Airakty-Shomanay: A Complete Guide to the "Castles" of Mangyshlak

While Boszhira feels like a cold, Martian landscape, Airakty-Shomanay tells a different story. It feels man-made, as if you’ve stumbled upon the ruins of a titan civilization that vanished millennia ago, leaving behind only the skeletons of their grandest cathedrals.

The Airakty-Shomanay range is a vast network of remnant mountains scattered across a perfectly flat clay plain. Unlike the chaotic formations found elsewhere, the "architecture" here feels intentional—as if wind and water followed the blueprints of a brilliant, albeit mad, architect.

You will encounter vertical walls resembling fortress ramparts, slender columns holding up the sky, and jagged spires reminiscent of Gothic cathedrals. In the fading twilight, the optical illusion becomes hauntingly real: you almost expect to see torches lit in the "windows" or sentinels appearing on the castle walls.

For visual storytellers, Airakty is a gift. While many Mangystau canyons hide their beauty below the surface (like the Ybykty Gorge), Airakty towers above you. This creates a breathtaking sense of scale, making a human figure in a photograph look like a tiny grain of sand against a monumental wall.

For drone pilots, this is a cinematic playground. Flying between the "towers" of Airakty allows you to capture shots straight out of The Lord of the Rings or Game of Thrones. The geometry is so complex that every turn of the drone reveals a new perspective: an impregnable fortress, a Minotaur’s labyrinth, or a lonely lighthouse in a sea of stone.

The "Valley of Castles" is far from a modern marketing gimmick. It has a birth certificate, a specific author, and a history dating back to 1851.
During the Karatau Expedition led by Alexander Antipov, the ranks included the exiled Ukrainian poet and artist Taras Shevchenko. Upon witnessing these mountains, Shevchenko was so overwhelmed by their resemblance to medieval fortresses that he produced a series of sketches titled "The Valley of Castles."

On his canvases, Mount Airakty appears exactly as we see it today: a formidable, impregnable citadel complete with towers and buttresses. For the modern traveler, this adds a profound layer of cultural depth. You aren’t just looking at geological formations—you are standing before the same "fortresses" that inspired a master artist over 170 years ago.

Airakty-Shomanay is a forgiving location for beginners but a generous one for professionals. Unlike deep canyons where the light "switches off" long before sunset, these towers rise above the horizon, catching every photon of light until the very last moment of the day. Here are three scenarios to help you capture content worthy of a magazine cover.

Airakty-Shomanay stands out among Mangystau’s top locations for its accessibility. If a trip to Boszhira is a full-scale expedition to the edge of the world, then the Valley of Castles is the "light version" of an off-road adventure. Its proximity to civilization (Shetpe village) makes it ideal for family trips or those exploring the peninsula for the first time.
However, do not let this proximity deceive you. The final kilometers are a classic steppe dirt track with all its surprises: sharp rocks, blinding dust, and treacherous clay.

The road from Aktau is divided into two contrasting stages. The first part (~160 km) is the Aktau–Beyneu highway—modern, smooth asphalt where kilometers fly by. But the real adventure begins after Shetpe, where you leave the asphalt for the steppe. The Airakty-Shomanay system is visible from afar, but the challenge isn't seeing the mountains—it's approaching them correctly. The steppe here is cut by hundreds of chaotic tracks: some lead to the base, others to shepherd huts, and some simply vanish into the saxaul bushes.

To help you calculate time and effort, here is a detailed breakdown. Note that timings are estimated for a calm, safe driving pace.

Airakty-Shomanay is strategically located, making it one of the most accessible hubs for a day trip from the city. The valley sits within a dense cluster of natural and historical monuments. Here are the perfect additions to your itinerary:

Mangystau is unforgiving when it comes to timing. The climate here is sharply continental: this means the difference between comfortable cool weather and deadly heat can be a matter of just a couple of weeks. Your choice of season determines whether you see a blooming garden or a scorched desert.

The Valley of Castles may seem welcoming: there are no dizzying cliffs like at Bozzhyra, and no risk of sudden flooding as in Ybykty Sai. But Airakty has its own hidden hazards. The main one is the deceptive solidity of the rocks.

⚠️ Risk #1: “Sugar” mountains and why climbing is off-limits
Visually, Airakty’s towers and walls resemble solid concrete or granite. Many visitors—especially children—feel a natural urge to climb higher for an impressive selfie on a ledge. This is extremely dangerous. The rock here is soft chalk and compacted limestone. It behaves unpredictably: a ledge that looks reliable can break off under a person’s weight in an instant, crumbling into dust.
Never approach the very edge of the summits and do not attempt to scale steep walls without proper protection. Chalk crumbles, and loose scree on the slopes acts like ball bearings—sliding down is all too easy.

🦂 Risk #2: Encounters with venomous neighbors
We have already talked about wildlife, but here it is about safety. Scorpions, black widows, and camel spiders favor shade and sheltered places. If you are staying overnight, keep your tent zipped up at all times—even if you step out for just a minute.
If you leave shoes outside overnight (or in the tent vestibule), always turn them upside down and shake them out in the morning. This is a golden rule of the steppe.
Do not put your hands into ground-squirrel burrows (snakes may be inside), and do not lift stones without gloves.

💨 Risk #3: A wind tunnel effect
The horseshoe shape formed by the mountains provides shelter from the wind, but if the wind blows along the gorge, it turns into an aerodynamic tunnel. Gusts can be strong enough to rip up poorly secured tents and carry off light items (chairs, tables). Set camp closer to the walls, but not right against them (because of rockfall risk), and always use storm guy lines for tents.

Airakty–Shomanai is growing more popular with every season, and that puts this unique landscape at risk. The main value of this place is its pristine natural “architecture” and its historical heritage in the form of ancient petroglyphs. Geologically, the Valley of Castles is extremely fragile. The rock pillars are made of chalk and soft limestone—materials that are softer than even gypsum. They are defenseless against vandalism.

Airakty’s walls attract those who want to leave their name behind. But what may look like a harmless inscription is, in reality, an irreversible scar. Unlike granite, chalk cannot withstand mechanical impact. A deep scratch breaks the stone’s protective crust and accelerates erosion. This triggers a “broken window” effect: one “I was here…” message invites dozens more. In the end, a majestic natural wall turns into a scribbled stairwell, losing the very magic that brings thousands of people here.

The second problem is the destruction of petroglyphs. Drawings that are hundreds of years old are often found next to modern vandalism. By trying to “improve” or trace an ancient image, visitors destroy it forever. The oils left by human hands on chalk darken over time and damage the rock’s structure, erasing the messages of those who came before us.

We urge everyone to follow the “Leave No Trace” principle. In the Valley of Castles, it matters to be a guest who does not rearrange the host’s home.