Ustyurt Plateau

Ustyurt Plateau

Ustyurt Plateau is located in the western part of Central Asia, between Mangyshlak and the Kara-Bogaz-Gol Bay in the west, the Aral Sea and the Amu Darya delta in the east. The territory of 200,000 km² is divided between Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. The name “Ustyurt” means “plateau” in Turkic. According to geologists, 20 million years have passed since the plateau was formed. The slopes of Ustyurt rise above the valleys at a height of up to 300 meters. For the most part, they are composed of sedimentary rocks and Cretaceous deposits, so they are easy to work. Wind and water have honed their skills here for centuries, and today the spurs of Ustyurt are a unique creation of natural architecture. Local landscapes look like underwater or alien panoramas. One of the most popular places on the Ustyurt plateau is the Bozzhir valley with its incredible stone forms. When the edges of the plateau erode, they leave behind bizarre rock formations. They are so called: remnants. To each traveler they remind of different objects. Only a couple of routes along the most striking and transportable objects of Ustyurt are open for tourists. The rest is a mystery awaiting discoverers and explorers.