Tuzbair Salt Flat in Mangystau: A Guide to Routes and Hunting for Ancient Shark Teeth

Imagine a place where the boundaries between sky and earth are erased, leaving you in the center of a giant, dazzlingly white space. This is the Tuzbair Salt Flat—one of Kazakhstan’s most cinematic and grand locations, situated at the junction of the endless Ustyurt Plateau and the Caspian Lowland. Here, for centuries, nature has honed the skill of a landscape architect, creating a natural amphitheater so vast its scale cannot be captured from a single vantage point.

The name "Tuzbair" translates from Kazakh as "salt slope" or "salt cliff," which perfectly captures the essence of the location. The valley owes its dazzling white color to two primary factors: chalk and salt. The snow-white columns, arches, and cliffs towering over the valley are limestone and chalk deposits that, millions of years ago, formed the floor of the ancient Tethys Ocean.

When the ocean receded, tectonic processes raised the Ustyurt Plateau, while erosion, wind, and rare but torrential water flows began carving whimsical forms into the soft rock. The salt flat itself is the lowest point of the terrain where salt accumulates. Water flowing from the chinks (cliffs) during rains washes minerals out of the rock and brings them down. Following the evaporation of the water, a crust of the purest salt remains on the surface, appearing as an endless snow field under the sun's rays.

The history of Tuzbair is a story of a grand drying process. While here, you are effectively walking along the floor of an ancient sea that existed long before the appearance of humans. The contrast between the snow-white cliffs, the sparkling salt, and the deep blue Mangystau sky creates that very "sterile" purity of landscape for which expeditions from all over the world travel here.

Tuzbair is a location characterized by the absolute visual dominance of the color white, making it a unique natural photo studio. For a photographer, there is no "noise" here: no extra trees, wires, or buildings—only clean lines of terrain and the play of light on salt crystals. The landscape here is so minimalist that any detail—be it a human silhouette or a solitary off-road vehicle—acquires cinematic scale, creating that iconic effect of a "small person in a vast world".

The most valuable shots are captured in the moments following precipitation, when the salt flat fills with water. The surface transforms into a giant mirror, reflecting the sky with 100% accuracy, allowing for the creation of surrealistic images where the horizon completely vanishes. Drone photographers value Tuzbair for its graphic quality: from above, the white desert looks like an abstract canvas, crisscrossed by a network of cracks and shadows from the chalk outliers. The most critical time for shooting is during the "golden hours". At dawn, cold shadows emphasize the depth of the canyons, while at sunset, the white cliffs begin to glow with a soft pink and golden light, gradually fading into the deep blue of twilight.

Tuzbair is intriguing not only for its immense scale but also for what lies literally beneath your feet. This territory serves as an open-air paleontological museum where the history of the Tethys Ocean, which existed here millions of years ago, remains sealed. The chalk deposits of the chinks (cliffs) consist of the compressed remains of marine organisms that, over time, transformed into pliable white rock.

The primary trophy for the attentive traveler is the fossilized teeth of prehistoric sharks. Following rainfall or strong winds, water currents wash them out of the soft limestone, leaving them exposed on the surface of the slopes. In addition to shark teeth, one can discover "devil's fingers" (belemnite rostra), fossilized sea urchins, and vertebral fragments of large marine reptiles. These discoveries allow both scientists and tourists to literally touch an era when giant predators swam above what are now the steppes of Mangystau.

However, it is vital to remember the fragility of these artifacts: paleontological finds are a non-renewable resource. The most ethical approach is to find them, photograph them, and leave them in place so that future travelers may also experience the spirit of ancient history.

Traveling to the Tuzbair Salt Flat from Aktau is a true road ritual. The first 200 kilometers fly by unnoticed along the flat asphalt highway toward Shetpe. Gradually, the landscape outside the window begins to "billow": the flat steppe gives way to the first chalk outliers, and the horizon becomes increasingly rugged. The main junction awaits you near the Manat Salt Flat—this is where the comfort zone ends and the real expedition begins.

Tuzbair is treacherous due to its multi-layered structure. Many tourists make the mistake of limiting themselves to a single viewpoint, whereas the location requires at least two different perspectives for full immersion.

Route Variants and Technical Features

The climate in the Tuzbair area is sharply continental and extremely harsh. The choice of timing for your expedition determines not only your comfort but the very possibility of witnessing the valley's primary visual effects.

Important Caution:
If your goal is to catch Tuzbair in its mirror state, remember safety. A thin layer of water transforms the salt flat into a trap. The salt beneath the water becomes loose, turning into a "salt mush" in which SUVs can sink up to their axles in mere seconds. Never drive onto a wet salt flat in a vehicle—explore it only on foot, having first checked the density of the ground.

Tuzbair is a "white desert," and the laws here are corresponding. When you step out of your vehicle onto the surface of the salt flat, you are struck not only by direct sunlight but also by ultraviolet rays reflected off the snow-white salt. This creates a "solarium effect": you can suffer a sunburn in mere minutes, even in areas of the body that are typically in the shade, such as the chin or nostrils.

Pay special attention to your eyes. Without high-quality sunglasses featuring UV-400 protection, you risk developing "snow blindness" due to the immense brightness of the landscape. Additionally, do not forget the wind—it blows almost constantly on the Ustyurt Plateau, carrying fine salt dust that instantly dries out skin and mucous membranes.

Expedition Gear Checklist

Remember that your preparation is a matter of both personal comfort and the ability to assist yourself and others in an emergency. A first-aid kit containing antihistamines (for insect bites) and an elastic bandage should always be carried in the backpack of the person bringing up the rear of the group.

The popularity of Tuzbair is growing rapidly, which inevitably increases the anthropogenic pressure on this location. The primary feature of the salt flat is its pristine white surface and the surrounding chalk cliffs (chinks). Geologically, this is a very vulnerable territory: there are no durable rock formations here capable of withstanding active physical impact.

The surface of the salt flat consists of a thin salt crust, beneath which lies wet, viscous mud. Under the conditions of the local arid climate, tire tracks left by vehicles on this surface are not washed away by rain. Instead, they are literally imprinted into the relief and remain there for decades. A single reckless trip across the snow-white expanse ruins the view forever for the sake of which people travel here.

Tuzbair is famous as a place where ancient shark teeth can be found. However, uncontrolled searching causes colossal damage to the slopes. Chalk is a soft rock. When tourists begin using shovels and pickaxes, they destroy the natural weathering forms that nature has created over millions of years.

We urge you to adhere to the principle of mindful tourism. While at Tuzbair, it is vital to be an observer, minimizing interference with the natural environment.