Aktau-Karagiye Depression – Zhana-Ozen Town

Ustyurt National Preserve - (Please note that Day 1 is adjusted based on the time of arrival in Aktau)

Upon morning arrival in the sea-port city of Aktau, a transfer is provided to Zhana Ozen (165 km) via the Karagiye hollow. At 132 meters deep, the Karagiye Depression is the lowest point in Central Asia, Kazakhstan, and the former Soviet Union, teeming with flora and fauna despite its seemingly barren appearance.

After ascending the eastern slope of the valley for 11 km, a stunning observation deck at the Sautta natural boundary is reached. In ancient times, a spring bubbled on a vast shelf beneath the rocks, and nomadic camps settled in this picturesque location.

In Zhana Ozen, guests are driven to a hotel for dinner and an overnight stay.

Zhana Ozen Town – Tuesu Sands – Bokty Mount – Karyn-Zharyk Hollow

Ustyurt National Preserve - After breakfast at the hotel, the journey continues to the serene and beautiful Tuesu sands. Following the dunes, the trip proceeds to Bokty Mount, notable for its red hue from the chalk covering it. The drive continues to the Baisara Colonnade – a horseshoe-shaped precipice of South Aktau. The route descends 20 km southeast along the cliff’s outer side to a broken grader road leading to the village of Akkuduk, where remnants of an ancient settlement are still visible.

The dirt road, lined with picturesque sand dunes overgrown with saxaul, leads south. After another 60 km, the path turns east to the Three Brothers cliffs. Here, on the southern tip of the Karyn-Zharyk hollow by a salty stream, lies the Ustyurt reserve’s cordon.

An overnight stay is organized at the highest point of the Ustyurt cliff. If quiet is maintained, grazing argali can be seen on the slopes of the depression.

Breakfast, lunch, and dinner are prepared by the guide. Overnight in a tent camp.

Salty Hollow Karyn-Zharyk – Kogusem Tract – Karamay Mountain

Ustyurt National Preserve - After morning photography, the path leads north along the Ustyurt valley to the Karyn-Zharyk depression. A breathtaking panorama of Karyn Zharyk, a land of salt seemingly from a magical book, unfolds. Once home to nomads, now only solitary mazaars (graves) stand on the cliff’s edge. The blend of white and pink chalk against the blue surface creates an otherworldly landscape.

The journey passes through the Kogusem gorge, where the slopes are painted red with ocher clays eroded by rain over millennia. In this region, the fanged rocky ridge of Karamay is visible at the bottom of the salt marsh named Kenderliser. Marine fossils, including petrified whale bones, are hidden among the sandstones. The drive continues through the reserve’s northern cordon at Karamay’s foot, where tents are set up for a night under the stars.

Breakfast, lunch, and dinner are prepared by the guide. Overnight in a tent camp.

Mount Karamay – Boszhira Valley – Beket Ata Mosque

Beket Ata Mosque-Tuzbair Salt Lake- Aktau

Sor Tuzbair - After breakfast, the journey continues northwest along the Ustyurt Cliff to Tuzbair Lake. The drive traverses salt marshes where only wild animals and reptiles thrive in these desolate lands. After 60 km, the path nears the chalk walls of Ustyurt, showcasing nature’s grand power. The view of the dazzling white rocks is breathtaking. Here, nature has crafted another marvel – a grand white arch, which is climbed to view the entire Tuzbair Lake from above, offering stunning vistas that inspire wonder at how this lake survives in such a barren area. The lake itself confirms the existence of the Tethys Ocean in this location.

After lunch, it’s time to explore Tuzbair Lake. Nestled between two salt-covered white mountains, the lake’s name translates from Kazakh as “Salty Walls.” A 2 km walk on the lake’s salty surface creates the illusion of walking on water. Photos of this experience may seem unbelievable, but they will undoubtedly impress.

If energy and strength permit, a hike to the plateau is possible, where a rock surprisingly resembles the Sphinx at the pyramids of Giza.

In the afternoon, departure to Aktau is arranged, with a transfer to the airport or hotel.

Breakfast and lunch are prepared by the guide.

• 1.5L of drinking water provided daily per person
• Meals included: breakfast, lunch, and dinner
• Tickets and access to Ustyrt Nature Reserve
• First night at a 3-star hotel in Zhanaozen (Temirkazyk or similar)
• Tent accommodation with sleeping bags and mats from Day 2 to Day 5
• Air-conditioned transport
• Airport transfer service included

• Single accommodation supplement (25 USD)
• Visa support and registration on the territory of Kazakhstan, if required
• All personal and other expenses

During this tour you will cross c.1800 km, this is one of the most challenging as well as one of the most adventurous tours!

The wondrous region of Mangistau seemingly comes out of sci-fi movies. Vast lands covered in a salt spread as far as an eye can see. Nature used Mangistau as its workshop carving cliffs with wind and rain, painting them with multicoloured chalks. And the jewel of such work is Karyn Zharyk, a depression, the bottom of which is covered in salt-marshes that make the mountains seem to float on a cloud. There is also Tuzbair lake \

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.