The Lost Worlds of the Mangyshlak Peninsula

This eight-day jeep tour of Mangystau is a journey to one of the most mysterious regions of Kazakhstan, where nature and history are intertwined in a unique, almost alien landscape. You will find a route passing through the places that until recently were the bottom of the ancient Tethys ocean, and today amaze with scale, silence and pristine beauty.

You will see the legendary Karagiye depression - one of the deepest in the world, walk through the golden barchans of Seneca sands and the salt marshes of Karynjaryk, where it seems that time has stopped. The program includes a descent into the Balayuk cave with an underground lake, walks at the foot of the multi-layered Bokty mountain and a photo shoot among the “Martian” landscapes of Kyzyl Kup.

The culmination of the trip will be the Bozjira Plateau with its snow-white canyons and giant cliffs, as well as Tuzbair – a place where salt marshes and limestone cliffs change color from dawn to dusk. You will visit the Valley of Castles of Airakta, near Sherkala Mountain, see traces of the Jurassic period in Kokkale and the mysterious stone spheres of Torysh.

The tour will end on the coast of the Caspian Sea: Tamshaly Canyon, Blue Bay and Saura Lake with beaches that are called “Kazakhstan Maldives”. Comfortable SUVs, tent nights under the stars, hot meals and an experienced guide make this journey an ideal choice for those who want to see the real, wild and impressive Mangystau.

Route:

Karagiye – Seneka Sands – Karynjaryk Trench (up and down) – Balayuk Cave – Bokty Mountain – Kyzyl Kup – Bozhira (up, middle, lower plateau) – Tuzbair – Airakty – Sherkala – Kokkalu – Sharov Valley – Shakpak-Ata – Kapamsay – Tamshaly – Blue Bay – Saura.

Important information

• Baggage - no more than one backpack up to 50 liters
• The route can be changed by the guide in adverse weather conditions.

What's included in the tour

1. Comfortable SUV
2. Driver guide
3. Tourist table and chairs
4. Field kitchen and all dining equipment
5. Tent, sleeping bag, carimate
6. Meals: breakfast, lunch, dinner
7. Water all along the route
8. Payment for entry into natural areas

What's not included on the tour

1. Personal hygiene products
2. Specialized and individual medicines
3. Accommodation and services of hotels of Aktau

Additional services

• Donation (sadaqa) when visiting sacred sites
• Shooting on a quadcopter - 20,000 tenge
• In adverse weather conditions, it is possible to overnight in ethno-auls (paid separately)

Insurance availability

Yes, insurance covers passengers.