Airakty, Mangystau's Valley of Castles: getting there and when to go

Airakty (Airakty-Shomanai) is a system of remnant mountains in Mangystau District, western Kazakhstan, about 200 km from Aktau according to the tourism ministry. Its towers and spires earned the name Valley of Castles, from a series of drawings Taras Shevchenko made here in 1851. There are no services on site, so bring water and fuel and aim for spring or September.

First, which Valley of Castles?

Most people searching that phrase mean the Valley of Castles in Charyn Canyon, a day trip from Almaty. Airakty is at the other end of the country. Check the region on any tour programme before you book.

What to see at Airakty

• Airakty table mountain, flat-topped, is the main point people climb (Tengrinews, 2018). We found no official trail or rules.
• Shevchenko’s landscape. The Ukrainian poet worked here during his 1851 Karatau expedition.
• Geoglyphs. Archaeologist Andrey Astafyev created five giant figures to draw visitors. They are modern.
• Wildlife. Camels are common and mouflon rare.

Getting there

Shetpe is the last fuel stop before the steppe. Airakty sits off the Tengri Auto loop, whose first leg runs 175–180 km from Aktau to Sherkala, with Torysh another 50–60 km on. Combine them on a Mangystau trip. If you do not drive, hire a 4x4 with a driver in Aktau, as no public transport we could find serves the massif.

Take offline maps, more than one spare tyre, since local flint cuts rubber, and plan to return by dark. The general list is on before you go.

When to go

Tengrinews (2021) recommends mid-April to late May and the second half of September. Summer passes +40 °C, and nights drop 20–30 degrees (Tengri Auto, 2026).