The Magic of Kazakhstan: Natural Wonders of Mangystau

Duration: 7 daysDifficulty: easyCrew: up to 3 pax

Adventure tourismFamily friendly

from$2,710per 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

The Karagiye Depression
The Tuyesu dunes
Mount Bokty
Kyzylkup
Boszhira (upper plateau)
Boszhira (middle plateau)
The flint fields
The Airplane Wing ridge
Boszhira (lower plateau)
Nautilus
Tuzbair
The salt lake (Tuzbair)
Airakty (Airakty-Shamanai)
Sherkala
Kok-Kala
Torysh Valley of Stone Balls
Shakpak-Ata Sai
The Shakpak-Ata mosque
Kapamsay Canyon
Kenty-Baba
The underground Sultan-Epe mosque
Cape Zhygylgan
The Caspian Sea coast
The 'Devil's Finger' rock
The 43rd kilometre

25 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: welcome and introductions
10:00Arrive at the Karagiye Depression, photos from the upper viewpoint
12:00The Tuyesu dunes — a walk over the sands, desert photos, an open-air lunch
14:00Head to Mount Bokty across desert landscapes
15:00A walk at the foot of Mount Bokty, photos among its unique rock formations
17:00Kyzylkup — a walking excursion to the area's most famous and picturesque spot
18:00Drive to the overnight camp: set up, dinner and rest

08:00Breakfast at camp, pack up and break camp
09:30Depart camp
11:00Boszhira's upper plateau — stops at three scenic spots for sightseeing and photos
13:00Lunch on the middle plateau, in the chalk canyon
14:00A walk across the flint fields, exploring the rock formations
15:00Visit the 'Airplane Wing' — an unusual rock formation
17:00Head to the overnight camp on Boszhira's lower plateau
18:00Set up camp, dinner and swap stories from the day

08:00Breakfast and break camp
09:30Depart camp
10:30'Nautilus' — a walk and photos among the rock formations
11:30Head towards Tuzbair
13:00Lunch on the way to Tuzbair
17:00Arrive at Tuzbair
18:00Drive to camp, a walk to the salt lake, watch the sunset
19:00Set up camp, dinner and rest

08:00Breakfast and break camp
09:30Depart camp
12:00Drive through the town of Shetpe — shop and refuel
14:00Lunch at Airakty
15:00Airakty-Shamanai — local history and legends
16:00Mount Sherkala, with stops at its key spots, a climb to the summit
17:00Arrive at Kok-Kala, a walk to the top with photos
18:00Set up camp, dinner and rest

08:00Breakfast and break camp
09:30Depart camp
10:30Drive across the salt flat to the 'Torysh Valley of Stone Balls'
11:00Torysh Valley of Stone Balls — a walk and photos among the stone formations
13:00Shakpak-Ata Sai — lunch and photos at this historic site
15:00The Shakpak-Ata mosque — local architecture and history
17:00Arrive at Kapamsay Canyon: set up camp, dinner, rest

08:00Breakfast and break camp
09:30Depart camp
10:30Visit the ancient holy site of Kenty-Baba
11:00The underground Sultan-Epe mosque — a full visit
13:00Arrive at Zhygylgan: lunch and a walk to 'Heart' Lake
16:00Head towards the Caspian Sea coast
17:00Arrive at the Caspian coast: set up camp, dinner, rest

08:00Breakfast and break camp
09:00A swim in the Caspian Sea, rest
10:30A walk to the 'Devil's Finger' rock, with a small grotto inside
12:30Return to camp, lunch
14:00Head towards the 43rd kilometre
15:00Arrive on site, a walk along Shell Beach
16:00–17:00Depart for Aktau: the tour concludes and farewells with participants

Route map

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

Distance: ≈ 950 kmstops on the route: 18Start 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$2,710

per vehicle (up to 3 pax)

Per person$1,355

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

What the price consists of

$2,710of 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

$2,710

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 hat-shaped mountain in the yellow steppe

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.