Etceterra Photo tours

Mysterious Mangistau: Journey to Mars

Region: Kazakhstan
Dates: April 1 – 13, 2022

Conditions of participation Photo travel program General information


Have you ever been to Mars? Nope? So I’d like to invite you to do it! There are several places on our planet that resemble Mars. In one of these places we go in our photo expedition from April 01 – 13 – the Mangyshlak Peninsula and Karynzharyk Plateau, Kazakhstan.
The place is inaccessible, but thanks to this, you will have the opportunity to enjoy the unique nature and take a piece of these places – fossils about 100 million years old!
We will travel in jeeps with the program “all inclusive”: you will need to take with you only photographic equipment and sleeping bags. Starry sky and night fires I promise you!

Places we will visit (click to see details)

The Boszhira tract meets the criteria of the UNESCO World Natural Heritage. Translated from one of the Kazakh dialects the word “boszhira” means “faded valley” or “gray land”. Here you can shoot Hollywood westerns or science fiction films. It seems that these landscapes are of alien origin. But in fact, they were once the bottom of the ancient Tethys ocean. The Boszhira tract with its unique beauty and grandeur limestone remnants and canyons is one of the “pearls” of Mangistau and the whole of Kazakhstan. On our journey you can feel like real paleontologists – numerous fossilized remains of sea urchins and extinct cephalopods – belemnites practically lie on the surface in the places where our route passes. The area of ​​Boszhira is huge. It will take more than one day to inspect it completely. The tract is part of the Ustyurt State Nature Reserve founded in 1984.

Having visited the plateau you feel as if you have touched history. Until today much remains a mystery, the findings of scientists cause only conjectures. Underground and aboveground temples, runic inscriptions on the rocks, ancient necropolis in a cave, various architectural monuments. Scientists explored the plateau and conducted aerial photography. The discovered stone sculptures of an unknown civilization became a big sensation. Nothing like this was found in the steppes of Eurasia as scientists noted. In the 1st millennium BC the Great Silk Road passed through the lands of Mangistau from Khorezm and Khiva to Europe, then to the Middle East. But stone sculptures belong to completely different times. According to their assumptions on the Ustyurt plateau along this path there were fortresses caravanserais and settlements of artisans, cattle breeders, and hunters. These finds testified that these settlements and fortresses had a fairly high standard of living, but so far these issues remain a big mystery.

There is also a bold opinion that the entire plateau is a huge stone complex built by unknown ancient builders, and it is nothing more than a spaceport. Whether it is true or not, science cannot prove it, but inexplicable phenomena often occur here, such as bright glows in the sky, mirages that appear in the daytime and at night, which have been repeatedly observed by local residents and lovers of the mysterious and inexplicable.

The animal world is quite diverse: jerboa, ground squirrel, marmot, gerbil, lizards, snakes, turtles, argali, hedgehogs and hares.

 

 

On Mangistau you can meet such birds: vultures, vultures, vultures, steppe eagles, stone partridges (keklik), jack (zhiek, wobbling), sultanka, Avdotka, common dove, saja, saker falcon, buzzard, nightjar, hoopoe, black-headed wagtail, wheatear , pink starling, desert crow, jackdaw, sparrow, skototserka and others. The pearl of the meeting with birds is the meeting with pink flamingos. On Lake Karakol, in the vicinity of Aktau, you can meet flamingos in the month of April and get close to them.

I invite you to this photo adventure!
Interesting? So come with us!

 

 

Briefly about what you can see:

– salt marshes going beyond the horizon, mountains with complex weathering forms, fancy outcroppings and chinks (faults) of the Karynzharyk plateau!
– “Martian” landscapes of the Ustyurt plateau and the chinks of Bozhyr! Rare “Red Book” animals can still be found in the vicinity of Boszhira: urial, goitered gazelle, vulture and saker falcon. And on Bozzhyr there are  Phrynocephalus helioscopus of a very unusual color – almost white – to match the color of the chalky soil …
– the famous White Canyon of Zhilshi (hidden from human eyes and only those who know the entrance can get into it), which turns into pink at dawn and on sunset!
– The Valley of the Castles of Airakty-Shomanai, like the mountains of Morder from the movie “The Lord of the Rings”!
– you can find interesting fossils of the Jurassic period – from sea urchins and ammonites to fossilized wood! You can take fossils with you!
– the finest stone lace on the surface of the cliffs – the result of thousands of years of rainfall, wind and sand!
– blooming spring steppe and migratory sand dunes of the desert!
– real camels and jerboas!
– A huge number of wild land turtles, geckos, agamas and maybe we’ll be lucky to meet snakes!
– Spring is the time of nesting of birds, therefore we can meet eagles not only in the sky, but also find their nests!
– the famous reserve Karynzharyk and spend there whole 3 nights under the starry sky and with stunning sunsets and sunrises!
– amazingly beautiful multi-colored Rainbow Mountains.

 

 

 

 

Conditions of participation

 

Photo Tour Location: Kazakhstan
Dates of the photo tour: 1.04 – 13.04.2022 (you need to arrive in Aktau on 03.31.2022)
Participation fee: 1990 $ (USD)
Prepayment: 900 $ (US dollars) deposit to the card at the rate of the Central Bank of the Russian Federation on the day of transfer. The place is reserved if you get the confirmation of availability and paid the deposit. In case of cancellation of travel, 100% deposit is held for 15 days before it starts. The remaining amount is returned. If the tour is canceled by me due to extreme force majeure circumstances, then the money will be returned in full.
Number of days: 13 days / 12 nights
Number of participants: 5-8 (3 people fit in one jeep).
Type of photography: landscape and astrophotography, macro photography and wildlife photography
Type of tour: photo tour, jeep trip
Difficulty level: very easy
The professional level of the photographer: basic, knowledge of his camera, possession of manual camera settings
Photoguide: Elena Pakhalyuk
Travel: Jeep
Accommodation: tents, hotels
Meals: all food we prepare on the fire and gas, café. We help prepare the guide together.
Visited attractions in the photo tour: Valley of balls, Karynzharyk reserve (lower and upper plateau), Bozzhira (lower and upper plateau), White Canyon Zhilshi, Castles of the Ayrakty-Shomanai valley, Rainbow mountains.

 

IMPORTANT! Since our trip starts early in the morning on 04/01/2022, you need to arrive in Aktau in advance on 03/31/2022. A transfer and a cozy hotel will be waiting for you.

AN ADDITIONAL TRIP TO THE SANDS OF SENEC IS POSSIBLE!

Number of participants: at least 3.
Number of days: 2 days ( 13.04-14.04.2022)
Participation fee: 400 $ (USD)

Important! An application for an additional trip is submitted together with the main application for the tour. Cancellation of the application will not be possible after you make the full payment for the tour.

 

 

Photo travel program

Meeting at Aktau airport on 03/31/2022. Transfer and check-in at the hotel. In the evening, dinner (not included in the price) and acquaintance with the group. All the most interesting – our journey – will begin early in the morning the next day 1.04.2022.

 

1 day. Wake up early, breakfast at the hotel (included in the price). We loaded into jeeps and began our amazing journey. Moving to the mysterious Valley of Balls. We set up camp. We walk, fly drones and choose places to shoot the sunset. We are also looking for places for night and dawn photography. Shooting a sunset. Then we will have a delicious dinner, romance by the fire and night shooting.

Day 2. Get up early in order to arrive before the first rays of the sun at the chosen shooting location. Dawn shooting. We return to the camp for breakfast. Pack up camp and move to the most beautiful, perfectly white White Canyon. We set up camp and walk along the canyon, fly, look under our feet and look for ancient fossils. We select shooting points for sunset, night shooting and dawn. Shooting a sunset. Then we return to the camp and have dinner. Night shoting in the canyon.

 

Day 3. Get up early, before the first rays of the sun. Dawn shooting in the White Canyon Zhilshi. We will have breakfast and pack up camp. We move to the valley of Airakty-Shomanay Castles. Walk, fly on drones and choose shooting locations for sunset, night and dawn, enjoy the amazing creations of nature, similar to the ancient remains of real castles. Do not forget to look under your feet – there are a lot of land turtles and flowering beautiful plants! Sunset shooting and dinner. We are waiting for the stars to appear and go to the night shooting.

Day 4. Get up early and sunrise shooting at Airakty Castles. We will have breakfast and pack up camp. We move to the lower plateau Bozzhira. Set up camp and go for a walk-exploration of the surroundings. We fly drones and choose shooting locations for sunset, night and dawn. Evening shooting. We return for dinner. Then will be the night shooting.

Day 5. Extra day in case of bad weather. We spend it on the lower Boszhira plateau, explore the surroundings and, of course, shoot the sunrise, sunset and starry sky.

Day 6. Get up early before the first rays of the sun. Shooting dawn. We return to the camp for breakfast. Picking up the camp and moving to the upper plateau of Boszhira, where not only the beauty around, but also amazing fossils under our feet await us. Therefore, we not only fly drones, but also don’t forget to look under our feet! There are also a lot of land turtles here. Set up camp and go to explore the surroundings. We choose places for shooting sunset, night shooting and dawn. Shoot the sunset and return to the camp for dinner. Then we are waiting for the night shooting.

 

Day 7. Get up early and shoot the sunrise. We will return to the camp and have breakfast. Pack up camp and move to the amazing Rainbow Mountains. We walk along the mini-canyon, launch drones and choose places for our evening, night and dawn shootings. Sunset shooting and dinner. Then we have a night shooting.

Day 8. Extra day in case of bad weather. We will spend it in the Rainbow Mountains, shooting sunrise, sunset and night sky. Let’s enjoy all the unusual beauties to the maximum!

Day 9. We will get up early before dawn. Shooting sunrise and have a delicious breakfast. Pack up camp  and move to another amazing location – to the reserve, the Karynzharyk plateau. We set up camp and walk, enjoy the beauty, fly drones and choose places for shooting sunset, night and dawn. Sunset shooting. Tasty dinner and night shooting on the upper plateau.

 

Day 10. Get up early and shoot the sunrise. We return to the camp and have breakfast. Pack up camp . We are moving to the lower plateau of the reserve and have plenty of time to explore it and fly drones. We are looking for suitable shooting points for sunset, night and dawn shooting. Sunset shooting. Tasty  dinner. After we are waiting for the shooting of the night sky.

Day 11. Extra day in case of bad weather. Get up early and shoot the sunrise. We will have breakfast and pack up camp. We are moving to a new shooting point on the Karynzharyk plateau. We walk around and explore, select shooting points for sunset, night and dawn shooting. The sunset shooting. We return to the camp and have dinner. Then we are waiting for the night shooting.

Day 12. Get up early and shoot the sunrise. Breakfast and pack up camp. We return to Aktau, to the hotel, where you can relax before returning home. If we return early, then in the afternoon those who wish can go to Lake Karakol to shoot flamingos, if they are there (not included in the tour price).

In the evening we will have a farewell dinner (not included in the tour price), where we will share our impressions of the trip.

Day 13. Breakfast at the hotel (included in the price). Transfer to Aktau airport. Be sure to inform the date and time of your flight when you take tickets to Kazakhstan and back to organize a transfer.

!There is a shower on the whole route. The quantity will depend on weather conditions and accordingly on our location!

 

 

 

Additional TRIP TO SENEC SANDS IS POSSIBLE!

The fairy tale of the dunes, the sound of the sands, the Milky Way, camels and desert animals … All this is waiting for you!

Important! An application for an additional trip is submitted together with the main application for the tour. Cancellation of the application will not be possible after you make the full payment for the tour.

After we deliver part of the group to the hotel, we will go on an adventure to a real small desert – the Seneca sands. The Seneca sands are one of the many wonders of Mangistau – real dunes among the Ustyurt chinks. The height of the sand dunes in some places reaches 20 meters.

 


 

 

General information

Clothes, footwear, tourist equipment

In April, the weather is changeable, during the day it can be very warm up to + 27 ° C, at night it is much colder to 0 ° C, and sometimes there can be frosts and fog. Strong winds are very frequent at this time of the year and there are precipitations, especially at night, rain and fog are possible. In line with this, MANDATORY! to have the necessary warm, windstopper and waterproof clothing, a raincoat, and also not to forget about beach accessories and, if there will be a good weather, we can make a nice sunny relaxation (a beautiful tan is provided!). Sleeping bag should be at a temperature of COMFORT (and not extreme) 0C – + 5C.
IMPORTANT! Since we will have radial exits, the photographic backpacks should allow you to take extra – for jackets and fleece.
Tent, floor mats, etc. equipment is provided. You need to take ONLY sleeping bags.

 

Be sure to have with you (list):

Personal first aid kit (personal medication)
Thermos
Headlamp
!! Required !! Photo backpack.
Lightweight fleece gloves
Storm / membrane jacket in case of strong wind
Membrane Pants
Tourist running trousers
Warm sweater or fleece
Raincoat
Mud shoe covers
Spare pair of warm socks and trekking
Comfortable running shoes
Flip-flops (for resting feet in the camp and for the beach)
Hygiene products, hygienic lipstick, plaster
Sleeping bag
Thermal underwear
Rubber Seat Pad (Foam)
Beach accessories
Towel
Sunscreen
Sunglasses
Headdress

What Photo Equipment i suggest you to bring (list):

Camera
Tripod
Wide and telezum lenses
Macro lens
Remote control
Polarizing filter
Gradient filter
ND filters
Be sure to protect the camera from fog, rain, waves at sea, if it requires it!
4-5 batteries
2-3 flash cards (at least 64 GB each)
Optical cleaners
Photo backpack
PowerBank for recharging a mobile phone
Lanterns for illuminating the landscape during night shooting


 

Is included in the price of the photo tour:

220 socket for charging equipment (generator)
Tents
Karemat
Fire equipment and gas
Meat on the fire.
First aid kit
Transfer on the whole route
Hotel at the beginning and at the end of the trip photo
Meals on the route (not including meals in the cafe)
Master classes in landscape, night shooting (astro photography) and macro photography
Photo guide service
Means of transportation – jeeps
Entrance tickets and permission to the Ustyurt Reserve
Drinking water
Shower on route

 

 

Is NOT included in the price of the photo tour:

Tickets to Kazakhstan and back.
Dining at the cafe on the route
Alcohol, souvenirs and other personal expenses.
Insurance
Visa cost (if required). Russians do not need a visa.

 

IMPORTANT!

IMPORTANT! Due to the fact that my photo expeditions do not include international and regional flights to the starting point of the program, I don’t held responsible for changes in flight conditions by airlines and airport requirements. Since travelers arrive from different countries and cities, I do not participate in the purchase of tickets, but I am always ready to advise on the selection.

IMPORTANT! Be sure to inform the date and time of your flight when you take tickets to Kazakhstan and back to organize a transfer.

IMPORTANT! Since our trip starts early in the morning on 04/01/2022, you need to arrive in Aktau in advance on 03/31/2022. A transfer and a cozy hotel will be waiting for you.

 

 


For any questions please contact:

Elena Pakhalyuk

– Photographer/Photo guide
– Member of the Union of Wildlife Photographers of Russia
– Member of the Russian Geographical Society (RGC),
– Member of the Development Center of the Russian Geographical Society of New Zealand since December 2018.
– Head of the Photo-Video Media Department of the Central Russian Geographical Society in New Zealand
– Winner and prize-winner of many international and all-Russian photo contests: “North Pacific Research Board” 2021, All-Russian photo contest from the Russian Geographical Society “The Most Beautiful Country” 2019, International photo contest “Golden Turtle” 2019 and 2021, “Best Photographer of the Year” in the nomination “Night landscape” of the international photo contest “35Awards” 2019, “GDT European Wildlife Photographer of the Year” 2021. Marumi “Night Landscape” 2020, “AstroCamera” 2020, etc.
– Member of the jury of the All-Russian photo contest of the Russian Geographical Society “The Most Beautiful Country” 2020, the International Photo Contest “Golden Turtle” 2020.

 

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ATTENTION! Depending on unpredictable weather conditions, as well as the general decision of the group, the photo tour program can be changed!

 

Join now! It will be very interesting!

 

*Special thanks to the tour participants for providing great photos – Maria Tripoten and Sergey Khachatryan!