I never been such a unique and breath taking landscape before coming to Ustyurt plateau . This plateau is situated in the western part of the Kazakisthan and spread across Uzbekisthan and Turkamenisthan . Here you can see beautiful chalk mountains , unique chinks (This steep cliffs are made of chalk and limestone ) , vast open space with salt deposits and Kahazie depression (which is 132 below sea level and one of the lowest point in central asia).
Also near to the Mangystau plateau you wil visit some oldest underground mosque like beker ata and shopan ata which were build by some sufi saints in 18 th century . from long distance people comes for pilgrimage by camels or cars . Unfortunately I don’t have the time to visit those underground mosques situated in the middle of a desert
for details direction of How to reach to the underground mosque in Mangystau region by public transport , you can follow this link .
How to travel the amazing landscape of Ustyurt plateau ?
There is no public transport to this remote tourist places . In the way of this places mostly you will go through excellent turmac roads but for reaching to the exact spot you need to go through some off roading .
So for visiting this places you need to Ustyurt Plateau a car who knows the plateau well or contact to a tour operator . They have single as well as group tours . Solo tours are very expensive (300 – 500 USD) for 2-3 days But I take a group tour and it costs around 50 USD with a tour guide , morning breakfast and lunch in this amazing placefrom aktau and come back to the city . There were three spots iin our journey chalk mountains , Boszhira valley and the bozzira mountain top . From here you have amazing view of the whole area .
Bozzira Mountain :
This are the most iconic spots to visit in Ustyurt plateau . First we see this unique shaped mountains from the valley but then after our final stop is in the top from where I take this limestone and chalk chink . From here you can go little closer but can not go to the foot of this chinks .
Here wind is blowing very fast . Even standing there to take a photograph requires a great courage . I see lots of people just crawl in this place , can not even stand . Me also crawl a little bit . You can imagine how fast the wind is . If you make any mistake ans disbalence you will fall 100 -200 meter below .
This photo has been taken by some of the tour guide of different tour. This guy has been helping other people in his group to just stand there or little far on this way . But I must say I fear to go little farther . As the wind is very fast and my boot is also not having good grip .
All togeather this is my best experience in Kazakisthan . Though it is in the tentitive list of UNESCO , not in the permanent list . I think UNESCO should reconsider the status of this place . I never seen such a amazing landscape .
Kahazie Depression :
Kahazie depression is the place which devides the Ustyurt plateau and Mangyastau plataue . It is the deepest point in this area probabely 132 meter down to the sea level .
When the car goes through this plateau you will feel a little blokade in your ears like when plane going down from high altitude for landing . The road is amazing in this remote place and there is very less traffic . The car runs almost 130 km/hr . this makes you really feel that you going to the lowest point in central asia .
Chalk Mountain :
This are some of the unique and colorful mountains in this region . The color combination is such that it looks like an artists painted this mountain with red and white .
The white is the color of the actual chalk and red color is formed by the iron deposit on that chalk mountain .
You can climb a little bit and all this area looks same . Just a amazing area to visit .
Valley of spherical balls :(Torysh)
I frankly speaking that I have not visited this place but this is a interesting place to visit . You can see the round balls scattered in a valley of mount sherkala in Mangystau region .
There is different theory for originating this types of unique sized balls . But most appeling theory to me is that . In older days this area was under the sea and when the sea diappear from this place . By the natural errossion this unique sized balls are made . This are almost spherical sized balls .
Beket Ata :
Beket ata is a holy pilgrimage area build in the 18 th century and it is the final resting place of the sufi teacher Beket ata . It is an important pilgrimage place for Kazakh muslims .
It is situated in the Mangystau region and almost 285 km from the Aktau city . In older days camels are the only options to reach there but now a days cars can reach there . In the way to to this area you can also visit the sopan ata . There is a basic guest house in this area for the pilgrimage where people can spent the night and it free for all .
For information about how to reach here by public transport you can visit this link .
Sopan ata :
It is a 12 th century underground mosque where sopan ata (a spiritual man ) lived . There is a holy well which served the water to the pilgrimage and the resident of the mosque . For reliving from the high heat of this area , this mosque is build underground . In the way to beker ata people pray and somebody sacrifice lamb in this area
Summary :
Ustyurt Plateau is full of natural beauty and religious places . But for visiting you need to book a tour . In this side there is no public transport . Only I read from the blog that there is some public transport towards the Beker ata . But for the Ustyurt plataue Tour is must and mostly from the aktau city . Group tour is budget friendly but the solo trip is very expensive .