Mangystau Photo Expedition — Sunsets. Sunrises. Stars.

Duration: 9 daysDifficulty: easyCrew: up to 3 pax

Photography focusAdventure tourism

from$3,485per vehicle (up to 3 pax)

Request a quote

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

Onere Spring
The Karynzharyk Depression
Mount Bokty
Kyzylkup
Boszhira (upper plateau)
Boszhira (lower plateau)
Boszhira (middle plateau)
The Airakty Valley
The Caspian Sea

9 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.

08:00Depart Aktau
11:00–13:30Drive across the open steppes of Mangystau, with stops for the first shots
14:00Arrive at Onere Spring: lunch and rest
15:00–16:00Drive towards the Karynzharyk tract
16:00Arrive at Karynzharyk: settle in and pitch camp
17:00–19:00Free time: prepare camera gear, scout spots for the evening shoot
19:00–21:00Sunset over Karynzharyk: shooting the last rays of the sun
21:00Hot dinner at camp
22:00–02:00Night photography: the starry sky and the Milky Way
02:00–05:30Rest at camp
05:30–07:30Greet the sunrise over Karynzharyk
07:30–08:30Breakfast
08:30–11:00Rest

08:30–10:30Breakfast and rest after the night shoot
10:30–11:00Break camp
11:00Head towards Mount Bokty
13:00Arrive at Mount Bokty
13:00–14:00Choose a campsite and pitch camp
14:00–15:00Lunch and rest
15:00–18:30Photography around Bokty, scouting compositions
18:30–21:00Sunset at Mount Bokty: shooting silhouettes and landscape
21:00Hot dinner
22:00–02:00Astrophotography: the starry sky and the Milky Way
02:00–05:30Rest
05:30–07:30Sunrise at Bokty
07:30–08:30Breakfast
08:30–11:00Rest and recover

08:30–10:30Breakfast and free time
10:30–11:00Break camp
11:00Head towards Kyzylkup
12:00Arrive at Kyzylkup: a walk and photography
13:00Lunch amid the Kyzylkup scenery
14:00–16:00Continue shooting, then drive to the overnight camp
16:00Pitch camp
16:30–19:00Rest, prepare gear, scout angles
19:00–21:00Sunset at Kyzylkup
21:00Hot dinner at camp
22:00–02:00Shooting the starry sky
02:00–05:30Rest
05:30–07:30Sunrise
07:30–08:30Breakfast
08:30–11:00Rest

08:30–10:30Breakfast and rest
10:30–11:00Break camp
11:00Head towards Boszhira
12:00Arrive at the first viewpoint on Boszhira's upper plateau
12:00–14:00Photography of Boszhira's panoramas
14:00Lunch
15:00Choose a campsite on the upper plateau
15:00–17:00Pitch camp, prepare for the evening shoot
17:00–19:00Free shooting, scouting compositions
19:00–21:00Sunset on Boszhira's upper plateau
21:00Hot dinner
22:00–02:00Night shoot: the starry sky over the white cliffs
02:00–05:30Rest
05:30–07:30Sunrise at Boszhira
07:30–08:30Breakfast
08:30–11:00Rest and prepare to move on

08:30–10:30Breakfast and rest
10:30–11:00Break camp
11:00Depart for Boszhira's lower plateau
12:00–14:00Photography of the lower plateau and surroundings
14:00Lunch in a scenic spot
15:00Arrive at camp, settle in
15:00–18:00Rest, prepare gear, free shooting
18:00Prepare for the hike
19:00Hike to the middle plateau
20:00–21:30Sunset on the middle plateau
21:30–22:00Prepare gear for the night shoot
22:00–01:30Shooting the starry sky
01:30–02:30Return to camp
02:30–05:30Rest
05:30–07:30Sunrise at Boszhira
07:30–08:30Breakfast
08:30–11:00Rest

08:30–10:30Breakfast
10:30–11:00Break camp
11:00Head towards the Airakty Valley
13:00–14:00Drive across Mangystau's desert landscapes
14:00Lunch
15:00–16:00Continue on
16:00Arrive at the Airakty Valley, pitch camp
16:30–19:00Photography of the valley, preparing for sunset
19:00–21:00Sunset in the Airakty Valley
21:00Hot dinner
22:00–02:00Night photography over the valley's whimsical rock shapes
02:00–05:30Rest
05:30–07:30Sunrise in the Airakty Valley
07:30–08:30Breakfast
08:30–11:00Rest

08:30–10:30Breakfast and rest
10:30–11:00Prepare gear
11:00Move camp to a new photo spot in the Airakty Valley
12:00–14:00Daytime photography of rock formations and landscapes
14:00Lunch
15:00–18:00Rest, a walk, free shooting
18:00–19:00Prepare for sunset
19:00–21:00Sunset shoot
21:00Hot dinner
22:00–02:00Final night shoot at Airakty
02:00–05:30Rest
05:30–07:30The last desert sunrise
07:30–08:30Breakfast
08:30–11:00Rest and break camp

08:30–10:30Breakfast and prepare to move on
11:00Depart camp towards the Caspian Sea coast
14:00Lunch on the way
15:00–17:00Continue on towards the Caspian Sea
17:00Arrive at the coast, set up camp
17:00–19:00Rest, a walk along the shore, prepare camera gear
19:00–21:00Sunset over the Caspian Sea
21:00Hot dinner on the seashore
22:00–01:00Night shoot by the sea: stars, nightscapes, reflections
01:00–05:30Rest
05:30–07:30Sunrise on the Caspian coast
07:30–08:30Breakfast
08:30–11:00Rest

08:30–10:00Breakfast
10:00–13:00Rest on the coast: free time, swimming, seascape photography
13:00–14:00Lunch
14:00–17:00Rest by the sea, free time
17:00–18:00Pack up, prepare to head back
18:00Head towards Aktau
Arrive in Aktau, the photo journey concludes

Route map

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

Distance: ≈ 930 kmstops on the route: 7Start 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$3,485

per vehicle (up to 3 pax)

Per person$1,740

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

What the price consists of

$3,485of 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

Comfort

A real expedition

$3,485

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.

This tour runs on a single Comfort rate.

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)

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.
The route and timing can be adjusted to guests' wishes — flexible departure times, stop durations and the order of locations
For photography purposes, stops may run long, or the shooting schedule and route may change to catch the best light, sunset, sunrise or starry sky
The main goal of the tour is not simply to complete the route, but to bring home the best possible photos and impressions of Mangystau
Tips are not included in the price and are left to the guest.

What it looks like

Photos taken on this route

The Milky Way above the white escarpment

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
2 kW generator
Shower

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.