Due to its sheer size and inland location, Kazakhstan is one of those places that has both harsh freezing winters and scorching hot summers, with the milder temperatures happening by the Caspian sea. It is a country mostly unexplored by foreigners, full of barren dry steppes, wild mountain ranges, contrasting futuristic and ancient cities, and curious people delighted to experience foreigners from afar. The tourism industry is still being developed and only recently started opening up to foreigners from countries other than Russia or any of the ex soviet states.

I visited in May which is also a part of what is known as the shoulder season. The temperature can be variable with relatively warm days and cool nights, particularly if you are near the mountain in the south. It is a perfect time to visit if you would like to avoid the hustle and bustle of Summertime vacationeers, particularly at the touristic sites such as Kok Tobe hill in Almaty, or Charyn canyon, and the summer time heat in most of the country which is inland. Depending on your personal preferences, this could also be ideal for you. Summer is also by far the favoured season amongst Kazakh locals and you are bound to notice many a wedding celebration in the cities or just outside.

Cold experience

For a true harsh winter experience, with plenty of ice, snow covered steppes, and freezing temperatures of anywhere between -10 to -30, then a trip between December and March will suit you. Bear in mind the extreme cold snaps mostly hit February and March.

Halfway season

Autumn is another shoulder season with weather cooler than Summer but still very suitable for travel. In addition to this it is a very dry period with very little rain for most of the country. You may even experience golden eagle hunting during this time. Alma Arashan gorge just south of Almaty is one such place. I definitely recommend not missing this unique cultural experience if you happen to be stopping by Almaty during this period.

In Kazakhstan the currency is the Kazakh tenge. As of July 2019 1USD = 384.81 Tenge.

US Dollars, Euros, and Russian Rubles are readily accepted in most banks and exchange offices throughout the country. Kyrgyz Som is accepted less frequently however, and for some reason the Uzbek Som is very rarely exchanged.

ATMs are readily available in the major cities such as Almaty and Nursultan (Astana). For any rural and village travel, make sure to have some cash (Kazakh tenge) on you.

Kazakhstan happens to be one of the more developed of the ex-Soviet republics due in large part to the booming oil industry and President Nazerbayev’s investments. It is as a result the most expensive of the Central Asian countries for tourists.

Don’t let this discourage you, even if you’re a backpacker on a budget as it is still quite affordable. All in all, it will still be a fair share cheaper than most of Europe, especially the smaller towns and even parts of Nursultan (Astana) and Almaty. Hostels, local food (avoid tourist themed cliche restaurants) and public transport is very affordable. However be aware that certain business owners may try to fleece you particularly if you dont speak or read Russian, so always ask for a menu and for the exact price of what you are paying for, in English if possible.

A subject quite relevant in this part of the world that it warrants it’s own heading and paragraph. I myself managed to avoid such a situation while in Kazakhstan (however there are travellers who haven’t been so lucky. Most of the time if a policeman or public official asks you for money then it is uncalled for (unless you did in fact break the law or commit an offence), so if you are sure of your innocence, avoid paying them. A common situation is foreigners being asked for money after having their passport checked by the police. My advice, simply refuse or ask to speak to a consulate official or be taken to the station. Most of the time they will back off.

Central Asians share many common characteristics and Kazakhstan is no exception. You may notice a bit of variation as it is quite a large country with a degree of ethnic mixing, ranging from exotic looking Eurasian Kazakhs, to those with strong and very prominent Mongolian features. Just like the Kyrgyz and Uzbek peoples, the Kazakhs are a Turkic people, and historically were a nomadic nation, having defended from the Golden Horde itself.

The people are initially shy but very humble and welcoming to newcomers and foreigners. If you speak Russian than you will get on by perfectly with middle aged and elderly locals due to it being the more common language used when compared to Kazakh, particularly so in the cities. Otherwise many young adults know English somewhat, however because of their sheer friendliness and eagerness to help, they will put in a lot of effort ot get their message across.

You will soon notice the abundant number of European looking Kazakhs. These people are not Kazakh but ethnic Russians who for the most part, defended from Russian immigrants to the Kazakh Soviet Socialist Republic during the Soviet days. The rest are recent expats having arrived for work and to a lesser extent Russian tourists.

The official language Kazakh is a turkic language, and as such shares much in common with Uzbek and Kyrgyz, being mutually intelligible in some aspects. It is to a slightly lesser extent related to Turkish, Azerbaijani, and Tatar, so if you know any of those tongues you should be able to get by fine.

Russian unsurprisingly, is very widely spoken and understood, more than in the other Central Asian countries, and is the preferred language in Almaty and Nursultan (Astana). In fact, many Kazakh particularly well educated and upper class locals will insist that their Russian is irrevocably better than their Kazakh.

All up, may advice is to learn some essential Russian words and phrases as well as the alphabet. However, if you plan to really go off the beaten track and visit remote parts of the country ot hitchhike in rural areas, then I suggest learning a few words of Kazakh as well.

Islam is the official religion of the country, and while you may see a crowd of people heading towards a mosque on a Friday, Islam is far from the major influence in people’s lives as seen in Saudi Arabia or Pakistan. In fact, most people are actually atheist, and many of them relate to Islam only on a national identity or traditions and customs way. Kazakhstan is the most “Soviet-muslim” of the Central Asian countries and secular in a way that could be compared to Turkey.

The only exception is the Shymkent-Turkestan region, which happens to house the Mausoleum of Khoja Ahmed Yasawi, the most holy Islamic site in the entire Central Asian region.

Meat meat and more meat, Aside from rice, and bread, this is the staple food in Kazakh cuisine. Vegetarians and vegans beware.

With meat you have a wide selection of domesticated animals to choose from: Beef, poultry, horse, camel, and mutton.

Pork and pig meat is uncommon due to Kazakhstan being a Muslim country, however in many of the big markets, such as Zelenyy Bazar also known as Green Market in Almaty, you are certain to find a pork vendor, usually in the form of quite communist looking older Russian women.

Entering Almaty you will alight either in Almaty 1 or Almaty 2 station. In my case I arrived from Shymkent at Almaty 2. Leaving the station is a relatively straightforward matter as the arrival lounge is wide but straightforward. Just head towards the doors and once you pass the increasing number of persistent taxi drivers you will know you’re in the right direction. Just ignore the taxi drivers (unless you dont mind getting fleeced) and order either a Yandex taxi, take a marshutka (mini shared taxi) from the stop just pass the monument, or head over to the metro which is just a 10 minute walk. To get there just keep walking past the majestic Ablai Khan and head straight until you get to your first major intersection, Rayimbek avenue. From there take a left and keep walking for a few minutes until you get to the next intersection, where you will see the entrance to the metro Rayimbek batyr.

The metro network in Almaty is relatively recent compared to that of Russia. You will notice that there is only one line, and Rayimbek Batyr happens to be the western terminus, so all you need to know is what station to hop off on and that’s it!

Almaty is the largest metropolis and former capital city of Kazakhstan, having lost that status to Astana (now Nur-Sultan) in 1997.

While Astana is the commercial and governmental headquarters, Almaty remains a place of culture, education, and quite importantly, a gateway to the central asian region. It is an architecturally diverse city, blending both pre-Soviet restored building with Soviet era communist and brutalist style government and public service buildings as well as apartment blocks. A lot of money has been invested by the government into the maintenance and modernisation of this city. However you will still see relics of it’s Soviet past, namely ticket vendors resembling candy machines in some of the buses and stores, the large amount of imposing soviet victory memorials and memorials, and if you happen to be a fan of old and classic cars, then you are sure to see some fine examples of Volga, UAZ, and Lada’s abound.

As well as an ageing population there are also many young people living in Almaty, any of which are students. Having said that, English is widely understood amongst the younger population so you won’t need to pull out your Russian phrasebooks.

Almaty is a big city, with many attractions spread out that public transport/car/taxi will certainly help. While it is still possible to pay by cash for the bus and metro, it is no where near as convenient as using an Onay card. You can purchase one from any ticket machine, and the initial 400 tenge outlay includes 1 free ride. You can top up the card using the special recharge terminals. I found many terminals to have an English language version, however you may still come across Kazakh and Russian only. Note that the card can only be used in the Almaty metropolitan area.

Metro

The Almaty metro line was under construction for 23 years, opening the first station in 2011. While modern, it consists of only one line, and 9 stations. It is still a very quick way to get around Almaty provided your destination is close by. There are currently works in progress for additional metro lines though. Below is a map of the metro plan.

Bus

The city bus system consists of recently renovated and modern buses. You can pay quickly and seamlessly using your Onay card, otherwise you'll need to buy a fare from the ticket lady. A standard fare is 80 tenge, which is actually less than 25 cents.

Taxi and Ride-Sharing

It is quite easy to get a ride in Almaty, and pretty mich all the major cities. All you need to do is let out your hand on a main road, and a car should drive past, offering you take you to your destination for a fee. These unlicensed taxis are a dime a dozen, however it is just as simple ordering a ride via app such as Yandex or Uber.

Hitchhiking

It is also possible to hitch hike in Kazakhstan and in most cases you shouldn’t wait longer than half hour. An exception can occur if you are in a remote area. During my trop to big Almaty lake I had to wait almost an hour for a ride, and then had to wait for another ride halfway through the range.

Car Rental

I haven’t tried this option in Kazakhstan myself, and in many cases I wouldn’t recommend it. However if you like the freedom and flexibility that a rental car provides then try Here, Avis, or Caspian Rent a Car. Be sure to read the fine print too, since in many cases a surcharge applies if you go over an excess kilometre allowance, or drive the car outside of city limits. They are able to check that last point with GPS tracking.

As the city with the largest proportion of tourists in Kazakhstan, most options of accomodation are catered for, including hostels, hotels, homestays, and apartments.

Hostels for one, are very reasonably priced, and the most popular ones amongst backpackers can be found on booking.com or hostel world. A decent hostel can be found for 3-6 euro. One such hostel is European Backpackers Hostel, which late Spring will set you back from 3.5 euro a night.

European Backpacker's Hostel

It shouldn’t surprise you that this place is frequented mostly by European travellers, many of whom are backpacking overland all the way from Europe. There is also free parking available, as well as camping space for tents and camper vans. There is a shared kitchen available with all the necessities so you can cook. It is walking distance from the Kazakhstan Independence Monument and the metro line. All in all, it is a very down to earth place where it is very easy to meet fellow travellers.

This is the central and main market of Almaty. The namesake originates from the fact, that in the past it was the traditional go to place for fruit and vegetables. These days it still is, however there is much more on offer, from perishables to clothing, textiles, and in fact almost anything that isn't restricted to a boutique. It is by no means the only market in Almaty but in my opinion it is the largest and most interesting. You can find a detailed description of my experience in my blog post here.

Also known as Zhybek Zholy Street, is the main pedestrian street in Almaty. It is quite lively during the day, with a lot of shopping concentrated in the area. As a result it is best explored by walking. Also a great place for people observing, and if you happen by on the 9th of May, you will experience Victory Day celebrations.

Around the corner is the Park of 28 Panilov Guardsmen. Right in the centre of the park in Zenkov cathedral, also the highest building in Almaty. Here you can observe many families going for a stroll. Striking features to check out are the monuments to the Great Patriotic War. As I was here on the 9th of May, it was full of locals commemorating Victory Day.

On the intersection with Zenkov street is the Rakhat Candy Factory, which also doubles as a store. It is definitely not to be missed by chocolate or candy fans, as inside is a full range of confectionary, with the ability to be able to purchase by box set/package or weight/number. There is also specially packaged chocolate in gift boxes featuring scenic views and icons of Kazakhstan, a fine souvenir or present.

It is the highest point in the city of Almaty, at 1100 metres above sea level. At the top you will experience panoramic views of Almaty, and the surrounding mountains.

To get there you have two options, a bus ride or a gondola. The gondola ride is the more fun and exciting of the two options, and only a bit more expensive than a bus ride. The start of the gondola ride is next to Hotel Kazakhstan. A last option is to walk it. During my visit in May, snow was still visible throughout the mountain range. It is a popular retreat amongst locals as well as tourists, which means that if you go during Summer or the holiday period, expect big crowds and a queue for the gondola as it is a very popular family retreat.

Aside from the panoramic views, there is also a large ferris wheel (really cool at nighttime), alleys of souvenir stores, a great shashlik grill (can’t confirm if it is also available during the Winter months) and a bronze statue of The Beatles. The prices are here are very reasonable for a popular tourist destination, and even the souvenirs aren’t overpriced (still a bigger selection at the Green Bazaar).

This picturesque location is better described by the photo above. Located very near to Almaty, it is very doable with a day trip. The straightforward way is to grab a taxi there. A few bucks can be saved by going with an unlicensed taxi. Even more so if going with a few people .However, for a true backpacker (and dirt cheap) way, taking a bus to the nearest village and then either getting a taxi or hitchhiking is a very real possibility. There are no buses that go right up to the mountains so the last village will be the last possible stop for all routes.

It depends on the season and day (expect more visitors to the mountains during a weekend), but in general you can expect less hitch hiking opportunities than in the city or on a main arterial road. It could take anywhere from a few minutes to an hour or more for somebody to pick you up, and in many cases only drive half way to the destination. It is worth it however, and if you happen to be Australian then you will certainly makes the driver’s day, or possibly even year!

Affectionately referred to as the mini grand canyon, this doesn’t mean it is a pushover, particularly if you visit it during the warmer months so May to October.

Charyn or Sharyn Canyon is a canyon situated on the Sharyn River in Kazakhstan, about 200 kilometres from Almaty. This canyon has been commonly described as the Grand Canyon's little brother. However it is no less marvelous or spectacular. The canyon is about 150km long, and in some places 300 metres deep.

The most straightforward way is to join a tour going there. I used Chocotravel, who have a couple offices in Almaty. Booking is relatively straightforward so Russian isn’t really needed. Dont be surprised if you are one of the few non-Russian speakers on the tour itself. It is however mostly just the ride to the canyon and back that is run by the tour. Once at the canyon, you will be given an x amount of hours to explore the area and be back at the bus ready to depart back to Almaty.

Another option

Another option that may or may not be more convenient is to go by car. Make sure that your car is prepared as you will be leaving the road briefly during the final stretch of the 3-4 hour journey. Note that you will need to pay an entrance fee anyhow (the exact amount varies depending on the season) but expect to pay about US$2-4, and also an additional fee for parking.

Astana is a relatively modern capital city, being given capital city status and its current name in 1998. Before that it known as Akmola, and during Soviet times as Tselinograd. It also wasn't the modern and global city that it is now. The reasons were economical, ecological, and geographical. Almaty was too far in the south east of the country to be a geographic center of the country. In addition, Almaty is also overbuilt, over populated, and according to locals, doesn't have much spare area for modern development. The solution would have required a complete rebuild of Almaty. As for ecological reasoning, Almaty is one of the most polluted cities in Kazakhstan. Astana on the other hand is relatively less crowded, and a lot of resourced had been invested to transform it into the modern commercial center and heart of the country that it is.

Where to stay

Just like Almaty, there are plenty of choices here, both for hostels and hotels. A decent hostel bed will set you back around 4-6 euro a night. Slightly more if you opt for a private room. Many decent places can be found on booking.com and HostelWorld.

The Architecture

More eye catching than Almaty, Astana trades communist and brutalist style for an image of concept and wealth excess.

Khan Shatyr

One such example is the modern shopping mall project “Khan Shatyr”, which bears more resemblance to a giant yurt than a shopping agglomeration.

Kazakh Presidential Palace "Ak Orda"

The Kazakh Presidential Palace, also known as Ak Orda, is one of the official residences of the President of Kazakhstan, as well as the official workplace of the Presicent and the administration.

Hazrat Sultan Mosque

Completed in 2012, this grand mosque seems like it is much older, having been built in classical Islamic and traditional Kazakh style. It is quite expansive inside and can accomodate 5000 worshippers.

Bayterek Tower

Where to stay

Here you will find a few hostels, and many homes converted into homestays. While not as numerous as Almaty or Astana, booking.com is your best bet at finding decent and reliable accomodation here

A night at a very nice hostel set me back about 10 euro a night. While significantly more than Almaty or Astana, the comforts are much higher, and due to the city’s lower tourism potential than the aforementioned locations, it is likely that during May you may very well get an upgrade due to the lack of tourists.

Just northwest of Shymkent, Turkistan makes for an easy day trip if you happen to be in Shymkent. It is Kazakhstan’s biggest centre of the silk road, and your bet of experiencing it in Central Asia if you are unable to visit Uzbekistan. The mausoleum is the main attraction for tourists in the town, and is relatively easy to get to even if arriving in Turkestan by bus.

There are two main ways of reaching Turkestan from Shymkent, taxi or marshutka. The taxi is very straightforward but also quite more expensive than the other option, as it is about a 2 hour drive. For the marshutka, first get to Samar bazaar (no. 58 if coming from the north west like I did). From there it is about a 100m walk through the bazaar to the marshutka depot (if lost just ask “gdye marshutka astanovka to any local merchant from the bazaar) Once there, just listen to the yelling for Turkistan and you will be in the right direction.

Mausoleum of Khoja Ahmed Yasawi

Its soothing blue tiles are its hallmark feature. This mausoleum is compared by some to Registan, the ancient Timurid city in Uzbekistan. Indeed, the architecture does bare some resemblance and the style is Timurid. It was built during the time of the Timurid empire, which had descended and branched off from the Mongol Empire. Khoja Ahmed Yasawi himself was a Sufi mystic and Turkic poet, who is greatly revered in Central Asia for popularising the Sufism movement.

The mausoleum is historically the most significant place of pilgrimage for Kazakh Muslims, and Muslims throughout all of Central Asia for that matter, due to travel restrictions that were imposed by the Soviet Union during the 20th century.

Inside there is this green room with 2 openings and a barrier. People go there and pray to the relic in the room.