Aktau sits on the eastern shore of the Caspian and is the centre of Kazakhstan’s Mangystau region, on the opposite shore from Baku. The city itself is small; the real reason to come is the desert around it: chalk mountains, round stones and mosques carved into rock. This is a place for photographers and for anyone looking for an unusual landscape. Three or four days is enough to see the region.
The city of Aktau and the Caspian shore
The city was built from nothing in the sixties, and the planning shows it clearly. It has one curious feature: the streets have no names, and addresses are written by microdistrict and building number, so you tell the taxi “third microdistrict, building fourteen”. It seems strange at first, then you get used to it.
The shore boulevard is the city’s main promenade, and because it faces west the sunset falls straight into the sea. In Baku the sun comes up out of the sea; here it goes down into it, and that difference is the local residents’ favourite comparison. In summer the city beaches work, and the water reaches twenty-five degrees in July.
The Mangystau desert and Bozjyra
Bozjyra is the region’s best-known landscape: white chalk cliffs rising out of the middle of the plain, where the sea bed lay millions of years ago. It is about three hundred kilometres from the city and the road is unpaved. You go there only in a high-clearance vehicle with an experienced driver.
In the Torysh valley there are round stone balls that have come out of the ground; there is a geological explanation, but on the spot they look artificial. Mount Sherkala resembles a tent from a distance, and an ancient caravan road passed around it. Booking the desert tour in advance is compulsory here, because there is no settlement and no fuel station on the route.
The underground mosques and the Karagiye depression
There are several mosques carved into the rock in the region, and they have been places of pilgrimage for centuries. Shakpak-Ata is in a cliff near the sea shore, with columns and carved patterns preserved inside. Beket-Ata is further off and the flow of visitors is high, with places to stay overnight.
The Karagiye depression is one of the lowest points in the world, more than a hundred and thirty metres below sea level. Looking from the edge you see an enormous hollow, and its scale is only felt on the spot. It is an hour and a half from the city, which suits a half-day trip.
Read more: A Kazakhstan travel guide: Almaty, Astana, the Charyn canyon, Shymbulak and 90 days visa-free
Transport and budget in Aktau
There is a direct flight from Baku and the journey is a little over an hour, which makes this one of the nearest foreign destinations. The airport is twenty-five kilometres from the city. Taxis in the city itself are cheap, while for the desert you hire a jeep with a driver. Comparing Aktau hotels near the shore boulevard in advance matters in summer, because places are few.
| Hotel | Around 40–80 euros a night in the city |
| Desert tour | One or two days, with a jeep and a driver |
| Lunch | 8–15 euros a head at a local place |
| Night in a tent | Part of the tours at Bozjyra |
Before going out into the desert take water, sun protection and warm clothing, because the temperature drops sharply at night. The mobile signal cuts out at many points, so tell someone your route. In the city, an eSIM for Kazakhstan costs far less than roaming. Watching the price of Baku–Aktau flights in advance pays off, because on a short route the difference is large in percentage terms. Official tourism information about the country is on Kazakhstan’s tourism portal.
The season in Aktau
May–June and September–October are the most suitable period for the desert routes, with 20–28 degrees. In July and August the heat approaches forty and walking in the desert can be dangerous, but in return the swimming season is open. Winter is windy and cold, and the roads are sometimes closed. In the spring months the desert turns green for a short while, and that is the least known sight of all.
In short
Aktau is a place you go to for the desert around it rather than for the city, and it is an hour from Baku. Book the tour in advance, take water and warm clothing, tell someone your route, and learn the microdistrict address system beforehand. If you want to combine the region with Almaty and Astana, you can look at tour options for Kazakhstan. For a route, fill in the application form.
Note: road conditions on the desert routes change with the season, so confirm the tour with a local operator.
