Day 1
Sherkala, Torysh and Ayrakty
Pick-up in Aktau in the morning. Sherkala, a lone mesa in the steppe, then the Torysh valley with its round stone concretions, and the cliffs of Ayrakty, which Taras Shevchenko drew in the 1850s. Night in camp.
Mangystau in 3 Days: Bozjyra, Torysh & Two Nights Camping
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A 4×4 loop from Aktau with two nights in a tent camp: Sherkala, the stone balls of Torysh, Ayrakty, Bozjyra at sunset and sunrise, and the Tuzbair salt flat.
Three days in the chalk country of Mangystau, in western Kazakhstan, starting and finishing in Aktau. You travel by 4×4 with a driver-guide and sleep two nights in a tent camp, so you see Bozjyra in the evening and again at first light instead of at noon on a day trip.
The route is the field part of a five-day trip we ran in September. Hotel nights in Aktau before and after are not included and can be added.
The camp is simple: tents, sleeping gear and meals cooked on site. There is no town near Bozjyra.
Highlights
- Two nights camping, so you see Bozjyra at sunset and sunrise
- Sherkala, the Torysh stone balls and Ayrakty on the first day
- Starts and ends in Aktau, easy to add to a trip in Almaty
- Private trip: only your group
Itinerary
Day 2
Kyzylkup and Bozjyra
The striped red and white slopes of Kyzylkup, then south to Bozjyra: the viewpoints along the rim, the two white “fangs” and a walk down to the base. Sunset from the camp on the plateau.
Day 3
Sunrise and the salt flat
Bozjyra at first light, then the white cliffs and salt pan of Tuzbair. Back to Aktau through Zhanaozen, arriving in the early evening in time for a walk along the Caspian shore.
Want to change a day? The guide adapts the pace and stops to your group.Ask the guide →
What’s included
Included
- 4×4 with a driver-guide for three days
- Pick-up and drop-off in Aktau
- Two nights in a tent camp, all camping gear
- All meals on the route
- Entrance fees
Paid separately
- Flights to and from Aktau
- Hotel in Aktau before or after the trip
- Drinks
- Tips
- Travel insurance
Good to know
Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the tour starts — full refund. After that — according to the operator’s rules.
Reviews
Questions & answers
Have a question about this tour? Ask us — a local planner will answer in the chat.
Practical info
Good to know
- Meeting place
- Pick-up at your hotel or Aktau airport
- Suitable for
- Travellers who like empty landscapes and photography · Families with children from 8 years who are fine with camping
- Not suitable for
- Travellers who need a proper bathroom every night · Trips in July and August, when daytime heat is often above 40 °C
What to bring
- Identity card or passport
- Trekking shoes with good tread
- Sunscreen (SPF 30+), sunglasses, and a hat
- A warm jacket or fleece — it is cool in the mountains even in summer
- A light raincoat or membrane jacket in case of mountain rain
- A water bottle (refill in villages and hotels) and a light snack for the road
Safety notes
Please follow the guide's instructions, check the weather forecast before departure, and bring appropriate clothing and footwear.
Tour season: May 1 – October 30 (Season: May 1 – October 30 (mountain roads closed in winter))
Not sure? Ask a local expertDates, a different hotel, a child seat, another day order — we’ll reply within 2 hours.