Mangystau

A gateway city on the Caspian Sea for off-road trips into the chalk wilderness of Mangystau: Bozzhyra canyon, the Valley of Balls and underground mosques.

Aktau sits on the eastern shore of the Caspian Sea in western Kazakhstan and is the capital of Mangystau Region. Built in the Soviet era as a uranium and oil town, it uses numbered microdistricts instead of street names, and its seafront features open limestone coastline and a waterfront promenade. Aktau itself is mainly a gateway; the real attractions lie to the east on the Mangyshlak Peninsula and the Ustyurt Plateau. This was once the floor of the ancient Tethys Sea, and its Cretaceous sediments have been eroded by wind into canyons, buttes and stone spheres banded in white, pink and ochre, a landscape often likened to "Mars on Earth". There are two main routes: the northern route, about 150–200 km from Aktau, takes in Sherkala Mountain, the Torysh Valley of Balls, the Ayrakty "Valley of Castles", the Shakpak-Ata underground mosque and the old fortress town of Fort-Shevchenko; the eastern route, 250–300 km from Aktau, covers Bozzhyra canyon, Kyzylkup's "Tiramisu Mountain", the Tuzbair salt flats, and the Shopan-Ata and Beket-Ata underground mosques, the latter two being important pilgrimage sites for Kazakhs. Roads in the wilderness are mostly unpaved dirt tracks with virtually no phone signal or supplies, so you must join a local 4x4 tour or self-drive with a guide; typical trips last 2–4 days, with nights in tents or pilgrim guesthouses. The best seasons are Apr–Jun and Sep–Oct; in Jul–Aug daytime temperatures often exceed 40°C, and winter winds are bitingly cold. Getting there: Aktau Airport has flights to Almaty and Astana, as well as Moscow, Istanbul and elsewhere; Chinese citizens can visit Kazakhstan visa-free for tourism. Note: bring plenty of water and sun protection; dress modestly at pilgrimage sites, and women should bring a headscarf. The Karagiye Depression in the wilderness lies 132 m below sea level, the lowest point in the CIS.

Top sights

• Bozzhyra Valley – A chalk canyon on the edge of the Ustyurt Plateau. Two fang-shaped spires and flat-topped isolated hills make up the most iconic landscape…
• Sherkala Mountain – A solitary hill rising about 300 meters from the flat landscape. From one angle it looks like a crouching lion, and from another like a gia…
• Torysh Valley of Balls – Hundreds of round sandstone concretions, several meters in diameter, are scattered across the desert like stone balls dropped by giants.
• Beket-Ata Underground Mosque – One of Kazakhstan's most important pilgrimage sites: an underground mosque carved into the cliffs of Ogranda Canyon by Beket-Ata, an 18th-c…
• Airakty Valley of Castles – A group of flat-topped mesas near Shetpe, with stacked cliffs that look like ancient castles, rock art and viewing platforms; known as the…
• Shakpak-Ata Underground Mosque – A 10th–14th-century underground mosque carved into a canyon wall, cross-shaped in plan and surrounded by ancient tombs decorated with carvi…
• Sultan-Epe – An underground mosque and cemetery honoring the patron saint of sailors and merchants, overlooking a canyon above the Caspian Sea.
• Fort-Shevchenko – A 19th-century Russian fortress town on the Caspian coast where Ukrainian poet Taras Shevchenko was exiled; home to his memorial museum and…
• Shopan-Ata Underground Mosque – A must-stop on the pilgrimage road to Beket-Ata, with a 10th-century underground mosque and one of Kazakhstan's largest ancient cemeteries.
• Kyzylkup – Hills of layered sedimentary rock in white, pink and ochre that look like sliced tiramisu, one of Mangystau's most photogenic landscapes.
• Tuzbair Salt Flat – A white salt flat hugging the chalk cliffs of the Ustyurt Plateau; the bright salt crust contrasts sharply with the blue sky above.
• Karagiye Depression – A huge depression 132 m below sea level and the lowest land point in the Commonwealth of Independent States, with cliff-top viewpoints over…
• Koshkar-Ata Necropolis – A large cemetery near Aktau where traditional carved stone tombstones sit alongside modern domed mausoleums, forming a “city of the dead.”
• Aktau Caspian Embankment – A seafront promenade built along the limestone shore of the Caspian Sea, ideal for watching sunsets over the water, with city beaches in su…
• Aktau Lighthouse – A lighthouse built on the roof of a nine-story apartment block that still guides ships on the Caspian; Aktau's most unusual landmark.
• Mangystau Regional Museum of History and Local Lore – A regional museum covering the geology, paleontology, archaeology and Kazakh nomadic culture of Mangystau; a good primer before heading int…

Where to eat

• Bozzhyra – A well-reviewed family halal restaurant in Aktau, where you can try fish beshbarmak and camel milk soup.
• Aidyn – An upscale restaurant and lounge on the northern shore with panoramic Caspian views, known for its fish beshbarmak.
• Barashka Dine & Drink – One of Aktau's most popular wine-and-dine spots with Azerbaijani and Mediterranean flavors and fresh salads
• Karvon Uzbek Restaurant – A long-standing Uzbek restaurant by the sea, with tapchan platform seating overlooking the Caspian; plov and kebabs are…

Itineraries

• Mangystau Wilderness Off-Road & Camping Loop – An off-road loop from Aktau to the Valley of Balls, white chalk salt flats, and Bozzhyra, with a visit to Beket-Ata.
• Grand Kazakhstan Tour: Four Major Regions – Connect the Tian Shan, Silk Road cities, Caspian wilderness, and the capital with domestic flights to experience four d…