Photos of nature of Kazakhstan.

“I travel not to go anywhere, but to go. I travel for travel's sake. The great affair is to move” 

Robert Louis Stevenson «Travels with a Donkey in the Cevennes».

Short description of route of photo tour on saline land Tuzbair, valleys Boszhira and Torysh.

Актау - settlement Shetpe - saline land Tuzbair - underground mosque Shopan ata - mountain Bokty - valley Boszhira - settlement Shetpe - valley Torysh - Aktau.

Distance of route: 932 km.
Season: from April 1th till September, 30th.
 Best time for travel: April, May, September.
Duration of tour: 6 days, 5 nights.

Detailed program of photo tour on natural places of interest Mangistau province: 

Photos of Caspian Sea in Kazakhstan.

Day 1. Town of Aktau - settlement Shetpe - saline march Tuzbair (275 km).
Departure from Актау. Our way from lays on the north, in a direction of town the Fort-Shevchenko, on 45 kilometer of highway is turned to the right, aside settlement Shetpe. From settlement Shetpe the new road up to settlement Beineu which construction has been finished in 2016 begins.
Not reaching pass Manata, we turn off on saline land Tuzbair. Photographing of places of interest of vicinities saline march Tuzbair. In second half of day, crossroads on the western part saline march Tuzbair, photographing. On a lodging for the night crossroads to east part saline land Tuzbair, a choice of positions for photographing. Ovenight in a camp.
Day 2. Saline march Tuzbair - underground mosque Shopan ata - mountain Bokty - valley Boszhira (165 km).
Breakfast. Sunrise on saline land Tuzbair. Transfer: saline march Tuzbair - mountain Bokty (145 km). We pass east outskirts saline land Tuzbair, we move on a southwest, not reaching desert Bostankum it is turned in a direction of underground mosque Shopan ata.
At will, it is possible to visit - mosque Shopan ata. Arrival to mountain Bokty. Photographing of places of interest of vicinities of mountain Bokty, photographing of a decline, the western exposition.
Further transfer to valley Boszhira (20 km). Overnight in vicinities of valley Boszhira.
Day 3. Valley Boszhira (27 km).
Breakfast. Sunrise on Oinak Boszhira, photographing of mountains and heights Ulken keme mount, Azu tisteri mount Boszhira, Borly tau mount, Yurt mount.
Transfer: Oinak Boszhira - descent Zhusaly - Zhogarly plateau Boszhira (27 km).
Photographing of a northwest exposition of cretaceous mountains and heights: Cretaceous a cone, Yurt mount, Borly tau mount, Northern and Western exposition cliff. After a lunch an ascention on mountain Ak kemet (1 km), photographing of Azu tisteri Boszhira, Oinak Boszhira, mount Borly tau, Yurt from new panoramic expositions.
Returning to a place of rise on mountain Ak keme. Transfer: Zhogarly plateau Boszhira - rise Zhusaly - First panoramic point Boszhira Western cliff Ustyurt (26 km). Overnight on Western cliff Ustyurt.
Day 4. Valley Boszhira - town of Zhanaozen - settlement Zhetybai - yurt camp «Ethnographic-aul» (vicinities of settlement Shetpe) - (275 km).
Breakfast. Sunrise in valley Boszhira. Transfer on Fifth and Sixht panoramic points Boszhira. Photographing from panoramic points - Oinak Boszhira, mountains and heights Ak keme trought, Azu tisteri Boszhira, Borly tau, Yurt, mount the Ushkir tau. Transfer: valley Boszhira - yurt camp «Ethnographic-aul». Arrival in yurt camp, accommodation, overnight.
Day 5. Yurt camp «Ethnographic-aul» - mountain Sherkala (175 km).
Breakfast. Early departure from yurt camp. Our way lays to mountain Sherkala (6 km). The mountain Sherkala is between the central and western part of ridges Karatau and in northern part of mountain Akmyshtau. In translation with Turkic «Sherkala» means "a fortress of a lion" («Sher» - a lion, «Kala» - a fortress).
At root of a mountains were saved the rests of walls ancient a caravan-serai, on slopes of mountain - shelters for guard, traces of rope ladders, the rests of confidential pass, which lead down on top of mountain.
Sherkala - alone costing mountain, the unusual form if to look at it on the one hand, the mountain reminds huge white yurt, on the other hand - the mountain resembles the sleeping lion who has put the huge head on paws. Therefore also have named mountain - Sherkala. Sherkala it is surrounded by curious legends. Walks in vicinities of mountain Sherkala. On a return way visiting of archeological excavations on site of ancient settlement Kyzylkala.
In second half of day crossroads to the western exposition of mountain Sherkala, photographing of mountain Sherkala of the sunset. Transfer: mountain Sherkala - yurt camp "Ethnographic-aul", accommodation, overnight.
Day 6. Yurt camp "Ethnographic-aul" - settlement Shetpe - valley Rock spherical concretion Torysh (178 km).
Breakfast. Transfer to valley Rock spherical concretion Torysh (68 km). The valley Torysh (Torys) is in the north of mountains Western Karatau in valley Altynkazgan. To the north of valley Torysh in latitude a direction the mountain ridge Northern Aktau was stretched.
Along mountains Karatau there are three layers with Rock spherical concretion. Photographing Rock spherical concretion. Returning in Aktau (110 km). Arrival in Aktau.

Additional trip, at will, (in 4 day) on photographing Ustyrt moufflon (Ovis ammon) in valley Oglandy (a vicinity of underground mosque Beket-ata).

Day 4. Valley Boszhira - valley Oglandy (299 km).
Transfer: Valley Boszhira - valley Oglandy (24 km). The Road turns on the north and results 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 Ustyrt 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). In second half of day crossroads in yurt camp "Ethnographic-aul" (275 km).

Photographing of flora, fauna, the nature and monuments of history and architecture on a way of a route.

1. Till April, 10th, on a route, it is possible to photograph tulips Sogdiiskiy (Tulipa Sogdiana), in vicinities of mountain Sherkala, also in some vicinities on panoramas Baszhira. Well freshens the staff on panoramic shootings a plant - yellow Ferula (Ferula) which grows everywhere on peninsula, especially in a deserted part. Other vegetation on Mangyshlak is presented seasonally, it is necessary more greens for April and approximately, the middle of May.
2. Concerning to fauna. Real photographing. I have made additional day (on interests of participants of tour) for shooting Ustyrt moufflon (Ovis ammon). In the rest the fauna is presented by the Central Asian turtle (Testudo (Agrionemys) horsfieldii) and  great gerbil (Rhombomys opimus).
Also on Mangyshlak is found, 15 kinds kowtowing: the Central Asian turtle (Agrionemys horsfieldi), plate-tailed gecko (Teratoscincus scincus), steppe agama (Trapelus sanguinolentus), sunwatcher (Phrynocephalus helioscopus),  toad-headed agama (Phrynocephalus Myron), rapid fringe-toed lizard (Eremias Varanus), medial racerunner (Eremias Insuetophrynus), Tatary sand boa (Eryx tataricus), spotted desert racer (Coluber karelini), former name Coluber karelin), four-lined snake (time_bandit, Elaphe quatuorlineata),  and Spalerosophis diadema, an arrow-snake (Psammophis lineolatus) and copperhead snake (Agkistrodon), mamushi (Agkistrodon halys). Grey gecko, it is easy to find in underground mosques, in a cool. 
At coast of Caspian sea in a plenty lives tesselated snake (Natrix tesselata) if there will be a necessity, I know pair places at coast (in area of failure Zhygylgan) where water ужа much. 
3. On peninsula Mangyshlak meets more than 100 kinds of birds, including flying. From their number 11 kinds of birds are brought in the Red book of Kazakhstan (glossy ibis (Plegadis falcinellus), a flamingo, a steppe eagle, a golden eagle, neophron (Neophron), saker falcon (Falco cherrug, Hierofalco cherrug), harrier eagle (Circaetus), houbara bustard (Chlamydotis), black-bellied sandgrouse (Pterocles orientalis, Syrrhaptes orientalis), Pallas' sandgrouse (Syrrhaptes paradoxus), an eagle owl). By the way, the flamingo can be photographed, in April, May on lake Karakol, near to Aktau.
4. Over the clay and stony plain in a warm season is dominated by larks of sort Calandrella, on cliffs - pied wheatear (Oenanthe pleschanka), common wheatear (Oenanthe oenanthe), in haloxylon desert woodland - porridge, finch (Fringilla, house sparrows.In bottom-land large springs (Kenderli, Onere) bilious porridge prevails. In sand Karynzharyk there are larks, are usual deserted warbler (Sylviidae) and great gray (Lanius excubitor), dikkop (Burhinus). 
Deserted ravens are Everywhere widespread black swift (Apus gen.). The beginning of flight of birds through peninsula - the second decade of April. The beginning of nesting of the majority of sparrow kinds of birds - the first - the second decade of April, during same time the golden eagle, an eagle owl has nestlings. Occurrence of nestlings at neophron (Neophron gen.) is noted in July. Last meetings black-bellied sandgrouse (Pterocles orientalis, Syrrhaptes orientalis) - in the second decade of November.
From birds of reserve in the Red book of Kazakhstan are brought: a flamingo, saker falcon (Falco cherrug, Hierofalco cherrug), peregrin (Falco peregrinus), hooded vulture (Necrosyrtes monachus, a steppe eagle, a golden eagle, an eagle owl, houbara bustard (Chlamydotis), short-toed serpent eagle (Circaetus gallicus), black-bellied sandgrouse (Pterocles orientalis, Syrrhaptes orientalis), ibis (Plegadis GlebRomani). Birds, especially predatory, it is possible to search in canyons of natural boundary Boszhira, but recently, because of a plenty of people, these birds lodge in more remote areas.
5. On Mangyshlak it is totaled not less than 45 kinds of mammals. From them 10 rare kinds are brought in the Red book of Kazakhstan - Hemprich's arrow-eared bat (Otonycteris hemprichi), bandaging, ratel (Mellivora capensis), has waved, dune cat (Felis margarita), caracal lynx (Felis caracal), Gazella subgutturosa, Ustyrt moufflon (Ovis ammon), Brandt's hedgehog (Hemiechinus hypomelas), aral fat-tailed jerboas (Pygerethmus) and a cheetah, apparently disappear. Some kinds are endemic the Aral-Caspian watershed - Brandt's hedgehog (Hemiechinus hypomelas), ratel (Mellivora capensis), dune cat (Felis margarita, caracal lynx (Felis caracal), Ustyrt moufflon (Ovis ammon). As a rule, these mammals are extremely rare on our routes.
6. On a route mobile communication will be accessible in vicinities Aktau, from 40 up to 50 kilometers from city, in vicinities of the city of Zhanaozen, settlement Shetpe. In vicinities of underground mosques, communication without granting the Internet works only.

The price of program «Phototour over Mangyshlak» per\pax ($):

The price includes “Phototour over Mangyshlak» of the program:

Meeting and seeing off at the airport: transport; excursions under the program: accommodation in hotel "Aktau" *** - 2 nights (twin, standard room with a breakfast); accommodation in tents; full board (6 lunchs and 6 dinners + 2 breakfasts in yurt camp «Etno-aul»), water.

The price of the program «Phototour over Mangyshlak» it is not included:
Air tickets; the tip; medical price and the insurance; the additional excursions which are not entering into the program of tour; personal costs, such as excess or accommodation of luggage; a laundry; phone/e-mail; alcoholic drinks; a mini-bar and other services in the room of hotels; the tip for personal services.

Note:
Author program is Alexander Petrov. Copying and introduction -  from the sanction of the author  petrovsra@mail.ru

Alexander Petrov
photos by.