Kazakhstan is a vast country of wide open spaces, mountains, canyons and remote grasslands that has an interesting mix of cultures and opportunities for activities such as skiing, trekking and horseback riding. Sparsely populated and mysterious Kazakhstan is the world’s 9th biggest country by size. Kazakhstan is definitely not a major tourist destination, but it is relatively wealthy and has a working infrastructure.
Large Asian country located in Central Asia between Russia in the North, Caspian Sea in the West, China in the East and Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan in the South, Kazakhstan has many types of terrain from taiga forests to deserts and snow-capped mountains. Kazakhs used to have a nomadic lifestyle that has been modernized. Yet the traditional values of hospitality and respect are still highly regarded, making Kazakhstan a very friendly place to visit.
Varied attractions. Kazakhstan is home to the second-largest canyon in the world: Charyn Canyon is situated in southern Kazakhstan east of Almaty. Tamgaly area near Chimbulak is a World Heritage Site famous for its ancient rock drawings, and the Mausoleum of Khoja Ahmed Yasawi, in the town of Turkestan, built in the 12th Century is another one of the World Heritage Sites in Kazakhstan. Another interesting place to visit in Kazakhstan is the cosmodrome of Baikonur, situated in Central Kazakhstan. It is a famous space center that can be visited on a guided tour. There are also several beautiful mountain lakes in Kazakhstan, as well as some interesting nature reserves, of which, Aksu-Zhabagly Nature Reserve with its snow leopards and white-clawed bears is the oldest and most visited.
How to get there. You can travel to Kazakhstan by air, by train, by bus or even by boat throughout the Caspian Sea. The main international airport in Kazakhstan is in the former capital city Almaty, but the new capital Astana also receives an increasing number of international flights. You can fly to Kazakhstan from many cities in Europe, Russia and Asia. There are rail connections to Kazakhstan from Russia and China, including daily long-distance trains from Moscow to Almaty, and several international bus connections. There is a weekly boat connection from Baku in Azerbaijan to Aktau in Kazakhstan. You need a visa purchased in advance to travel to Kazakhstan.
Getting around. As the distances in Kazakhstan are big, flying is often the most comfortable way to travel inside Kazakhstan.
Large Asian country located in Central Asia between Russia in the North, Caspian Sea in the West, China in the East and Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan in the South, Kazakhstan has many types of terrain from taiga forests to deserts and snow-capped mountains. Kazakhs used to have a nomadic lifestyle that has been modernized. Yet the traditional values of hospitality and respect are still highly regarded, making Kazakhstan a very friendly place to visit.
Tourism attractions in Kazakhstan: cities, space centers & mountain resorts
Kazakhstan lacks large tourism destinations and famous sights, but there are many places of interest around this vast country. There are a few interesting cities, tranquil lakeside resorts and mountain areas great for trekking or skiing. Almaty, previously known as Alma-Ata, is the biggest city in Kazakhstan and the whole Central Asia. It is a multicultural city with many cultural sights and possibilities for winter sports. The ski resort of Chimbulak near Almaty is also good area for trekking. In the open grasslands of Central Kazakhstan, the brand new capital city of Astana offers plenty of modern architecture and has been called “Manhattan on the steppe”.Varied attractions. Kazakhstan is home to the second-largest canyon in the world: Charyn Canyon is situated in southern Kazakhstan east of Almaty. Tamgaly area near Chimbulak is a World Heritage Site famous for its ancient rock drawings, and the Mausoleum of Khoja Ahmed Yasawi, in the town of Turkestan, built in the 12th Century is another one of the World Heritage Sites in Kazakhstan. Another interesting place to visit in Kazakhstan is the cosmodrome of Baikonur, situated in Central Kazakhstan. It is a famous space center that can be visited on a guided tour. There are also several beautiful mountain lakes in Kazakhstan, as well as some interesting nature reserves, of which, Aksu-Zhabagly Nature Reserve with its snow leopards and white-clawed bears is the oldest and most visited.
Kazakhstan travel tips and information
Kazakhstan has a semi-dry continental climate with hot summers and very cold winters. The temperatures change rapidly from daytime to night. Spring or Autumn are the best times to visit Kazakhstan. Traveling in Kazakhstan can be quite hard in wintertime, and there is snow on the ground throughout the winter until April.How to get there. You can travel to Kazakhstan by air, by train, by bus or even by boat throughout the Caspian Sea. The main international airport in Kazakhstan is in the former capital city Almaty, but the new capital Astana also receives an increasing number of international flights. You can fly to Kazakhstan from many cities in Europe, Russia and Asia. There are rail connections to Kazakhstan from Russia and China, including daily long-distance trains from Moscow to Almaty, and several international bus connections. There is a weekly boat connection from Baku in Azerbaijan to Aktau in Kazakhstan. You need a visa purchased in advance to travel to Kazakhstan.
Getting around. As the distances in Kazakhstan are big, flying is often the most comfortable way to travel inside Kazakhstan.
Photo: Irene2005, used under Creative Commons License (By 2.0)
There are domestic flights to many destinations around the country, but the local airlines are currently not very safe. Kazakhstan has a good railroad network and traveling by train is cheap, albeit slow and crime is common on long-distance trains. There are also bus and minibus connections throughout Kazakhstan. Public transport in the cities is handled by buses, trolleys, trams and minibuses. There are also plenty of inexpensive taxis around in cities of Kazakhstan, and local private drivers are also often willing to act as ones. Renting a car in Kazakhstan is quite expensive. You can also hire a taxi for a day.
Visitor services. There is a growing number of hotels in Kazakhstan, many of which are aimed for business visitors, but there are also inexpensive small hotels. Budget accommodation can also be found in private apartments. Restaurants are found everywhere, with mainly Central Asian, Korean and Chinese cuisine. English is not widely understood in Kazakhstan, although many young people and most tourism officials can speak some English. Some Russian or Kazakh language skills are needed if you are going to travel around Kazakhstan independently.
Safety. Kazakhstan is a friendly and relatively safe country, but pickpocketing and theft are not uncommon and armed robberies can occur in remote areas. Local police should be avoided as they are notorious for corruption.
Short history of Kazakhstan
Kazakhstan has been inhabited since the Stone Age, and the area has been home to mainly tribes with nomadic lifestyle. Cities were later created along the ancient trade route of Silk Road. Native Kazakhs are a mixture of Turkic and Mongol tribes and were rarely united as a single nation. The Mongols invaded the area during the 13th Century AD. The area of Kazakhstan was conquered by Russia in the 18th Century, and it became a Soviet Republic in 1936. Many parts of the country’s vast grassland areas were changed into cultivated areas during the 1950s and 1960s. This development caused a large scale immigration of Russians and other nationalities into Kazakhstan, and Kazakhs became a minority.Kazakhstan became independent in 1991 after the collapse of the Soviet Union, after which many Russians and Germans have migrated away and many ethnic Kazakhs from China, Mongolia and Russia have immigrated into Kazakhstan. Kazakhstan has vast natural resources including minerals, oil and natural gas, which now bring wealth for the newly independent country.
