Mangystau: Bozzhyra, Torysh and Sherkala
White chalk cliffs rising from an ancient seabed, a valley full of stone spheres and a mountain shaped like a yurt.
- Region
- West
- Start from
- Aktau
- Distance
- about 100–300 km
- Time needed
- 3–4 days
- Best season
- April – June, September – October
- Difficulty
- Challenging
- Transport
- 4×4 with an experienced local driver
- Permits
- None for most sites; some reserve areas charge fees
Why go
Mangystau, the peninsula on the Caspian Sea, is the most otherworldly landscape in Kazakhstan. Most of it was once the bottom of the ancient Tethys Ocean, and erosion has carved the chalk and limestone into cliffs, canyons and pillars.
Bozzhyra is the star: two pointed white peaks known as the 'fangs' standing in a vast basin of white and ochre cliffs. Watching sunrise from the edge, with the shadows slowly sliding across the valley floor, is one of the best travel moments in Central Asia.
On the way you can see the Torysh valley, scattered with hundreds of round stone concretions like giant cannonballs, and Sherkala, a lone mountain that looks like an enormous yurt, with the ruins of a medieval caravan town at its foot.
The story
There's a saying that Mangystau is the land of 362 saints, because of the many holy men buried in its necropolises. The region's cemeteries, with carved stone tombs, ram-shaped gravestones and miniature houses, are an attraction in themselves.
Sherkala means 'lion's fortress', and legends about it describe a besieged fortress or a sleeping lion. At its foot lie the ruins of Kyzylkala, a medieval caravan town on a branch of the Silk Road that connected the Caspian to Khorezm.
The stone spheres of Torysh are concretions: minerals that slowly crystallised around a core inside softer sediment. When the surrounding rock eroded, the hard balls were left lying on the surface, some the size of a football, others taller than a person.
Getting there
Fly or take the long train to Aktau. From there, almost everyone travels with a local 4×4 driver; roads beyond the main highways are unmarked desert tracks and it's easy to get lost or stuck.
Tours usually last three to five days and include camping and meals.
A suggested plan
- Day 1Aktau to Shetpe area: Sherkala mountain, the Torysh valley of balls, camp nearby.
- Day 2Long drive across the plateau to Bozzhyra. Camp on the rim for sunset.
- Day 3Sunrise at Bozzhyra, then explore the canyons and the 'Ayrakty' valley of castles on the way back.
- Day 4Return to Aktau; afternoon on the Caspian embankment.
Where to stay
Camping is the norm. Tour operators provide tents and food. Aktau has comfortable hotels for the start and end of the trip.
Good to know
- Mobile signal disappears quickly; download offline maps.
- Bring a scarf or buff for dust, and a warm layer for nights.
- Spring flowers turn the desert briefly green in April.
- Never go into the desert alone without a proper vehicle, spare tyre, water and someone who knows the tracks.
- Stay away from cliff edges, especially in wind; the chalk crumbles.