rock create a vivid, striped appearance. Rising prominently from the surrounding steppe, Mount Bokty offers panoramic views of the desert landscape and is a popular stop for travelers, photographers, and nature enthusiasts exploring Mangystau’s unique geological formations.
Watch a golden sunset over Bokty — an excellent backdrop for photography.
Day 4: Bokty Mount— Bozjyra Mars— Bozjyra Dragon Crest
Bozjyra Mars—often referred to as the “Mars of Mangystau,” is one of the region’s most iconic natural formations, distinguished by its otherworldly terrain of towering limestone cliffs, sharp ridges, and vast open valleys, creating a dramatic and visually striking landscape that reflects the unique geological history of Mangystau.
Bozjyra Dragon Crest— in Mangystau is a striking natural formation characterized by its sharp, serrated ridgeline resembling a dragon’s spine, set amid vast limestone plateaus and dramatic cliffs, offering breathtaking views and exemplifying the region’s unique geological features and raw natural beauty.
Experience a beautiful sunset over the iconic Dragon Crest formation.
Day 5: Bozjyra Dragon Crest — Bozjyra Yurt — Bozjyra Fangs Top
Bozjyra Yurt— visit Bozjyra Yurt in Mangystau offers travelers an authentic cultural and natural experience, combining the region’s dramatic limestone landscapes with traditional nomadic accommodations, allowing guests to immerse themselves in the heritage and serene beauty of Mangystau while enjoying the comfort and simplicity of a yurt stay.
Bozjyra Fangs Top— Bozjyra Fangs Top in Mangystau is a remarkable geological formation renowned for its sharp, fang-like limestone peaks that rise dramatically from the surrounding terrain, offering panoramic vistas and exemplifying the region’s striking natural beauty and unique, otherworldly landscapes.
Conclude the day with a sunset at the Bozjyra Fangs Top — one of the region’s most iconic formations.
Day 6: Bozjyra Fangs Top— Kyzylsay village lunch— Tuzbayr Salt Flat Bottom
Kyzylsay village lunch— take a break and enjoy a hearty local lunch in Kyzylsay Village in Mangystau is a picturesque settlement renowned for its scenic surroundings and cultural heritage, offering visitors an authentic glimpse into local life amid the region’s distinctive landscapes, characterized by rolling hills, vibrant natural colors, and a serene, unspoiled environment.
Tuzbayr Salt Flat — Tuzbayr Salt Flat in Mangystau is a striking natural landmark, distinguished by its expansive, glistening salt plains that stretch across the horizon, creating a surreal and visually captivating landscape, and exemplifying the unique geological and environmental features of the region.
Explore the surreal scenery at the bottom of the Tuzbayr Salt Flat during sunset
Day 7: Tuzbayr Salt Flat Bottom— Tuzbayr Salt— Sherkala Mount— Airakty Castles
Tuzbayr Salt— Tuzbayr Salt in Mangystau is a prominent natural feature, renowned for its vast, shimmering salt expanses that create a surreal and visually arresting landscape, reflecting the unique geological characteristics and stark beauty of the region.
Sherkala Mount— Sherkala Mount in Mangystau is a distinguished natural landmark, celebrated for its unique yurt-like shape, which rises prominently from the surrounding steppe, offering striking panoramic views and exemplifying the region’s remarkable geological formations and dramatic landscapes.
Airakty Castles— Airakty Castles in Mangystau are remarkable natural formations renowned for their dramatic, castle-like structures rising sharply from the surrounding plains, offering impressive panoramic views and showcasing the region’s unique geological history and striking desert landscapes.
Day 8: Airakty Castles— Torysh (Valley of Balls) — Aktau
Torysh (Valley of Balls)— Torysh, known as the Valley of Balls in Mangystau, is a unique natural phenomenon distinguished by its numerous spherical stone formations scattered across the steppe, creating an unusual and captivating landscape that reflects the region’s rare geological processes and natural diversity.
Return to Aktau City
Finish your adventure with a comfortable return to Aktau
