Ustyurt Plateau
The Ustyurt Plateau is a clay desert that covers 200 thousand square kilometers (77.220 sq. mi) that is roughly the size of England and Scotland combined. The plateau offers magnificent sights: flat salt-encrusted terrain broken by chalk buttes looks like a landscape from a different planet.
General information
The plateau is shared by Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan. In 1984, Kazakhstan established the Ustyurt Nature Reserve on its part of the plateau to preserve rare animals such as Ustyurt mouflon, Persian gazelle, saiga antelope, black-tailed gazelle, polecat, and others.
Ustyurt has a variety of landscapes: from clay and sand deserts to buttes and steep cliffs. The cliffs are the plateau’s edges that stand at 350 meters (1150 ft) and are locally known as chinks. Time and erosion gave these soft chalk rocks the most bizarre forms.
According to scientists, the plateau was the bottom of the Tethys Ocean more than 20 million years ago. The ancient ocean is long gone, but evidence of its existence remains. There you can find fossilized sea creatures and, if you are lucky, shark teeth.
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Climate
In winter, the air temperature can drop to –40oC (–40oF), and during the summer months it sometimes reaches +60oC (140oF) in some areas. Winter is snowy and windy. Spring is short and dry. Summer and autumn are the longest seasons in the area. First frosts begin at the end of October, and last frosts end at the end of April. It sometimes rains heavily in late spring and summer.
Awe-inspiring natural wonders
Bosjira Tract is one of the plateau’s most spectacular attractions. It features white limestone buttes that rise above the ground like fangs.
Another natural wonder is the Karynzharyk Hollow. This is the second deepest depression in the region – 75 meters (246 ft) below sea level. It is framed by steep cliffs, and in its center lays a salt marsh. In the summertime, white salty soil is covered in cracks, and when it rains the salt pan resembles a huge mirror.
The Ustyurt Plateau features Kazakhstan’s deepest karst caves. One of them is Karagan-Bosaga, a 150-meter (492 ft) deep cave with limestone and quartz walls. This cave is safe and easy to explore. Another cave is Balayuk. This one has a steep descent and is more than 100 meters (328 ft) deep. Do not attempt to explore it without special equipment. At the very bottom of the Balayuk Cave, there is a lake.
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Mysterious geoglyphs and underground mosques
Mother Nature worked hard to create the unearthly landscapes of the Ustyurt Plateau, but people have also made a contribution. The region contains some of Kazakhstan’s most ancient mosques and other structures.
People have been living there from time immemorial. Scientists have discovered more than sixty Neolithic sites and traces of the Scythians and Mongols. Ancient caravan routes, including the Silk Road, passed through the plateau. Caravanserais (roadside inns), mosques, and fortresses were built along the route as merchants needed some infrastructure on their way. Fortunately, some of these architectural monuments have been preserved, some in a better state than others. For example, visitors can still see the arch of the Beliuli Caravanserai, the ruins of the Alan-Kala fortress, burial grounds, mausoleums, and underground mosques.
One of the plateau’s most mysterious sights is “The Arrows of Ustyurt” – 900-meter (985 yd) long line drawings that can be seen only from a flight altitude. The purpose of the “arrows” remains unclear. They were discovered only in 1986 using aerial photography. “The Arrows of Ustyurt” are similar to the geoglyphs in the Nazca Desert in Peru.
During the spread of Sufism on the territory of Mangystau, missionaries cut mosques inside limestone rocks. Shopan Ata and Beket Ata Underground Mosques were preserved in great condition and still attract pilgrims and travelers.
How to get there?
The nearest large city to the plateau is Aktau, Mangystau Region. Aktau is easily accessible from anywhere in Kazakhstan by train, plane, or car. The road from Aktau to the plateau will take about 4-4.5 hours. It is recommended to book tours that will take you to the sights of the plateau in the quickest and safest way possible. We do not recommend venturing deep into the desert alone. Before setting off for a trip, make sure you have enough water, comfortable shoes, a sunscreen lotion, and a hat.