Mangystau, in Kazakhstan: journey into the immensity and poetry of the world

The poetry of the planet Earth expresses itself vigorously in Mangystaua little known region of immense Kazakhstan, The largest country of Central Asia and the ninth in the world by extension. In this territory between the coasts of the caspio and the border with Uzbekistangeology becomes art and time is measured in geological eras.

The skies are often tersi, rare rainfall and the wind pushes the clouds more and more east, breaking absolute silence with its hiss. From Aktauwhere you land, at Torysh Valleyabout two hundred kilometers of Earth Arsa, perforated by hundreds of metal arms that uninterruptedly tilting, extract oil (it is among the first twenty countries in the world, with almost 90,000 barrels per day). The esplanade of moving cranes and the asphalted road blend in nothing furrowed by meat dirt tracks, this is the least populated area of ​​the country (3.6 inhabitants per sq km). You cross dusty steppes, those same jokes by the Mongols of Genghs Khan, today populated by small bangs of horses, camels and dromedaries, lonely or in herds, governed by contemporary shepherds aboard the muddied pick-ups.

Geology and Goemetry on the bottom of the ocean

There Valley of the spheresthousands of large rock marts with different diameters, is a geological whim, one of the most fascinating puzzles of the mangystau, originating, according to one of the most accredited theories, by concretions of volcanic ash that over the centuries have enlarged by aggregating minerals dissolved in the water to create the current forms. Often the central nucleus of those stone balls is mineralogically different from the rest and it is understood even without being expert. Some spheres seems to have just stopped rolling, others are underground half, others partly crushed. A surprising show. In the Mesozoic the whole region was submerged by Tetide, the ocean that separated northern Africa from Europe and Asia, that’s why it is so easy to identify marine fossils. These are the guides, who after accompanying many scientific shipments, all help to identify remains of shells and small teeth of prehistoric sharks.

The symbolic profile of the mountain

Geological magic continues with the mountain Sherkalaone of the symbols of the region, a monumental mountain of limestone in the shape of Yurt or the sleeping lion, according to the observation point. For the peripal on foot it takes about an hour and to climb to the summit the south side is better, the sweetest, with caves and inlets. Nomads who have beaten the region for centuries, like to think that Sherkala was one of the points of reference and parking along the large silk road. Other limestone fantasies characterize the valley of the fleet castles of Airaktya chain of sharp cliffs resembling manors, with walls, towers and spiers. Curious forms that designed Tetide’s seabed, about 40 million years ago. In a Rossinian crescendo the 4×4 dart in the steppe to dive into the spectacular hills Kyzylkup or Tiramisu Hills. Sweet colorful reliefs: white for plaster with reddish reddish streaks for ferrous dust, with vertical wounds created by distant impetuous rains. An imperfect and beautiful geometry.

Camp in immensity

It stands out and walks freely on these hills enjoying them in complete solitude, a rare privilege at any other latitude. Fall asleep under the stars in a mono or two -seater curtain (mounted in a few minutes by the guides) and reopen the eyes at dawn to walk through the folds of the hills, very similar also in the colors to the viennet at vanilla, is worth voyage. Simplified by the ability of the guides to tell stories, prepare lunches and dinners, in the middle of nowhere and in a flash. And then what to say in the face of the sacredness of the mountain Bokyeven reported on Kazake banknotes, which anticipates the bitter cloves of the cliffs of Bozzhiraperhaps the most iconic landscape in the region, in the south-western stretch of the plateau of Ustyurt. Rock formations, up to 200 meters high, which look like teeth of a gigantic marine monster that emerged from the depths. It is here in Mangystau, Kazakhstan, that the latest rays of light reveal the intimate essence of this land: silence, space, light and multicolored canyon, which together with the underground mosques and the ancient necropolises enrich a husband of land still to be discovered, not at all beaten by international tourism.