The West of Kazakhstan and the Mangistau region is an amazing land where the stormy history of the rebellious eggs of the Cossacks, freedom -loving nomads and intellectuals of the Russian Empire mixed up. Here you can wander along the streets half of the Cossack, half a merchant city, visit Pushkin’s museum and see unusual natural attractions: bizarre chalk remains and multi -colored rocks, reminiscent of Andes, steppes, canyons and endless salt marshes that reflect the sky. We tell you that you cannot miss on a trip to this part of the country.
How to get
Direct flights from Moscow to Aktau fly four times a week, the cost of tickets starts from 9,800 rubles one way. It is easiest to get to Uralsk to get an airplane from Aktau – on the way, 1.5 hours, tickets from 4,400 rubles.
If you plan to visit distant natural attractions, we advise you to take a tour or rent an all -wheel drive – the path often goes along the desert and ground roads. Do not forget to stock up on gasoline, water and products, shops in the steppes are rare.
Entrance rules
All COVID restraints have been removed, tests and certificates are not required. Russians can be in Kazakhstan for up to 90 days, you can enter, including by internal passport.
Aktau: In search of a mermaid and a lighthouse on the roof
The young city-port Aktau is located on the shores of the Caspian Sea. The main point of attraction of tourists here is a pedestrian one and a half kilometer ecotrope, laid between the turquoise sea and the coastal cliffs. It is equipped with comfortable flooring, stairs, backlight and viewing platforms – an ideal place for leisurely walks, dates and photos with magnificent views. Find the statue of the mermaid, admire the sheer cliffs of white sandstone and bathe in transparent water.
There are several beaches within the city – sandy, with a gentle call. Here you can not only sunbathe and swim, but also try kaitesurfing, rent a supportboard, play beach basketball, visit the water park and try local sturgeons and kefal. Among architectural attractions, it is worth noting a unique lighthouse in the fourth microdistrict located directly on the roof of a residential building. Not far from him, the sea breeze puffs the sail of the Aktau symbol – a bronze copy of the caravel of Christopher Columbus “Santa Maria.”
Where to stop: In the Aktau Hotel (estimate 8.6) – from 2,300 rubles* per day, in Holidy Inn aktau (9.2 score) – from 5,000 rubles* per day, or in Caspian Riviera Grand Palace Hotel (9.0 rating) – from 8,500 rubles* per day.
Canyons, gorges, camels and deserts
Aktau is a convenient point for studying the natural miracles of the Mangistau region. 130 km from the city, on the Tupkaragan plateau is the Cretaceous Canyon Kapamsai. Its steep walls reach 70 m in height, silicon deposits are found, and the former bottom of the river is strewn with stone boulders, so it will not work to move quickly. Not far from the canyon, it is interesting to visit the underground mosque Shakpak-Ata of the X-XIII centuries, cut down in a chalk cliff. Hundreds of years ago, the Zoroastrians worshiped the fire here, and today in the cave you can catch the rituals of modern fire worshipers.
Next, go to Sherkal’s grief. On the one hand, it resembles a standing in the middle of the steppe of more than three hundred-meter white-filamentarous tent of nomads, on the other-a lion who laid her head on his paws. A mysterious Valley of Torysh was spread nearby: a tract whose surface is randomly covered with mineral spheres with a diameter of 10 cm to 4 m. Scientists have not yet a single version of the origin of the balls, but their approximate age is about 120 million years.
It is convenient to get to Tuzbair – the white mountains at the foot of a huge salt marsh. The limestone slopes cut off with erosion break off, and under them a carpet is spreading the reflecting sky and the sunset of the SOR – this is what the appearance of shallow salt marshes is called here.
Another obligatory place for visiting is the fantastic tract of Boszhir on the Ustyurt plateau. Thousands of years ago, the waves of the ancient sea were noisy here, and now the majestic limestone remains rise to the sky, changing outlines depending on lighting. Here you can find petrified algae, shells and teeth of Mesozoic sharks. The height of the stone giants reaches 200 m. To see the game of colors and shoot a sunset and dawn in an unusual location, take a tent with you and spend it at the foot of one of the rocks.
The next item is a multi -colored mountain box about 20 km from Boszhir. The layers of this giant cake are parallel to the ground, gradually moving from blue, red and yellow colors to brown. The correct symmetrical shape of the 160-meter chalk remaining remains, lonely towering on a salt marsh, strengthens the impression that an unprecedented ship had froze in the steppe. Do not forget to compare the original with the image of a bill with a face value of 1000 tenge. By the way, here you can find camels.
Where camels, there is a desert – Senec sands are located near the village of the same name in a straight line from the mountain of the side. Everything is real here: marks up to 25 m high, the game of wind and sand on the surface and traces of lizards, and massive mountains on the horizon.
Uralsk: History of the Pugachev riot
The former Yaitsky town was founded by the Cossacks in 1584, and the name Uralsk received the settlement by the will of Empress Catherine II so that nothing reminded of the rebels who raised the uprising led by Emelyan Pugachev. Nevertheless, the dramatic story of the rebellion is an integral part of the city: in the house of Cossack Kuznetsov, the father of the second wife of the self -proclaimed emperor, now is the Museum of Emelyan Pugachev. This is a typical Cossack smoking, where you can get acquainted with the features of the lifestyle of the Yaitsky Cossacks, find out the little -known details of the rebellion and see the genuine things of Pugachev, weapons and the banner of the rebels.
Not far from the museum, it is worth visiting the squat Mikhailo-Arkhangelsk Cathedral, consecrated in 1751. The former chief temple of the Yaitsky Cossack army saw a lot: in the square in front of him they rebelled and collected a military circle, after the suppression of the uprising, the rebels were punished, and Pugachev himself languished in the basement of the cathedral, devoted to associates.
Many famous military leaders, scientists and creative people of pre -revolutionary Russia were in the city: Alexander Suvorov interrogated Pugachev here, Alexander Pushkin collected materials for the “History of the Pugachev Riot”, Vladimir Dahl studied Folklore, Alexander Alyabyev led the orchestra, and the young Fedor Chaliapin performed at the local theater.
The preserved historical development of the center resembles merchant Orenburg with cozy mansions and Cossack flavor. Walk along Friendship Avenue and look at Pushkin’s museum to see the genuine manuscripts of the poet and find out the story of the creation of the “Captain’s daughter”. A little further can you miss a bright building of a craft school with arched windows and towers in the oriental style-today it is a historical and local history museum. Exposition is introduced to the Middle Ages on the example of the settlement Zhayk, the Kazan Khanate, the life of the nomads and the culture of the Urals.
It’s nice to just walk along the squares and streets of Uralsk: to find a monument to the national currency and a sculpture of Batyr cut out of a tree, wander along the Khan’s grove, where the rulers of the vassal Kazakh khanate swore allegiance to the Russian throne, ride a film of reviews in Kirov Park.
Where to stop: In the Apart-hotel Vegus (score 9.3)-from 2,400 rubles* per day, in the Chaga Hotel Uralsk (rating 7.1)-from 5,700 rubles* per day or at Hotel Pushkin (estimate 8.6)-from 7,100 rubles* per day.
*Prices are relevant at the time of publication.
