Kazakhstan

Kazakhstan is a transcontinental country located in Central Asia. It shares land borders with Russia in the north, China in the east, and Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, and Turkmenistan in the south while also adjoining a large part of the Caspian Sea in the southwest. Kazakhstan offers the visitor sand dunes, ancient burial grounds and fortresses, incredible scenery and a profusion of wildlife, glaciers of the Tian Shan Mountain range. Outdoor lovers will also enjoy the canyons, turquoise lakes, and alpine meadows of the Almaty area. The country is an interesting mix of Russian and Western influence coupled with a revival of nomadic hospitability, traditions, and customs.

Highlights

Modern cities

Turquoise lakes

Jonas Satkauskas, CC BY-SA 2.5, via Wikimedia Commons

by Oksana kryvda is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Majestic mountains

Historical sites

Ninaras, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

National parks

Timur Jansultan, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Kalpak Travel, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Wilderness landscapes

by peretzp is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0.

by amanderson2 is licensed under CC BY 2.0.

When to go

The best moment to visit Kazakhstan is spring and autumn (April and mid-June and September to mid- October). The climate of Kazakhstan is continental and dry in most of the country, including the largest cities. Summers are very hot with day temperatures between 30° and 40° Celsius, and winters extremely cold with strong winds. The brief spring and autumn seasons are best in terms of temperature. Kazakhstan’s thermometers do get extreme, and some places cannot be visited in the dead of winter or at the height of summer.

Hiking and other outdoor activities: from mid-June until late September. If you are planning to visit the mountains the best season is summer, however, the weather is quite changeable. Be aware, at high altitudes of 3000 meters or more it may even snow overnight during the summer.

Historical Places and cultural sightseeing: from May until late September. Spring and autumn are the best seasons. Autumn is also the time when the country goes to harvest, meaning markets are full of fresh fruit and vegetables.

Winter activities: from December to March. Shymbulak offers great skiing opportunities. Those who are experienced can head up to the Talgar Pass (3163 meters above the sea level). Winters are also the perfect time to experience a traditional Kazakh sauna, which is a place where people bond and escape the cold.

Eagle Hunting: from November to February.

Birdwatching: the best time of the year for bird watching is May and June, for observation of arctic geese and other migratory birds, the end of September and beginning of October.

Practical information

Currency

The Tenge is the official currency. Typically, 385 to 486 tenges per Euro and 323 to 444 tenges per US Dollar.

Language

Kazakh and Russian are the official languages. Russian is spoken widely everywhere. But overall, in Kazakhstan not many people understand or speak English.

Visa

Citizens of 45 countries may travel visa-free for 30 days. These are EU, CIS countries, Argentina, Armenia (90 days), Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Belarus (90 days), Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Georgia (90 days), Hong Kong (stays of up to 14 days), Indonesia, Israel, Japan, Korea (South), Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan (90 days), Malaysia, Mexico, Moldova (90 days), Mongolia (90 days), Oman, Philippines, Qatar, Russia (90 days), Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Tajikistan, Thailand, Turkey, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, United States of America, Uzbekistan, Vietnam. The rest of the citizens can apply for single-entry tourist e-visas for Kazakhstan. The Kazakhstan e-Visa is an online visa, introduced in January 2019, which allows eligible citizens to travel to Kazakhstan for purposes of tourism and business, as well as for medical treatment for certain nationalities. The Kazakhstan visa online is valid for a maximum stay of 30 days in the country. It is also necessary to provide a Kazakhstan invitation letter number, and answer a few security-related questions, in order to receive an online Kazakhstan tourist visa via email. It is necessary for travellers to submit an online Kazakhstan visa application at least 5 working days before the expected date of arrival in the country. The application form must be completed online. Once approved, the e-Visa will be sent to the applicant by email.

Kazakhstan visa rules and practices change quite frequently, information on recent changes is available from recommended travel agent’s embassies and consulates.

If you want to check which countries are able or not for applying e-Visa and more information or requirements, follow this link.

ATM & credit card

The banking system in Kazakhstan is the most developed in Central Asia. In big cities there are many places to exchange money and to withdraw cash from ATMs using a variety of cards. You can withdraw money with Visa, Mastercard or Maestro. Cards are also widely accepted, but the exception is with the small traders that do not accept cards and carry little to no cash. In smaller towns, there probably will not be an ATM available for cash withdrawal.

Opening times

The public agencies and most of the companies and banks are open from 09:00 or 10:00 hours to 17:00 hrs or 18:00 hours with one hour lunch break between 12:00 and 15:00 hours for banks. Some offices are open only in the morning. Food stores and bakeries are open every day (including Sundays) from 09:00 to 20:00h with a break at noon. Supermarkets are open 24 /24 hrs and 7/7 days. Restaurants and bars are opening from 10:00am to midnight.

Time: GMT West Kazakhstan +5 hours and East Kazakhstan +6 hours.

Main airports

Almaty International Airport (Kazakhstan’s largest airport is in the southeast of the country, near the border with Kyrgyzstan. The distance from the airport to the centre of Almaty is 15 kilometres. By car, it takes 30 minutes to get to the city centre).

Nursultan Nazarbayev Airport (located south to the capital of the country. The distance from the airport to the centre of Nur-Sultan is 16 kilometres. By car, it takes 25 minutes to get to the centre of Nur-Sultan).

Public transport

Taking the train in Kazakhstan is a great way to get around the country, provided you have enough time to observe endless steppe country and great desert landscape. It is a cheap way to travel through Kazakhstan in comfort and meeting locals. Kazakhstan has a developed rail network, and high-speed trains which connect with major cities. There are other trains are still slow, for travellers who have time, the train is a comfortable and budget-friendly alternative. These other routes are operated by the more traditional “platskart“(3rd-class open-plan cars) and “kupe” (2nd-class four-person private couchettes) carriages found across the former USSR, and while they may not save much time over road travel, they offer far more comfort. You can find prices, timetables, and more information about routes at the online booking sites of Tutu, Tickets and Kazakh Railways. Remember in summer and during holidays, most trains are sold out days in advance, for this reason you need to be prepared, or you might have to get on a bus instead.

On short to medium-distance trips, intercity bus and “marshrutka” (minibus) services are generally the most common option. Typically, minibus services will depart more frequently and have a greater chance of a comfortable ride, while coach service tickets will be cheaper.

Driving Kazakhstan is perhaps the best way to experience this huge country, since many of its attractions are difficult to reach on public transport. It is the perfect way to experience the freedom of Kazakhstan’s great outdoors. The road infrastructure in Kazakhstan has improved a lot in recent years. New highways connect the main cities throughout the country which makes driving in Kazakhstan a lot more comfortable and safer than it used to be. If you want to drive along the older roads across the steppes, keep in mind that those are old gravel roads filled with pot-holes and huge rocks.

Things to avoid

Drinking water, unless it is bottled, filtered, or boiled

Only eat well-cooked meat and fish, preferably served hot

Take no-official taxis

When visiting some special places, you will need to wear long pants and women need to cover their shoulders and head with a veil

Bargaining in markets or shops where the prices are fix

Food

Traditional Kazakh cuisine focused on mutton and horse meat, as well as various milk products. The cooking techniques and major ingredients have been strongly influenced by the nation’s nomadic way of life. Typical Kazakhstan dishes are: “Sirne” (meat from a lamb, is soaked in rich cream or horse milk and then stewed on low heat for a generous amount of time), “Shelpek” (is a traditional flatbread made with a combination of flour, sugar, milk, salt, yeast or baking powder, and oil for frying. Once prepared, the dough is divided into balls, and each one is then rolled into a thin circle), “Shalgam” (prepared with a combination of grated radish, carrots, bell peppers, onions, and garlic. The salad is dressed with a combination of white wine vinegar, sugar, oil, salt, and cayenne pepper), “Beshbarmak” (cooked horse, mutton, beef, or a combination of those three types of meat are served along traditionally prepared thin pasta squares. The dish is then combined with a flavourful sauce made with meat broth, onions, salt, and pepper, and the finished meal is typically paired with a bowl of meat broth on the side).

Electricity and plug types

For Kazakhstan there are two associated plug types, types C and F. Plug type C is the plug which has two round pins and plug type F is the plug which has two round pins with two earth clips on the side. Kazakhstan operates on a 220V supply voltage and 50Hz.

Health and insurance

Local healthcare facilities in Kazakhstan are basic and may not be able to provide much in the way of care. The health care system is based on the Soviet-style of health care which can seem very different in comparison to Western countries. You should ensure that any insurance you have provides an emergency evacuation benefit. Generally, all travellers to Kazakhstan are recommended to get Hepatitis A vaccination and combined Diphtheria, Tetanus and Polio vaccination. Other common diseases which the country faces include Tick-Borne Encephalitis, Tuberculosis, and HIV.

Other

Tipping in Kazakhstan is not so common. There is no commonly accepted tipping norm and usually, the cost of service (in cafes, hotels, travel agencies, etc.) is already included in the final price. Thus, no additional fees are needed. However, you can still leave a tip as a personal reward for the quality service if you want to.