Hiking Tour on Mangyshlak.

“The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step” 

Lao Tzu.

Short description of route of tour to natural sights of Mangyshlak:

Aktau - Karagiye hollow - town Zhanaozen - settlement Senek - settlement Akkuduk - hollow Karynzharyk - mount Bokty – Bozzhyra natural landmark - mosque Shopan Ata – saline march Tuzbair - settlement Shetpe – Yurt Cam “Etno Aul” - mount Sherkala - natural landmark Ayrakty-Shomanay - natural landmark Torysh - town Aktau.

Distance route: 1017 km.
Season: April - September.
Best time for tour: April, May, June, September.
Accommodation: 2 nights in tents, 1 night in Yurt Camp.
Duration: 4 days, 3 nights.

The detailed program of a tour day by day to settlement of Senek and settlement of Akkuduk in Mangistau of province:

Guide tour to Karynzharyk on Mangyshlak.

Day 1. Aktau - hollow Karynzharyk - (344 km).

Transfer: Aktau - Karagiye hollow (30 km).
After Aktau, throughout 31 kilometers the asphalt road crosses the deepest hollow in Kazakhstan - Karagiye which is 132 meters lower than the level of the Baltic Sea. The lowest place where there passes the highway - 119 meters. A stop for photography, walk in vicinities.
Transfer: Karagiye hollow - town Zhanaozen - settlement Senek - Tuyesu sands (170 km).
After the settlement of Kyzylsu a stop at a monument to stone spherical concretion, photography. Further transfer to the settlement of Senek. Behind the settlement of Senek a stop at Tuyesu sands, walk in vicinities, photography.
Further transfer: Tuyesu sands - settlement Akkuduk (80 km).
After the settlement of Senek we will go along a bench of Kulandy which is from us from West side. Arrival in the settlement of Akkuduk. The settlement of Akkuduk is on the western edge of sands Karynzharyk which are located from the North on the South on 60 kilometers.
Further transfer: settlement Akkuduk - Onere cordon (45 km).
After the settlement of Akkuduk we transfer along the western edge of sands Karynzharyk the South to the southernmost tip of a hollow Karynzharyk.
Further transfer: Onere cordon - hollow Karynzharyk (19 km). After
Unere cordon we pass the southernmost tip of saline march Kenderlisor and we will stop on the parking from East side of a hollow Karynzharyk on the edge of the Western cliff of Ustyurt. From here the magnificent panorama on a hollow Karynzharyk with five lost mountain opens.
Walk in vicinities, dinner and overnight in tents.

Day 2. Hollow Karynzharyk - Bozzhyra natural landmark (169 km).

Breakfast. Transfer: hollow Karynzharyk - Unere cordon - settlement Akkuduk - mountain Bokty (139 km).
We pass sands Karynzharyk, we turn a bench of Kulandy in the neighborhood of Besokty well on the East, we pass the valley Ayzhirektyoy and we go to the mountain 166 m. high of Bokty a. s. l. The picturesque, extended mount Bokty from the West on the East 1 kilometer long, towers on the plain which from East side is limited to extended saline land.
Walk in vicinities, photography, paleontologic finds.
Transfer: mountain Bokty - Boszhyra valley (30 km).
Boszhyra valley is located on the western slopes of the Western chink of Ustyurt, this most sublime a part of the mountain with unique lost mountain. From North side Boszhyra valley is limited to the highway Zhanaozen - the mosque Beket ata, from South side the valley is limited to extended litter Karashek.
Walk in the vicinities of Bozzhyra natural landmark.
A lunch, dinner and overnight in tents.

Day 3. Bozzhyra natural landmark - Yurt camp "Etnoaul" (300 km).

Breakfast. Transfer: Bozzhyra natural landmark - Zhosaly raising - mosque Shopan Ata (92 km).
We pass Bozzhira  natural landmark from the South and on the stony road we come out to the highway Zhanaozen – Beket Ata. Our way goes to the West to a necropolis and the underground mosque Shopan Ata. Arrival to the mosque Shopan Ata, walk on local sights, visit of a necropolis, the underground mosque, a well.
Transfer: mosque Shopan Ata –saline march Tuzbair (70 km).
After the mosque Shopan Ata we pass tomb of saint Kostam who is on a height, our further way lies along northeast edge of the desert Bostankum. There where sands Bostankum border on sands Sauskan we is turned on the North and we transfer along the “Central Asia-Center” gas pipeline.
Arrival on saline march Tuzbair, here a northern part of saline land is on the western border of the Western cliff of Ustyurt. A lunch in a shadow of rocks.
After a lunch our travel by a northeast part of saline march Tuzbair before the 10th rail junction on the automobile route Aktau - Beyneu (56 km) begins.
We transfer along the Western cliff of Ustyurt in the South and the West there is saline march Tuzbair, we visit the most beautiful, picturesque and interesting sights of saline march Tuzbair. Visit of the well-known Arch of Tuzbair, photography of vicinities.
Transfer: 10th rail junction - settlement Shetpe – Yurt Camp “Etno Aul” (80 km).
Arrival in the Yurt Camp, accommodation, dinner and overnight.

Day 4. Yurt Camp Etno Aul - town Aktau (204 km).

Breakfast. Transfer: Yurt Camp "Etno Aul" - ancient settlement Kyzyl kala (8 km).
Visit of the ancient settlement Kyzyl Kala and natural landmark Akmysh, walk in vicinities.
Transfer: ancient settlement Kyzyl kala - Sherkala mountain (2 km).
Walk in the vicinities of Sherkala mount. Mount Sherkal high 308 m. a. s. l. in translation from Kazakh – Mount Lion, is near the natural landmark Akmysh. Mount Sherkala it is extended from the North on the South more than on 1 kilometer.
The southern part of the mountain the highest and here is the absolute height of the mountain with triangulation point which was established by the Soviet surveyors.
From the South on the North Sherkala mountain goes down and divided into deep gorges which are washed away by rain streams.
Transfer: Sherkala mountain – Ayrakta natural landmark and the natural landmark of Shomany (28 km).
Walk in vicinities, photography.
Transfer: Ayrakty natural landmark - mount Sherkala - settlement  Shaiyr - natural landmark Torysh (54 km).
Our way lies through the dry course Akmysh, further on the grader road we go to the settlement of Shaiyr. Without reaching to the settlement of Shaiyr we turn to the right and we go on equal and smooth saline march more than 7 kilometers long.
Arrival in the natural landmark Torysh. In the natural landmark Torysh are the most large amount of stone spherical concretions which are chaotically scattered after the district and were stretched more than on 7 kilometers on a circle. Walk in the neighborhood of the natural landmark Torysh, paleontologic finds, photography.
Transfer: natural landmark Torysh - town Aktau (112 km).
Arrival in Aktau, end of the tour.

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

Alexander Petrov
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