Western Kazakhstan

Region

Oil country on the Caspian, and some of the strangest landscapes in Central Asia. Mangystau has the chalk cliffs and canyons of Bozzhyra and the Ustyurt plateau, along with underground mosques, Aktau is a seaside city, and Atyrau sits on the Ural river between Europe and Asia.

Western Kazakhstan MugalzharTurgay PlateauAykeBolshiye Peshnye IslandsZhanbay IslandDurneva IslandSpirkin Oseredok IslandAktauAtyrauAktobeOralFort-ShevchenkoZhanaozenSaray-JükTyuleny ArchipelagoKulsaryAlgaAksay, West Kazakhstan RegionShalkarKandyagashKhromtauMakatEmbiBeyneu

Western Kazakhstan essentials

Country: Kazakhstan
Driest months: Jul-Sep
Pay in: Tenge (Т)
Language: Kazakh
Emergency: 102

Where to Go in Western Kazakhstan#

City Aktobe AktobeWestern industrial city City Atyrau AtyrauOil city on the Ural River near the Caspian City Aktau AktauPort city on the Caspian Sea in Kazakhstan City Oral OralCity in Kazakhstan known for its industry City Zhanaozen ZhanaozenOil-rich city in western Kazakhstan City Kulsary KulsaryCity in Atyrau Oblisi, Kazakhstan City Fort-Shevchenko Fort-ShevchenkoCity in Mangghystau, Kazakhstan Island Tyuleny Archipelago Tyuleny ArchipelagoCaspian Sea island group with seabird and seal colonies Nature Mugalzhar MugalzharSeries of hills and low mountains in Aktobe Region Nature Terskey Alatoo Terskey AlatooMountain range of the Tien Shan with alpine glaciers Nature Ayke Ayke Nature Khrebet Sarydzhaz Khrebet SarydzhazMountain ridge in West Kazakhstan Region

Regions & Cities#

Aktau Explore Aktau Aktau’s Caspian waterfront has pebble beaches, Soviet-era promenades and access to Mangystau’s white cliffs and desert caves; people come for sea swims and off-road canyon trips. Atyrau Explore Atyrau Sitting where the Ural meets the Caspian, Atyrau offers riverfront cafés, fish markets and the novelty of a city straddling Europe and Asia, with delta wetlands nearby. Aktobe Explore Aktobe Aktobe sits at trade crossroads in western Kazakhstan; travelers visit bustling markets, sample plov and shashlik, and set off into surrounding steppe and river valleys. Oral Explore Oral Oral perches on the Ural River with a compact old town, wooden mosques and promenades; travelers enjoy river trips, local cafés and unexpected European architectural flourishes. Fort-Shevchenko Explore Fort-Shevchenko On the Caspian shore, Fort-Shevchenko keeps a low, salt-stiff air: a small fortress museum, Soviet-era monuments, fishing piers and windswept beaches where bird migration and the oil-industry horizon meet. Zhanaozen Explore Zhanaozen Zhanaozen sits on the Mangystau plain near the Caspian; visitors pass through for coastal cliffs, oilfield vistas, and desert drives to sinkholes and limestone canyons. Saray-Jük Explore Saray-Jük An archaeological site on Kazakhstan’s lower Ural steppe, Saray-Jük preserves ruins of a medieval trading town once linked to Silk Road routes; visitors explore earthworks and scattered foundations. Tyuleny Archipelago Explore Tyuleny Archipelago A chain of small islands off Kazakhstan’s Mangystau coast in the Caspian Sea, Tyuleny harbours seabird colonies and seal haul-outs; access is mostly by research vessel and visits are sparse.

Western Kazakhstan at a Glance#

Local Time
11:43 PM
GMT+5
Population
2,990,484

Best Things to Do in Western Kazakhstan#