Mount Sherkala is a solitary rock shaped like a yurt from one side and a resting lion from the other. The summit needs climbing gear, but a two-hour walk around the mountain reveals a new panorama at every turn.
Mount Sherkala is a solitary mountain in the Mangystau region, visible from many kilometres away. It owes its fame to an unusual silhouette: from one side it resembles a giant yurt, from the other a lion lying down with its head resting on its paws.
Reaching the summit requires proper climbing gear — the limestone slopes are sheer, easing off only near the very top.
Walking around the mountain, however, is within everyone's reach and takes about two hours. It is worth doing: every new bend in the trail reveals a panorama unlike the one before.
Honest numbers before you take the wheel. We are not selling an adventure — we are explaining what you would be dealing with.
Driving here yourself requires four-wheel drive and a water supply: there are no fuel stations or services on the route.
Shots from our trips — click to enlarge
Leave the logistics to people who drive here all year round: prepared vehicles, satellite communication and a guide who knows where the ground holds and where it does not.
Torysh Valley of Stone Balls → Kok-Kala → Mount Sherkala and 1 more stop
Kapamsay Canyon → The Shakpak-Ata mosque → Shakpak-Ata Sai and 5 more stops
Karagiye → Onere (spring) → Karynzharyk and 24 more stops