Photographer Daniel Kordan always seeks out unique, unexplored regions for his photography. The surreal landscapes of Kazakhstan's Mangystau Plateau fit the bill and had been on his radar for years. Located in the southwest region of the country and bordered by Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan, Mangystau's landscape is dotted with colorful canyons and mountains, dramatic salt flats, and surreal rocky outcrops.
This magical world was shaped millions of years ago when the entire area was submerged under the prehistoric Tethys Ocean. When shifting tectonic plates and volcanic activity caused these waters to recede, they dried out the area and left behind a vast quantity of fossils. Within this context of extraordinary history, Kordan set off to explore.
“I’m always drawn to places that feel untouched and timeless, and the images I had seen of Boshzhira, Ayrakty Castles, Tiramisu Canyon, and Tuzbair Lake seemed almost too extraordinary to be real,” he tells My Modern Met. “The thought of walking through this vast, alien-like terrain sparked my curiosity and excitement.”
While traveling to Mangystau may be intimidating to some, Kordan found himself pleasantly surprised by the growing infrastructure that supported his journey. With a bit of planning, he was able to access the remote reaches of the area and found himself charmed by the hospitality he encountered.
Exploring everything from the extraordinary Mount Botky, with its beautiful stripped layers, to the bizarre rock formations of the Bozhira Valley, Kordan brought home an incredible portfolio of work.
“Every location offers unique compositions, and the way the light transforms these places throughout the day is truly mesmerizing,” he shares. “The silence and solitude of the region add a meditative quality to the experience, making it about more than just photography—it’s about being fully present in a place that feels like it’s stood still for millennia. Each shot feels like capturing a small piece of the Earth’s ancient story, preserving it for others to see and appreciate.”
Scroll down to see more otherworldly photos from Kazakhstan's Mangystau Plateau and follow the photographer's most recent work over on Daniel Kordan's Instagram.
Photographer Daniel Kordan traveled to Kazakhstan to capture the surreal landscapes of the Mangystau Plateau.
This magical world was shaped millions of years ago when the entire area was submerged under the prehistoric Tethys Ocean.
Exploring everything from the extraordinary Mount Botky, with its beautiful stripped layers, to the bizarre rock formations of the Bozhira Valley, Kordan brought home an incredible portfolio of work.
“I’m always drawn to places that feel untouched and timeless, and the images I had seen of Boshzhira, Ayrakty Castles, Tiramisu Canyon, and Tuzbair Lake seemed almost too extraordinary to be real.”
“The thought of walking through this vast, alien-like terrain sparked my curiosity and excitement.”
