The first time many people, including myself, heard of Kazakhstan was in Borat. Sufficed to say, it wasn't the most flattering portrayal of the country. After initially banning the movie, whose opening scenes were actually shot in Romania, Kazakhstan has now embraced the attention.
In 2020, when the sequel "Borat Subsequent Moviefilm" was released, Kazakhstan adopted Borat's signature "Very Nice!" as their tourism slogan. The country is very nice indeed and should be on your travel radar.
Central Asian countries do not get much press but they are underrated travel destinations. With former Silk Road cities, jaw dropping mountain ranges and alpine lakes, vast deserts and a mix of cultural and architectural influences, adventurous travelers should consider heading to the "Stans".
Things to Know
Kazakhstan is the ninth biggest country in the world in land area but ranks just 61st in population. It is the least densely populated Central Asian country. Its vast territory has diverse terrain, like deserts, snow-capped mountains, taiga, steppes, canyons and deltas. So, along with cities, there are plenty of opportunities to see nature.
Prospective visitors should learn some phrases in Kazakh, the state language, or Russian, which over four-fifths of the population can speak. A little over a third of Kazakhstan's population speaks English.
Kazakhstan's capital, Astana and its biggest city, Almaty, both have well-connected international airports. It is home to the first and largest operational spaceport, Baikonur Cosmodrome, where the Soviets launched Sputnik 1 and Vostok 1 from.
Horse and mutton are the most popular meats and the national dish is beshbarmak which means "five fingers" because nomads traditionally eat this dish with their hands. It is typically chopped boiled meat mixed with egg noodles and an onion sauce. Other favorites include plov (rice pilaf), shashlik (skewered meat), samsa (savory pastry) and lagman (noodle soup).
Places of Interest
Almaty
Almaty is the former capital of Kazakhstan, which is often considered the country's best city to visit. Check out the Russian Orthodox Ascension Cathedral, which is an architectural marvel. Take a stroll on Arbat G Almaty and Panfilov streets in the city center and go to the Green Bazaar, which has fresh food from local farmers.
Just outside of the city, Ile-Aletau National Park is a gateway to Southern Kazakhstan's incredible natural beauty. Within the park, you can hike up to Furmanov Peak, check out the views at Big Almaty Lake and even ski at Shymbulak. Almaty is also a culinary hub for the entire region, where you'll be able to find food from Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Iran, Georgia and more
Southeastern National Parks
A few hours northeast of Almaty, near the China and Kyrgyzstan borders, you'll find the incredible Altyn-Emel National Park. It has mars-like landscapes and "singing" dunes. When the dry sand on the dunes moves, the grains rub against each other and makes a loud, almost singing-like sound. You'll want a four-wheel drive car to visit, as the roads are rough.
Don't miss the magnificent views at the semi-desert Charyn Canyon National Park. People refer to Charyn Canyon as the "Grand Canyon of Central Asia" and it is absurdly beautiful. The raw beauty of Kaindy Lake may be worth the difficult trip to reach them. It's a five hour drive from Almaty, 30 minute off-road vehicle ride and a 20 minute hike or 30 minute horse trip to get there. Regardless, the views of the lake and the surrounding pine forest are unbelievable.
Karaganda
Kazakhstan is a huge country and a bus ride from Almaty to Astana will take you 20 hours. The train is only a few hours quicker. So, Karaganda makes for a natural stopping point along the way for the intrepid travelers who don't fly between the two cities.
Karaganda is the fifth-largest city in Kazakhstan and has a lot of Soviet-era monuments. Karaganda's Central Park is massive and a great place to take a walk after spending nearly a whole day on public transit.
The EcoMuseum is free and they have intermittent tours in English. While it covers ecology in Kazakhstan it also tackles topics like space junk, nuclear testing, and climate change. The Karlag Museum, which was once a gulag site, educates visitors about some of the atrocities of the Stalin era and is a 45 minute drive from the city.
Astana
Astana literally means capital in Kazakh and the former president Nursultan Nazarbayev relocated the capital here in 1997. CNN once named it the "world's weirdest capital city". The population has more than doubled in last 20 years and it has Central Asia's largest mosque (Astana Grand Mosque) and synagogue (Beit Rachel).
The eclectic and futuristic architecture in the city makes for strange viewing. Some of the most prominent buildings are the trophy-like Baiterek, the Khan Shatyr Mall, Central Concert Hall, Presidential Palace and Nur Alemi Pavillion. Make sure to visit the National Museum of the Republic of Kazakhstan as well.
Three hours north of Astana lies Burabay National Park, with lakes, forests and mountains. There is a train from Astana that goes to Shchuchinsk, the closest city to Burabay.
Taraz, Shymkent, Turkistan Region
Taraz was an important Silk Road city and one of the oldest towns in Kazakhstan. It is located about seven hours away from Almaty by train and is just north of the Kyrgyzstan border. Taraz's Karakhan Mausoleum was originally built in the 12th century and is worth a visit. The Aisha Bibi Mausoleum is about a 30 minute drive from Taraz and its geometric and floral terracotta tiles are unique.
From Taraz, Shymkent is close...by Kazakh standards, at least. It's a two hour and 30 minute drive or four hour train ride. Shymkent is a good base for the Turkistan region that surrounds it and is the third largest city in Kazakhstan. If you're in Shymkent from October to March, you might be able to catch a game of Kokpar, a polo game played with a goat carcass that is popular across Central Asia.
Two national parks in Turkistan, Sairam-Ugam and Aksu-Zhagbaly aren't terribly far from Shymkent. The latter, which is around 90 minutes away, is one of the most biodiverse places in the country.
Turkistan city is the administrative center of its namesake region, which is the southernmost region of Kazakhstan. The intricate Mausoleum of Khoja Ahmed Yasawi is the most iconic building in Turkistan, a UNESCO World Heritage site and the spiritual capital of the Turkic world. Plus, you can see more Silk Road cities by taking a train to Uzbekistan from Shymkent or Turkistan.
Mangystau Region
To go far off the beaten path, consider Kazakhstan's Mangystau Region, which is bordered by the Caspian Sea to the west and Uzbekistan to the east. It is called Kazakhstan's "Monument Valley" for its otherworldly incredible rock formations in the Ustyurt National Preserve.
Bozzhyra Gorge is one of the most beautiful places in the country and well worth what could be a difficult trip to get there. Nearby, there's also the Beket-Ata underground mosque. The closest city to Bozzhyra Gorge is Aktau, which has some domestic and international flights. Even within Kazakhstan flying to Aktau is the best option, given trains from the big cities will take two days or more.
Other Options
It would be difficult to fit everything Kazakhstan has to offer into one month, let alone one week. The big distances in between cities means Kazakhstan is best enjoyed at a slow pace. If you have the time and patience, visiting the Aral Sea and previously mentioned Baikonur Cosmodrome may be worth it.
The Aral Sea is an unfortunate example of a manmade disaster. The lake was once teeming with life before a poorly-run Soviet irrigation project fragmented it and left behind an intriguing ship graveyard. Given Russia still operates Baikonur, despite its location in Kazakhstan, it may be difficult to visit without planning. However, they do offer tours and launch viewings.