Walking & Trekking Holidays in Mangyshlak.

“We leave something of ourselves behind when we leave a place, we stay there, even though we go away. And there are things in us that we can find again only by going back there” 

Pascal Mercier. «Night Train to Lisbon».

Short description of route an excursion trip from Zhanaozen to valley Oglandy:

Aktau – Zhanaozen - tomb of the saint Kostam - valley Oglandy - underground mosque Beket ata.

Distnace of route: 277 km.
Season: from April 1, 30st till September.
 Best time for excursion: April, May, June, September.
Duration of tour: 1 day.

Detailed program of pilgrim trip to underground mosque Beket ata:

Hiking around Mangyshlak.

Aktau - depression Karagie - town of Zhanaozen - settlement Kyzylsai -  tomb of the saint Kostam - valley Oglandy - underground mosque Beket ata (277 km).
Departure at 7.00 from Актау. Transfer: Aktau -  tomb of the saint Kostam  (204 km). Our way lays on southeast through the deepest depression of Kazakhstan - Karagie, which on 132 meters below a sea level.
Further ours way to small city of oilmen Zhanaozen.
After Zhanaozen, our way lays to settlement Kyzylsai after settlement asphalt comes to an end, we turn on the left on graded road On this macadam road we shall go up to valley Oglandy. Soon to the left of road parking for motor vehicles, here is tomb of the saint Kostam, visiting of the mausoleum, photographing. Further our way lays to underground mosque and necropolis and  underground mosque Beket ata - traditional place of pilgrims which go to mosque Beket ata.
Transfer: tomb of the saint Kostam - valley Kyzylsu - valley Kamysty - height Golbomshe - valley Oglandy (73 km). After tomb of the saint Kostam rises on height Golbonshe with which beautiful panoramas on the north and on the south open.
From height Golbonshe the magnificent kind on the south - on mountain Bokty which alone towers in the middle of huge cretaceous hollow opens. Before turn on northeast on the right there is a well-known valley Baszhira. Soon the road turns on the north and results us in valley Oglandy.
After visiting mausoleum Oglandy aта descent on steps, to underground mosque Beket ata. The distance from descent with cliff up to a underground mosque makes, approximately, 1 kilometer of 200 meters, on time it - from 25 till 30 minutes. Difference on height from edge cliff Ustyurt (breakage) up to mosque Beket ata about 50 meters. Visiting of mosque Beket ata. Walk to the most ancient and known necropolis in the Western Kazakhstan which is below a mosque in 300 meters.
Under legends, Beket ata veins in two cretaceous rooms which have been cut down in a stone slope. A fine ornament of a trip to underground mosque Beket ata can be meetings with Corsican moufflon (Ovis ammon) which have chosen valley Oglandy, here they live and are made multiple copies under protection sacred Beket ata.
Returning on steps to top mosque Beket ata (45 minutes - 1 hour). Visiting of top mosque Beket ata, tea drinking, lunch. Transfer to Актау (277 km).

Note:
Author program is Alexander Petrov. Copying and introduction - only from the sanction of the author.

Alexander Petrov
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