West Kazakhstan is an area of contrasts. On the one hand it's an empty land with endless semi-desert (some 200,000 square km!), on the other hand, beneath the semi-desert (and also the Caspian Sea) lie enormous reserves of oil and other minerals. This has resulted in the speedy developments of especially the towns of Atyrau and Aktau, both on the Caspian coast.

What has this area travellers to offer? The most interesting part of west Kazakhstan is the southwest, the province of Mangistau, and in particular the Mangyshlak peninsula. Ancient trading routes of the famous Silk Road crossed this area, on their northern way to the Russian town of Astrakhan, through the (1,000 years ago) partly dry Caspian Sea! 
Scattered through the empty lands one finds memories of the past - necropolises, mausuleums, underground mosquesand caves where Sufism was being practiced. Truly a rich past, and one that hardly any foreign traveller has taken not of.

In addition the nature in Mangyshlak is spectacular. The semi-desert is interchanged  with oases, saltlakes and fabulous rock formations (have a look here). And there is the 2,200 square km Ustyurt Natural Reserve where the Ustyurt moufflon (a rare type of wild sheep), lyncx-like caracal, Indian porcupine, saiga antelope and some 20,000 dhheyran (gazelle) roam freely.

It won't some as a surprise to learn that tourism in this region is still in its infancy. That's the case for all of Kazakhstan and definitely for the west. Distances are large, settlements few and orientation is difficult, clearly one cannot enter the region unprepared.
But, travelling is possible and we are happy to be able to offer you a very interesting (and tested) program in West Kazakhstan!