A cone-shaped Mangystau mountain with pink and white strata at its base, two camels grazing on the pale plain in front

Discovering Mangystau: 18 Astonishing Places

Duration: 6 daysDifficulty: easyCrew: up to 3 pax

Adventure tourismFamily friendly

from$2,320per vehicle (up to 3 pax)

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Crew sizeMaximum 3 passengers

BoardFull board, field chef

NightsA tent and a sleeping place for each

CommsVehicle radios, satellite channel with the guide

Route locations

Tamshaly Gorge
Zhygylgan
Sultan-Epe
Kapamsay
Torysh Valley of Stone Balls
Kok-Kala
Sherkala
The Airakty Valley of Castles
Tousled Canyon
Tuzbair (lower plateau and the salt lake)
The natural arch
Kyzylkup
Boszhira (upper plateau)
Boszhira (lower plateau)
Boszhira (middle plateau) / the Airplane Wing ridge
Mount Bokty
The Senek Sands
The Karagiye Depression

18 locations on the programme

Day-by-day itinerary

Arrival times are planned around the light: you are on the viewpoint before it starts, not after.

08:00Group meet-up in Aktau
10:00Arrive at Tamshaly Gorge, a walk to the dripstone falls
11:00Leave the gorge
12:00Arrive at Zhygylgan, a trek to the heart-shaped lake
14:00Lunch at the Zhygylgan upper viewpoint
15:00Depart for the underground Sultan-Epe mosque
15:40Arrive at Sultan-Epe: visit the mosque, explore the grounds
17:00Depart for Kapamsay Canyon
17:00Arrive at Kapamsay Canyon: set up camp, dinner, rest

08:00Breakfast, break camp
09:30Depart camp
10:30Torysh Valley of Stone Balls: trek to the famous round boulder, drive to the upper viewpoint, walk through the valley
12:00Depart for Kok-Kala
13:00Arrive at Kok-Kala (lunch), walk around the area, hike to the summit
15:00Depart for Mount Sherkala
15:30Arrive at Mount Sherkala: view it from the 'Lion' side, climb to the caves, drive around the mountain, photos at the 'Yurt of the Gods'
16:00Depart for the Airakty Valley of Castles
16:30Arrive at the Airakty Valley of Castles: view the chalk rock with 300-year-old petroglyphs, climb Mount Airakty overlooking the 'Dragon Ridge'
18:00Arrive at camp: set up, dinner, rest

08:00Breakfast, break camp
09:30Depart camp
10:00Arrive at the town of Shetpe, refuel
11:00Arrive at Tousled Canyon
13:00Lunch after the walk through the canyon
15:00Head to the salt lake
15:30Tuzbair's lower plateau: a trek in search of ancient sea urchins and belemnites
16:30Arrive at the lake: a trek along the salt lake, photos
18:00Head to the natural arch
18:30Arrive at the arch: a walk, photos, set up camp, dinner, rest

08:00Breakfast, break camp
09:30Depart camp
14:00Lunch at Kyzylkup's upper viewpoint
16:30Boszhira's upper plateau, three viewpoints
17:00Depart for Boszhira's lower plateau
18:30Arrive at Boszhira's lower plateau: set up camp, dinner, rest

08:00Breakfast, break camp
09:30Depart camp
10:30Arrive at the middle plateau: drive through the chalk canyon, a stop at the flint fields (ancient squid fossils), a hike to the 'Airplane Wing' ridge (a 5-metre-wide, 285-metre-high cliff edge)
13:00Lunch in the chalk canyon
16:30Arrive at Mount Bokty: a walk, photos recreating the '1,000 tenge' banknote view
17:30Arrive at Kyzylkup: a walk, then transfer to camp, set up, dinner, rest

08:00Breakfast, break camp
09:30Depart camp
11:00The Senek Sands: drive deep into the dunes, a walk, photos
13:00Lunch in the Senek Sands
14:00Depart
15:00Arrive in Zhanaozen, refuel
16:30Arrive at the Karagiye Depression, the Sautty spot
17:30Depart for Aktau
19:00Return to Aktau

Route map

The route runs hundreds of kilometres from Aktau — with no fuel stations, no mobile coverage and no recovery services.

Distance: ≈ 890 kmstops on the route: 15Start and finish — Aktau

A route diagram: the stops are at real coordinates, and the distance is calculated from them with an allowance for dirt roads.

What it costs per person

You charter the whole vehicle. The more travellers join, the less each of you pays.

How many of you are travelling

Expedition cost$2,320

per vehicle (up to 3 pax)

Per person$1,160

The charter price does not change with the number of travellers — only your share does.

What the price consists of

$2,320of the budget

Fuel and vehicle wear30%
Driver-guide24%
Camping equipment20%
Food and chef16%
Reserve entry fees10%

Request this expedition

We reply within one business day: confirm the dates, the group and send a detailed plan.

Price tiers

Price per whole vehicle

Econom

Expedition with your own kitchen

Price on requestAsk the price →

A 4×4 for the whole route and a driver-guide
Transfer from Aktau according to the itinerary
A single tent for each guest and camping gear
Drinking water, tea and coffee at stops
All treks, excursions and photo stops in the programme
Expedition equipment and a first-aid kit
Meals are not included: food and cooking are on you

The same route and the same camp as in Comfort, but you bring and cook your own food. For those who prefer their own menu and want to spend less.

Comfort

A real expedition

$2,320

Everything included in Econom
Three meals a day according to the itinerary
A field kitchen and cookware — we do the cooking

You become part of the expedition crew: you help pitch the tents and set up camp, while the food on the route is our job.

Comfort+

An expedition with comforts

Price on requestAsk the price →

Everything included in Comfort
A field shower
An equipped field toilet
An individual sleeping place
A transfer to the airport after the tour, if needed

You still travel as a member of the expedition and help set up camp, but after a long day you can take a shower. For those who want real wilderness without giving up basic comfort.

Lux

Wild nature, maximum comfort

Price on requestAsk the price →

Everything included in Comfort Plus
A folding cot in the tent instead of a camping mat
An air mattress
Your choice of overnight stay: a hotel or an ethno-village instead of a tent
A premium expedition kitchen
We set up the camp for you
A personal airport welcome and a transfer after the tour

You sleep in a tent as on an expedition, but rest as in a hotel. You wake up in the middle of nowhere while we handle the camp, and a folding cot replaces the mat.

How the tiers differ

How the tiers differ
What's included	Econom	Comfort	Comfort+	Lux
A 4×4 and a driver-guide for the whole route	included	included	included	included
Transfer from Aktau according to the itinerary	included	included	included	included
A single tent and camping gear	included	included	included	included
Treks, excursions and photo stops in the programme	included	included	included	included
Drinking water, tea and coffee at stops	included	included	included	included
Three meals a day cooked in the field kitchen	not included	included	included	included
A field shower	not included	not included	included	included
An equipped field toilet	not included	not included	included	included
An individual sleeping place	not included	not included	included	included
A folding cot and an air mattress	not included	not included	not included	included
A hotel or ethno-village instead of a tent	not included	not included	not included	On request
A premium expedition kitchen	not included	not included	not included	included
Who sets up the camp	Together with the crew	Together with the crew	Together with the crew	We do it for you
A transfer to the airport after the tour	not included	not included	If needed	With a personal welcome

Paid separately

A 4th passenger in the vehicle incurs a surcharge of 50,000 KZT per day
When visiting a mosque, a voluntary donation (sadaqah) is customary
If bad weather rules out overnighting at the tent camp, a stay in an ethno-village is charged separately.
Drone filming: 20,000 KZT per location
English-speaking guide (price on request)
Generator rental: 10,000 KZT per day

Good to know

Luggage limited to one 30-litre backpack
The tour is booked with a 10% deposit
In hazardous weather the guide reroutes to a safer option — the priority is always people's safety and the vehicles' condition.
Tips are not included in the price and are left to the guest.

What it looks like

Photos taken on this route

A figure on the cliff edge above the Boszhira rocks

A jeep at the foot of the striped mountain

What is and is not included

Included in the price

4x4 jeep for the entire route
Driver-guide
Tent and all camping essentials
Sleeping bag and camping mat
Meals along the route
Drinking water
Tea/coffee at camp stops
Camp and campfire setup where permitted
Guide support along the entire route
Required conservation fees/entry permits
Stops at scenic viewpoints
Treks through canyons, plateaus and salt flats
Basic expedition equipment
In-car phone/camera charging

Paid separately

Flights and travel to/from Aktau
Accommodation in Aktau before and after the tour
Alcoholic beverages
Personal expenses and purchases during the trip
Personal outdoor gear not included in the specific tour programme
Additional services and activities not listed in the programme
Individual transfers and trips off the route
Travel insurance — arranged at the traveller's own discretion

Fleet and equipment

We are responsible for your safety where the nearest help is hours away. This is what the vehicle carries.

Expedition-prepared 4×4

Satellite internet — on request
MT/AT tyres
Compressor fridge
First-aid kit and fire extinguisher
Vehicle-to-vehicle radios

All safety protocols →

Frequently asked questions

Answered before you book, not after.

Visa rules depend on your citizenship: many nationalities enter Kazakhstan visa-free — the current list is published by the Kazakh migration service, so check it before you travel. We do not issue invitation letters. If a consulate needs a document confirming the purpose of the trip, we provide a contract for guide services. We do not assist with registration on arrival.

We start forming the crew for your date as soon as you book and confirm the final format 5–7 days before the start. If the group is not filled, the choice is yours: travel on your date privately, paying the full price of the vehicle, or move the trip to a date where a crew is already forming — there the shared-tour price applies. We never cancel a departure or change its format without your agreement.

A booking is secured by a 10% deposit; the balance is paid before departure. If the group is filled, the tour runs as a shared trip. If it is not, the deposit is never lost: it goes towards a private trip on your date, transfers in full to another date, or becomes a travel voucher for the whole amount plus a 5% bonus. The voucher is valid for 12 months and can be passed to someone else.

Yes, but the routes cross desert and off-road terrain: long drives in a 4x4, stony ground, climbs and descents, and multi-day routes include nights in the field. Children under 5 are not accepted on every route, so tell us the child's age before booking. On easy driving routes children are admitted after we agree it with you; on demanding hikes, long off-road sections and nights in remote areas participation of small children may be limited. Each case is decided individually — by age, route difficulty, weather and how the child is feeling.

There is no cellular network on the plateau. The guide keeps a satellite link with base, and the vehicles of the group hold a constant radio channel between them. Satellite internet for guests is not fitted to every vehicle: if you need it, tell us when booking.

The guide passes the coordinates to base over satellite and fixes common faults on the spot. If a repair is impossible, the vehicle is replaced: another one leaves the base and arrives within 3 to 6 hours depending on where you are on the route.