3-DAY TOUR TO SACRED SUFI SPOTS
USTYURT PLATEAU
Tour details:
Price: starting from 320 USD per person (see full info below)
Type of Tour: Private
Duration: three days
Pick up and drop off at your hotel or anywhere else you’re staying in Aktau. Airport pick up and/or drop off are also available.
Meals: full board; vegetarian or vegan options are available.
What's included:
4WD transport with an experienced driver
Food & water (2 dinners, 3 lunches, 2 breakfasts)
Camping equipment (tents, sleeping bags, table, chair
What to take with you:
- Comfortable shoes
- Hat
- Sunscreen
Tour Overview:
This three-day trip from Aktau highlights the spiritual and natural beauty of Mangystau. You will visit key underground mosques including Sultan Upi, Shakpak Ata, and Beket Ata, while camping at the scenic Shakpaktasai Canyon and the colorful Kyzylkup “Tiramisu” Valley. The tour concludes with the dramatic limestone landscapes of Boszhira Gorge before returning to the city.
In Dostar Trips we treat each our guest as a friend whom we just didn’t meet yet (“dostar” means friends from Kazakh). If you take a trip with us – you can rely on our friendly support during all your stay, we will always be happy to help you with anything you wish – advise the best place to eat, buy a train ticket, meet locals. Check out what our previous guests are saying about us on TripAdvisor. Let’s be friends!
Highlights:
Discover the most mysterious and least researched destination in Kazakhstan where the Earth is naked “to the bones”
Be impressed by the Ustyurt Plateau’s chalk escarpments, known as “chinks” that are starkly beautiful
Enjoy surreal sunsets & sunrises when the white rocks are painted in crazy purple colors
Make insane photos of boundless salty valleys, breathe-taking panoramas & yourself catching wild wind of shiny white clay dessert on the edge of the rock
Forget about civilization and other people for 3 days – embrace a real camping experience with starry skies, bonfires, and freshly cooked
Itinerary:
Day 1: Aktau - Kenty Baba Necropolis – Sultan Upi Mosque – Shakpak Ata Mosque – Shakpaktasai Canyon (overnight in tents)
Your journey begins in Aktau, followed by a visit to the Kenty Baba Necropolis, an extensive burial complex that preserves centuries of local funerary traditions and distinctive Mangystau stonework. After exploring the site, continue to the Sultan Upi Mosque, a sacred place closely associated with early Sufi teachings in the region. The mosque is known for its serene atmosphere and its role as a refuge for travelers and dervishes moving across the steppe along historic pilgrimage routes.
Next, proceed to Shakpak Ata Mosque, one of Mangystau’s most important underground sanctuaries. Carved into a soft limestone cliff, this mosque features cross-shaped chambers, ancient petroglyphs, and wall inscriptions believed to reflect early Sufi symbolism. The site is renowned for its unique architecture, unusual acoustics, and the legends that surround Shakpak Ata, a revered Sufi figure and spiritual protector of travelers.
In the afternoon, continue to Shakpaktasai Canyon, a secluded natural gorge marked by dramatic rock textures and wind-sculpted formations. Take time to explore the area, enjoy panoramic viewpoints, and settle into your tented camp for an overnight stay in the silent and expansive Mangystau landscape.
Day 2. Shakpaktasai Canyon – Karaman Ata Mosque – Shopan Ata Mosque – Kyzylkup “Tiramisu” Valley (overnight in tents)
Start the day with the tranquil landscapes of Shakpaktasai Canyon, where layered rock formations and serene views set a perfect tone for the journey ahead. From here, travel to Karaman Ata Mosque and its ancient necropolis—one of the most significant in Mangystau. For centuries, this sacred place served as the site of purifying oaths, with promises made at the grave of Karaman Ata considered holy and unbreakable.
Continue to the revered Shopan Ata Mosque, a masterpiece of underground architecture carved into soft stone. Deeply connected with Sufi traditions, the site is linked to Khoja Ahmed Yassawi, while the very name “Shopan” symbolizes protection and prosperity. According to legend, Shopan Ata appeared in a dream to guide his spiritual disciple Beket Ata, making this sanctuary an essential stop for pilgrims following the ancient ziyarat route.
Conclude the day at the enchanting Kyzylkup “Tiramisu” Valley, where striped hills resemble layers of a delicate dessert. The warm sunset light enhances the red, beige, and white tones of the landscape, creating an unforgettable atmosphere before settling in for an overnight stay in tents.
Day 3. Kyzylkup “Tiramisu” – Beket Ata Mosque – Boszhira Gorge – Aktau
Begin the morning surrounded by the soft, pastel-colored slopes of Kyzylkup “Tiramisu” where the first sunlight highlights the valley’s delicate layered patterns. After taking in the peaceful scenery, continue to Beket Ata Mosque—the most revered pilgrimage site in Mangystau. Beket Myrzagululy (1750–1813), a philosopher, educator, and legendary hero of the local Adai tribe, built underground mosques and medreses, taught children, and was known for his healing abilities. Celebrated for his courage in battles and spiritual wisdom, Beket Ata remains a central figure in Mangystau’s Sufi and cultural heritage. Visiting his underground sanctuary offers a profound spiritual experience along the traditional ziyarat route.
Afterward, journey to the iconic Boszhira Gorge, one of Kazakhstan’s most spectacular natural wonders. Towering white cliffs, sharp limestone peaks, and lunar-like panoramas create an otherworldly landscape, perfect for panoramic views and photography.
In the evening, return to Aktau, concluding your three-day journey through Mangystau’s sacred Sufi sites, ancient necropolises, and breathtaking desert landscapes.
Your Ustyurt 3-Day Tour on the map:
Prices for the Ustyurt 3-Day Tour, USD:
This is a private tour. Each listed price is the total for your group size (1-5 guests), not a per person rate. Usually we don’t match solo travelers or combine separate bookings, sometimes we can do it only if participants agreed and their dates match, however unfortunately it rarely happens.
If your party size changes, the price will adjust to the corresponding group tier.
For groups of 6+ guests, please contact us for options.
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One guest - Private tour $1100
Private only, no group matching.
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Per group of two guests $1120
Private only, no group matching. 560$ per person for group of two guests
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Per group of three guests $1125
Private only, no group matching. 375$ per person for group of three guests
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Per group of four guests $1280
Private only, no group matching. 320$ per person for group of four guests
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Per group of five guests $2200
Private only, no group matching. 440$ per person for group of five guests. Trip will be performed on two suv vehicles.
What's included:
4WD transport with an experienced driver
Food & water (2 dinners, 3 lunches, 2 breakfasts)
Camping equipment (tents, sleeping bags, table, chair)
