SCHEDULE AND COST:
Dates:
May 10 - 15, 17 - 22, 2022
Duration: 6 days/ 5 nights
Number of participants: 9 – 12
Cost per person:
1100 USD subject to 9 - 12 participants
Single occupancy:
- 120 USD subject (doesn't applied to accommodation in yurts)
- 190 USD (single accommodation in tents and yurts - yurts are available by request)
Everything is included except for:
- flight to Aktau (Kazakhstan) and back,
- medical insurance.
Estimated flight cost Moscow – Aktau– Moscow: 32 000 – 40 000 rubles. To be bought on your own.
TRAVEL PROGRAM:
TOUR KAZAKHSTAN
Day 1. May 10/17, 2022. OPENWORK CANYON YBYKTY TORYSH - GLOBULAR NODULES TORYSH
Morning arrival in Aktau. Meeting with guides at the airport.
From Aktau we leave immediately in the prepared expedition off-road cars for adventure and leave civilization.
We get to Ybykty Sai Gorge, where the mesmerizing spectacle - Openwork Canyon - lies. It is located in the deepest trench of Kazakhstan - Karagiye, the depth of which reaches 132 meters below sea level (fifth place of the lowest points of the planet).
Openwork Canyon is a unique canyon in its beauty and structure, which tourists compare to the famous Antelope Canyon. Why openwork? You will see for yourself!
Explore, take the first cool photos and go ahead, into the world of giant balls "Torysh".
Scientists are still arguing about the origin of the spheres, and locals tell many legends. They were formed about 180 - 120 million years ago in the Mesozoic geological era. At that time, the place was occupied by the Thetis Ocean, with a huge accumulation of plankton, and it was these organisms that became the basis for the spherical nodules, which have increased in size over time. Over the years, the water began to recede, and the fossilised spheres remained on land. But this is only one theory. Personally, we like better the version that they are huge fossilized dinosaur eggs ????.
Upon arrival at the location we immediately go for a walk and explore the area, find an interesting little mosque dug directly under the balls, make a wish in the shrine, and returned to camp for dinner and share the experience of the place.
Today we will stay here overnight, and we will have a unique opportunity to take pictures of the balls in the sunset. Torysh is the most mysterious location in Mangystau. So, we will camp right in the middle of the orbs - it is unique chance, which, of course, will become impossible with time.
Recommended flight:
- a/c SCAT DV 814 flight from Moscow on May 16 at 23:40, with a stop in Nur-Sultan about 2 hours and arrival in Aktau at 9:30 on May 17 by flight DV 741,
- or any other flight with arrival no later than 10 a.m. on May 17
Meals included: breakfast, lunch, dinner.
Accommodation included: tents (double accommodation)
Day 2. May 11/18, 2022. SHAKPAK-ATA ROCK MOSQUE - SULTAN-EPE UNDERGROUND MOSQUE - ZHYGYLGAN CAPE - CASPIAN SEA
After having breakfast and saying goodbye to the valley of spheres, we will go to an authentic mosque carved right into the chalky rock - Shakpak Ata.
There are a lot of ancient shrines in the Mangystau area, but to tell you the truth, this is our favourite mosque. You won't believe your eyes, but the nature itself created these fabulous walls with thousands of holes in them. There is no dress code at the entrance, but it is better not to stay in the temple in short shorts and skirts, shirts and dresses with open shoulders. Take with you a long scarf to cover the bare parts of the body. You may tie a turban on your head - it will be very atmospheric!
At Shakpak Ata, you may want to take many pictures by each wall, but we have to move on. A unique An underground mosque - Sultan Epe is waiting for us. Upon reaching the location we will take clean spring water from the well and after refilling our supplies we will go down into the underground. After dipping into the legends of the place we go further to the cape Zhygylgan.
At the observation point we take pictures and can not believe our eyes: in front of us at a depth of 200 meters there is a chaos: overturned pieces of rock, disfigured the earth and crumbled blocks of giant stones, scattered across the huge trench. This place is thousands of years old, and it seems like an earthquake happened just yesterday.
Then we go to the Caspian Sea and set up camp on the shore. There it is, a chance to plunge into refreshing ice water after exhausting heat and dust of Mangystau!
Meals included: breakfast, lunch, dinner.
Accommodation included: tents (double room)
Day 3. May 12/19, 2022. SOR TUZBAIR - SPHINX VIEWPOINT - SHARK TEETH - SOR
After breakfast, a final swim and meeting the sunrise by the water, we drive out to the Sor Tuzbair viewpoint, where we look down on the white valley. We'll get down there soon, but for now we head to Sphinx Mountain to look for ancient shark teeth and other remains of creatures of dinosaur age at the bottom. Some will be lucky enough to take home a real relic, and some will make a wish to return here again. After playing the role of archaeologists we will go down to Sor Tuzbair, where we will set up our camp in a picturesque canyon.
Meals included: breakfast, lunch, dinner.
Accommodation: yurts in the ethno village.
Day 4. May 13/20, 2022. SOR TUZBAIR - TIRAMISU ARCH - BOZZHIRA
Today Tuzbair will show us one of its faraway secret locations. The Elephant Arch. There are similar arches in America, but nowhere as wild, untouristy and white-washed as this. Everyone will take home a cool picture from this place and keep its location in secret.
Satisfied and happy we will return to the camp for breakfast and packing. Next on the plan is to move to the Valley of Tiramisu. The locals called this tract so, because when you walk through the striped hills, it seems that you're wandering through a huge piece of dessert.
For us experienced travelers, this place reminds of something in between Wave canyon in Arizona and Rainbow Mountains in Peru.
After Striped Valley, we'll make our way to Bosgyre, where we set up camp and finally taking some rest. We have two overnight stays planned here. There will be time to recover, sleep and spend time alone with nature.
Meals included: breakfast, lunch, dinner
Accommodation: tents (double accommodation)
Day 5. May 14/21, 2022. BOZJIRA'S FANGS - CLIMBING - DRAGON'S CREST
Today is an important day. Today we will ascend Bozjira and meet her Fangs face to face. It's not going to be an easy hike up the smooth ledges of the mountain, but we will do it, and in just one hour we will climb the most epic viewpoint of the whole Mangystau. Euphoria in the blood, "wow" every 3 minutes and the most unique travel pics among travelers are guaranteed.
After taking pictures, enjoying the views and thinking about the great things, we go down to the camp, have a rest and gain some energy for the evening trip and walk to Dragon Ridge - another picturesque mountain with sharp scallop-like teeth.
Back at the camp we will have a delicious dinner and a good night's sleep in the tents, and those who like night photography - epic shots of the rocks, which can be illuminated with high-powered lanterns.
All meals are included: breakfast, lunch, dinner.
Accommodation included: tents (double occupancy)
Day 6. May 15/22, 2022. BOZZHYRA LOOKOUT - AKTAU - RETURN FLIGHT
In the final day we have a late breakfast, pack up and drive to the viewing point above Bozzhyra, where we will be impressed once again by the scale and epicness of the tract.
Having said goodbye to the great white wasteland we drive back to Aktau. And there as it is appropriate: tears, sincere confessions, hugs and promises to return here again.
Food included: breakfast, lunch.
Lodging included: no
Recommended flight:
a/c SCAT DV 805 departing from Aktau on May 22 at 21:00 with arrival in Moscow at 21:30 on May 22