Tamshaly is an oasis canyon on the Tyub-Karagan peninsula, about three kilometres long. Thin jets of water fall from its rock walls — the "drip" that gave the place its name — and a freshwater lake lies deep inside, ringed by greenery.
Tamshaly is a canyon and natural oasis on the Tyub-Karagan peninsula. Its name means "drip" in Kazakh: thin streams seep from the limestone walls and fall, bringing coolness and the effect of stone rain.
The canyon runs for about three kilometres. Its layered limestone walls hold grottoes, and deep inside lies a freshwater lake ringed by thickets — a rarity in Mangystau, where surface water is almost unknown. The springs of Tamshaly have watered the peninsula's inhabitants since ancient times: burials and traces of settlements are found nearby.
In winter the canyon becomes unrecognisable: the streams freeze and the walls turn into organ pipes of ice — one of the most spectacular winter sights in Mangystau.
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.
Karagiye → Onere (spring) → Karynzharyk and 24 more stops
Tamshaly Gorge → The Caspian Sea coast → Kapamsay Canyon and 14 more stops
Karagiye → Kyzylkup → Boszhira (upper plateau) and 19 more stops