Bozzhyra - an amazing landscape of mother nature
Kazakhstan nature is famous for its endless steppe, bewitching canyons, and gorges. Many picturesque places attract tourists from all over the world. In our Travel section, we will reveal the most beautiful places you must visit. After all, mother nature rewarded our country with beauty very generously. Today we will introduce you to the Bozzhyra tract, which has become famous for its incredible landscape. It strikes with its scope and is imprinted in memory for a long time.
The Bozzhyra tract is one of the most unique places in Kazakhstan. It is located at the bottom of a huge canyon in the western part of the Ustyurt plateau on the Mangyshlak peninsula.
Translated from one of the Kazakh dialects, the word "bozzhyra" means "faded valley" or "gray land". It is difficult to say exactly when the tract received such a name. But it can be argued that it causes absolutely opposite emotions in people who have been here. There is so much light, color and, rhythm in the valley that it takes your breath away. It seems that nature has given complete freedom to her imagination here, and this has resulted in an amazing landscape. There is a mountain range at the bottom of a huge canyon, which further enhances the visual effect.
The Bozzhyra area is huge. It will take more than one day to inspect it completely. The tract is part of the Ustyurt State Nature Reserve, founded in 1984 to preserve the unique desert complex and rare representatives of flora and fauna in their natural state.
Rocks, like chameleons, change their appearance depending on the lighting. Beige predominates, but layers of brown, pink, grey, white and yellow can be seen. All of them correspond to deposits of different geological epochs, which keep the memory of climate change and the composition of flora and fauna. The most pleasant moment of the trip to the tract is to meet the sunset and sunrise alone with this beauty. There is no one else for many kilometers around. At different times of the day, the valley acquires more and more new features, details that previously did not attract attention become noticeable. The place is filled with special magic during the full moon. Seeing chalk mountains illuminated by moonlight is a special stroke of luck.
Bozzhyra is located just 20 kilometers from the Beket-ata underground mosque, which is the main Muslim shrine in Mangyshlak.
The weather on the peninsula is harsh and unpredictable. The best time to travel to Bozzhyra is summer. Since during the autumn to mid-spring period it often rains here, which washes away already poor roads, which makes the way many times more difficult and even makes it dangerous. Despite the light color of the limestone, the bottom of the canyon warms up strongly in the sun. By noon it becomes unbearably hot here. The temperature difference with nearby cities can differ by 10-15 degrees. And it gets very cold at night, so be sure to bring warm clothes with you.
How can you get to the Bozzhyra tract?
The nearest city to Bozzhyra is Aktau. Also on the way, there is a small town called Zhanaozen. You can get to the tract only by car. Buses and other transport don’t go here. In any case, it is worth going to a natural object only in dry weather. The distance from Zhanaozen to Boszhyra is about 150 kilometers, and if you go from Aktau, then almost 300 kilometers.
Until recently, the tract was considered a hard-to-reach place. However, the paths to it were gradually mastered. Now dozens of expeditions travel there every year. The car must be prepared for severe off-road conditions.
Kazakhstan is full of breathtaking places that captivate with their beauty. Therefore, don’t rush to pack your bags and travel abroad. Watch our Travel section and make your travel route.
Author: Moldir Adamzhan
Translator-editor: Chingiz Smakov
Photos: from the archives of press services