The Adventures of Nicole explored the Mangystau Region with the Department of Tourism Development of the Mangystau Region in order to promote the remote region’s highlights. All opinions are her own.

Exploring Mangystau: A Complete Guide Through Kazakhstan’s Mystical Desert Landscapes

Exploring Mangystau: A Complete Guide Through Kazakhstan’s Mystical Desert Landscapes was originally published in 2025

The Mangystau Desert sprawls across the wilds of Kazakhstan’s far west reaches, hugging the coast of the Caspian Sea. This is where vast, arid landscapes stretch from the shores of the Caspian to the Uzbek border.

The Mangystau Region, set against the desolate backdrop of the Ustyurt Plateau, is a place steeped in ancient mythological legend, sacred Sufi underground mosques, and beguiling martian landscapes. Here, limestone cliffs rise dramatically from the plains, canyons cut deep into the earth, and spiritual sites that are often subterranean and carved right into rock.

During its time under the Soviet Union, Kazakhstan supplied 60% of the USSR’s mineral resources and continues to have massive oil reserves today. Mangystau’s significance rose in the 1950s following the discovery of a massive oil reserve and large deposits of both phosphorus and uranium in the region.

Aktau, the region’s capital and largest city, was only established in the early 1960s following the oil discovery nearby. This era of construction can be seen through the brutalist architecture scattered throughout the city with ominous apartment blocks strewn about.

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Best Time to Visit the Mangystau Desert

Mangystau’s climate is a land of extremes: scorching summers and bone-chilling winters.

The best times to visit are spring (April-May) and fall (September-October) when temperatures are mild and more tolerable.

Summer (July-August) brings intense heat that can top 40°C, but the dryness makes it surprisingly manageable.

The winter months (November-March can be downright frigid with humid cold winds whipping off the Caspian Sea that seem to permeate right through your clothes.

Myself, I explored Mangystau in November and can say that it wasn’t the best time weather-wise with hellacious storms and damp, cold winds. Rainfall, albeit rare, fell on four of the eight days I spent around the Mangystau Region.

How to get to Mangystau Region

It’s no secret that Kazakhstan’s far west region of Mangystau is quite remote. To put it into perspective how large Kazakhstan is- Aktau is nearly the same distance from Moscow as it is from Kazakhstan’s capital city of Astana.

You do have a few options to reach Mangystau region- by road, plane, ferry, and train.

A handy way to look for and purchase transport options between cities in Kazakhstan is on tickets.kz where you can check plane, rail, and bus options.

By Flight:

Flying to Aktau to begin your adventure around the Mangystau region is the most convenient. There are regular flights to Aktau from Astana, Almaty, and other cities in Kazakhstan. You will also find flights to Baku, Tbilisi, Kutaisi, Istanbul, Doha, and various cities in Russia.

By Train:

Traveling to Mangystau and Aktau by train is a long slow journey. There are services to Astana, Almaty, Aktobe, and other cities in Kazakhstan. To put it in perspective- I took a 55 hour train to get from Aktau to Almaty. Not for the faint of heart.

Do note that the name of the station serving Aktau is called Mangystau Station (sometimes the old name of Mangyshlak Station is used). There is an Aktau Station but it is located in Karaganda Region, in Central-East Kazakhstan over 2000 kilometers away.

By Road:

Again, like the train, you can expect this to be a slow arduous journey reaching Mangystau from other parts of Kazakhstan. That said, there are regular bus services connecting Aktau and other larger towns in Mangystau.

Myself, I had just finished running a tour of Turkmenistan and combined it with my visit to Mangystau by crossing the Garabogaz-Temir Baba Border Crossing.

By Ferry:

The ferry from Baku to Aktau is still possible to take for those looking to cross the Caspian Sea. Do note that as of 2024, you still can only exit Azerbaijan to Kazakhstan by ferry. You can only enter Azerbaijan by plane.

Solo Adventure or Guided Tour?

While the thought of renting a jeep and tearing off into the desert sounds exciting, Mangystau’s vast, expanses, limited infrastructure, remoteness, and lack of phone coverage make it easy to get lost.

Many of the jeep trails aren’t even on maps, so I would recommend hiring a local guide or going with a tour operator for most visitors unless off-roading and a bit of trailblazing are your jam.

Do know that if you do go at it on your own, it’s easy to get lost in Mangystau’s more remote areas, so it would be wise to pack a GPS with you. It is also best avoided to head out on jeep tracks and off-road trails after a recent rain as the likelihood of getting stuck greatly increases.

Of course, a benefit to going guided is that the local operators know the best camping spots, bring essential camping gear, and know how to easily navigate to even the most remote of destinations.

Should I Base Myself in Aktau or Move Each Night?

The Mangystau Region is vast and underdeveloped, with long driving distances made longer by either roads of poor conditions or just no roads at all.

That said, those who enjoy creature comforts may opt to base themselves in Aktau and do a series of day trips to explore Mangystau, while the more adventurous can camp en route as they traverse the region.

If long drive times each day getting to and from various locations isn’t an issue, you may want to opt to sleep in Aktau each night but if not spending as much time in the car and out exploring is your priority, plan to sacrifice a bit of comfort and camp.

Where to Stay in Aktau

Aktau boasts many accommodation options as it is a Caspian Sea getaway. Here are the accommodations I got to stay at during my time in Aktau and can thoroughly recommend:

Budget:

Kaspi Hostel is an excellent option for backpackers with welcoming staff and conveniently located about 30 minutes on foot from downtown Aktau.

Gostevoi 125 Hotel was the perfect spot to break after long and cold rainy days. Rooms are private but the hostel is located in the outskirts. Great location for independent travelers with their own vehicle, but if here without a car, plan to Yandex into the city.

Midrange:

Rahat Hotel is located just off of the coast and about 30 minutes walk from downtown Aktau. The hotel has a Soviet-era feel to it and the included breakfast is excellent.

Zhagalau Resort is located about 15 minutes south of Aktau by car. Zhagalau Resort is perfect for those wanting a sandy beach, pool, and a villa vibe. Their onsite restaurant Bal Jide serves up excellent Kazakh cuisine as well.

Splurge:

Caspian Riviera Grand Palace is sat right on the coast along the Rock Trail and pretty centrally located in Aktau. The hotel boasts excellent rooms with great onsite services and restaurants.

Mangystau Packing List

• Layering clothing (a warm winter jacket if visiting November-March too!)
• Hiking boots
• Sunglasses
• Sunscreen
• Garmin Inreach
• Western Kazakhstan Guidebook

Must-See Spots in the Mangystau Desert

Aktau

More than likely, Aktau will serve as your jumping-off point to explore the greater Mangystau Region, it is the provincial capital after all.

Aktau isn’t the largest city, home to over 100,000 people, making it easy to see in one to two days.

A few things to check out while you’re in Aktau include walking the Rock Trail, visiting the Aktau Beaches, seeing the monuments along Nursultan Nazarbayev Avenue, and visits to the Mangystau Regional Museum of History & Local Lore and larger Mangystau Museum.

Make sure the read my Quick Guide to Aktau for more information on the city of Aktau and to plan your visit.

Ustyurt Plateau

Bozzhyra Canyon

Bozzhyra is arguably Mangystau’s most iconic landscape, where jagged spires stand like natural skyscrapers rising from the white, chalky plains beneath them. With a blend of sheer cliffs and funky rock formations, Bozzhyra feels like something out of a sci-fi film set (so much so there is a local rumor that scenes from Dune were shot here).

The views from the edge of Bozzhyra’s cliffs are otherwordly, and Bozzhyra’s remote location gives it a real end-of-the-earth feel.

The main features of Bozzhyra to spot are the Azu Tisteri (Fang Teeth), White Cliffs, Martian Panorama, and the Dragon’s Crest, among others.

Bozzhyra makes up part of the southwestern Ustyurt Plateau that sprawls across the border into western Uzbekistan and all the way to the western reaches of what remains of the Aral Sea in Uzbekistan.

Bozzhyra, like many of the rock formations of the Mangystau Region, the Ustyurt Plateau in both Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, all the way down to the famed Yangikala Canyon in Turkmenistan all sat below the ancient Tethys Sea, emerging as the massive sea dried and eroded these famous natural wonders.

Kyzylkup (Tiramisu Mountains)

Kyzylkup’s unique geographical feature has gained it the local nickname of ‘Tiramisu’ owing to its striped appearance of reddish-brown and chalky white rock layered together.

Kyzylkup is a meandering set of rolling hills in some areas, so make sure to explore its sprawling features.

Mount Bokty

Mount Bokhty is part of the Kyzylkup Mountains but gets a special mention as this trapezoidal mountain appears on Kazakh banknotes. From one angle Mount Bokhty is a trapezoid, and from another, a pyramid.

Shopan Ata

Dating back to the 12thcentury, Shopan Ata is among the oldest religious sites in Mangystau, revered by Kazakhs as the mausoleum of a legendary saint and religious figure.

Shopan Ata was a Sufi dervish, believed to have been a disciple of Khoja Ahmed Yasawi, a prominent Sufi figure. Legend has it, Shopon Ata shot an arrow with the intent to spread Islam wherever it landed- which happened to be on the land of a wealthy bai named Bayan. In return for his use of the land to build a mosque to spread Sufism, Shopon Ata offered to work for Bayan as a shepherd, which led to Shopon Ata becoming known as a saint of shepherds among Sufis.

The Underground Mosque of Shopon Ata is among several similar structures you’ll encounter in Mangystau, unique to this region. The area also features a necropolis, including a grave to Shopon Ata’s father-in-law, Bayan Baba.

Nearby, before reaching Shopon Ata is the open-roofed mausoleum to his son-in-law- make sure the visit the son-in-law’s tomb prior to Shopon Ata’s Underground Mosque. Once both of these sites have been visited, Beket Ata is next.

Pilgrims come from across Kazakhstan to pay respects, leaving offerings and seeking blessings here at Shopon Ata.

Beket Ata

Beket Ata was a revered 18th-century Sufi healer and scholar of astronomy, physics, and mathematics.

A steep path descends a cliffside of the Oglandy Mountains to Beket Ata’s Underground Mosque built right into the rock above a ravine.

Sor Tuzbair

Sor Tubzair is a vast salt flat extending 15 kilometers across, that once sat beneath the Tethys Sea. Those who take the time to explore the rock faces encircling Sor Tuzbair will find pre-historic marine creatures and shells fossilized and embedded in stone.

 Karynzharyk Depression

The Karynzharyk Depression from a distance, almost looks like a dystopian scene of an atomic bomb exploding with Mount Karamaya rising vertically above the 85 kilometer wide salt pan that forms the Karynzharyk Depression.

Most of the depression is 40-50 meters below sea level with Mount Karamaya, and the Three Brothers Mountains disrupting its flatness.

Senek Sands

Smack about halfway between the industrial town of Zhanaozen and Bozzhyra lie the rolling dune fields of the Senek Sands.

The Senek Sands form a 10 x 30 kilometer rolling desert landscape of sand dunes that resemble the classic deserts of Arabia.

Ustyurt Caves

The Ustyurt Caves are strewn throughout the region with about 50 known caverns. The three most famous are the Balayuk Cave, Karagan-Bosaga Cave, and Utebay Cave.

These caves can be quite massive and given their distance from Aktau make for a great two day trip from the city.

Mangystau Mountains

Torysh, the Valley of Balls

Torysh Valley, also known as the “Valley of Balls,” is a geological oddity filled with nearly perfect spherical boulders scattered across the plain. Scientists believe that the rocks formed this way due to erosion in a similar fashion to the Alien Egg Hatchery in New Mexico’s Bisti Badlands.

Sherkala (Lion Mountain)

Sherkala, translates to “Lion’s Fortress,” in the Persian language. It is a massive, yurt-shaped mountain that rises from the flat desert surroundings.

Near the base is an ancient Silk Road-era caravanseri and legend has it, Genghis Khan’s son, Jochi, had a fortress that sat atop Sherkala that served as a lookout for invaders traveling the ancient route.

Sherkala is another famed formation to land on Kazakh Tenge- Sherkala can be seen on the 1000 Tenge note.

Airakty Shomanai (The Valley of Castles)

Inspired by the towering rock formations of Airakty, poet Taras Shevchenko, exiled to the wilds of the Mangystau Region, once painted scenes he called “The Valley of Castles.”

Shetpe

Shetpe is a small town in Mangystau about one hour in the car away from Aktau. There isn’t much to see in Shetpe but it serves as a jumping-off point into the Mangystau Mountains.

If passing through Shepte, it is worth your while to stop into the Serikbol Kondybai Museum, the first and only museum in Kazakhstan dedicated to Kazakh mythology.

Serikbol Kondybai studied the mythology of the Mangystau region as well as the mythology of greater Kazakhstan, producing several books on Kazakh mythology, including one that uncovers the proto-Turkic origins of Germanic-Scandinavian mythology.

Adai Ata Mausoleum

The Adai Ata Mausoleum is a lesser-known, yet significant spiritual site in Mangystau. This mausoleum is dedicated to the 15 century leader of the Adai tribe, Adair Ata.

Tub-Karagan Peninsula

Kapamsay Canyon

Once home to a river, this canyon is now a narrow, brilliant-white gorge. Local lore is that Kapam Ata, a legendary warrior king, and grandson of Shopon Ata was buried after his death here in the Kapamsay Gorge. At certain reaches, the walls of Kapamsay Gorge are 70 meters high.

Although the river that once cut Kapamsay Canyon is no more, there is an oasis-like rainwater pool that collects in a hidden corner of the canyon.

Kokkala Gorge

Kokkala Gorge is a little visited small canyon near Torush and Shakpak Ata. Kok means blue in Kazakh and kala means fortress, a fitting name for a place with stripes of coal in its walls that give a blue appearance in direct sunlight. You can pretty easily walk up onto one of the walls of the gorge to get great views of Kokkala and the surrounding areas.

Shakpak Ata

Shakpak Ata is arguably the most impressive of the Mangystau Underground Mosques. Carved right into a cliffside, with origins believed to date back to the 10th century. One thing that makes Shakpak Ata unique is the inscriptions and drawings found carved into its walls, the only site in the Aral-Caspian region featuring this.

Shakpak Ata also features a large necropolis with over 3000 graves, some of which are built into caves in the same cliffside Shakpak Ata Underground Mosque is dug into. The necropolis outside is divided into Kazakh graves on the northern side and Turkmen graves on the southern side.

Have any questions about visiting the Mangystau Region?

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