LOCATIONS OF MANGYSTAU

Airakty are the remnant mountains on Mangyshlak, also known as the "Valley of Airakty Castles". They attract the attention of tourists due to their unusual appearance and ancient history. The remains of the Airakta resemble towers and castles with pointed spires and create the impression of a mysterious desert city. The best time to visit is spring, when the valley is covered with fragrant flowers and the weather is warm. In summer, the landscape is not so beautiful because of the burnt steppe and high temperatures. The landmark of Airakty is the mountain of Airakty, which resembles an ancient temple with a colonnade. You can also see rock paintings of ancient hunters and shepherds with images of camels, mouflons and horses.

We invite you to travel to the Bozzhyra tract, where you can enjoy a unique landscape similar to the scenery for fantasy films, and find out how this landscape was formed from the remains of the Tethys Ocean and what unique features there are. Do not forget to monitor the weather and take warm clothes, because the climate is not always favorable, and the temperature may differ from the temperature in nearby cities by 10-15 degrees.

Mount Bokty resembles a white boat on one side and a pyramid on the other, creating impressive views. This place is part of the Mangystau Nature Reserve and is a remnant at the bottom of the ancient sea, towering 8 meters above the desert area. The mountain is popular with tourists and photographers.

Kapamsai Canyon is a small but impressive natural site. It is located in Mangystau and attracts tourists with its picturesque landscapes and the opportunity to take unique photos. Trees grow at the bottom of the canyon, and at great depth among the rocks there is a grotto with rainwater, a grove and eagle nests. There is a cave in the walls of the canyon, the origin of which is unknown. Probably, people lived there in ancient times. In addition, there were workshops for the production of flint tools, which tourists like to use.

Karatau is a ridge with steep slopes that stretches from east to west and consists of a system of ridges. There is a ridge in the center, on the sides — North and South Aktau. The Karatau ridge is divided from Southern Aktau by depressions — "valleys", which have a complex relief. The rocks of the base come to the surface, forming a low-mountain ridge.

The Kogez Ethnoaul is a popular tourist destination located in the mountainous part of Mangystau, within a radius of 80 km from which there are many natural and historical attractions. In the ethnoaul, you can get acquainted with the life of nomads, plunge into culture and get unforgettable impressions. Camping offers ecological recreation at affordable prices. The ethnoaul is visited by tourists from all over the world, including a tourist in an electric car from the USA, a famous writer from the UK, an archaeologist from Austria and others.

The smallest lake in the region, Lake Kozdikara is located near Zhygylgan, about 2.2 km to the southeast. Its length from north to south is 87 m, width from east to west is 54 m, height above sea level is 5.3 m
The lake has the shape of a heart sign. The water in the lake is blue magic color. To visit here, you need a 4x4 jeep.
Lake Kozdikara, convenient for a temporary stop. The water in the lake is salty and undrinkable, but you can swim in the lake. Due to the high concentration of salt in the lake, it is impossible to drown. There is a spring with fresh water next to the lake. You can also go down to the shore of the Caspian Sea, but it is not recommended to set up tents because of the abundance of vipers. There are a lot of snakes in the area, they live in crevices, bushes and similar secluded places. Inveterate travelers say that they do not crawl to people and it is enough just not to step on their tails. The way to Cape Zhygylgan is not close, so many advise planning the route so that there is an opportunity to visit other attractions

Kyzylkup is a picturesque tract in the northern part of Mount Bokty, where multicolored layers of chalk and iron create a fascinating landscape. A road has recently been paved to the tract, and now everyone can visit it. Once there was a reservoir nearby, thanks to which the tract got its name.

Located in the Torysh tract, the Valley of Balls is famous for thousands of round stone nodules with a radius of up to 4 meters, the origin of which still has no precise explanation. The origin and legends of the concretion is a spherical (also oval, flattened) geological coalescence of a radially radiant structure. Usually it has a core, which served as the basis for the growth of the ball. Nodules are formed in clay and porous sandy rocks. Externally, they also differ, there are densely crystalline and cryptocrystalline or earthy and loose. The origin of this place raises a lot of questions, the answers to which scientists have been searching for more than 250 years.

Tuzbair salt marsh is a picturesque place to visit with an overnight stay in late April and May, when tulips bloom. It is very hot here in summer, and in winter a cold steppe wind blows. Tuzbair is famous for the salt marsh of the same name and the chalk arch, popular among photographers. There are two stone traps for saigas on the territory, built as aran in the 19th century, which are now a historical monument. There are other interesting places nearby: the Ustyurt plateau, the Manat hills and the Brown Rocks, which are worth visiting while traveling through the desert.

Tuyesu — sand dunes resembling the landscape of the Sahara — attract travelers. This endless sandy massif stretches from southeast to northeast for 30 km, its width from north to south is 12 km. In the southern part of the sands, 30 km east of the village of Kyzylsai, there is the village of Senek with a necropolis of the XIX century, famous for the mausoleum of Nurbergen Kalishev, which was built by the master Dutbai Dzhandauletov. Scientists have developed a project to protect the village from sand dunes by planting a strip of shrubs. The Tuyesu geo-ecological hospital has also been opened in the village, and the area of green areas is 740 hectares.

Shakpak-ata is an underground mosque cut down in the thickness of the cape in the Mangystau region. It is the oldest monument in Western Kazakhstan. From an architectural and historical point of view, the mosque is interesting, since this room is carved into solid rock.

The Ybykty Sai Canyon is a picturesque place with bizarre limestone cliffs, 3 to 6 meters high, covered with a pattern resembling chocolate, corals and honeycombs. Here you can meet tourists from all over the world who want to enjoy the breathtaking views and take amazing photos. The canyon is only a few tens of meters long, but its depth at its widest point reaches one meter, and its width is one meter at its narrowest point. The canyon was created thanks to the work of time, water and wind, and has existed for about 66-41 million years, when the dinosaurs became extinct.