Kazakhstan
Kazakhstan is the world's largest landlocked country, and most of it is steppe, but its south-east corner holds the snow-capped Tian Shan, the red-rock walls of Charyn Canyon and the alpine Kolsai Lakes, all within reach of Almaty. Add the Silk Road shrine at Turkistan, Astana's futuristic skyline and the chalk canyons of Mangystau.
Overview
Kazakhstan stretches roughly 3,000 km from the Caspian Sea to the Altai, so trips are best built around one or two regions rather than a grand loop. Almaty is the natural starting point: a leafy former capital beneath the Trans-Ili Alatau, with ski slopes, high lakes and hiking trails less than an hour away, and Charyn, Kolsai and Kaindy a long day's drive east. Many travellers then fly to Astana for its showpiece architecture, or to Shymkent and Turkistan for Silk Road history. The far west, around Aktau and the Mangystau desert, makes a separate trip.
Costs are moderate: flights, trains and food are cheap by British standards, while good hotels in Almaty and Astana approach European prices. Russian is the everyday language in the big cities, English is patchy outside hotels and tour agencies, and a translation app helps. Hospitality is generous, especially in rural guesthouses where tea and bread arrive before you have sat down. Distances surprise people: Charyn and Kolsai need a car and an early start, and even the fastest train from Almaty to Astana takes most of a day or a night.
Map of Kazakhstan
Top 5 highlights
- 1Nature
Charyn Canyon
About 200 km east of Almaty, the Valley of Castles section of this long canyon is a walk of a couple of kilometres between eroded red rock towers down to the Charyn River. Arrive early to beat the heat and tour groups.
- 2Nature
Kolsai and Kaindy lakes
Three spruce-ringed lakes step up a Tian Shan valley above the village of Saty, linked by a hiking trail. Nearby Kaindy Lake, formed by a 1911 earthquake landslide, has the bleached trunks of drowned trees rising from its turquoise water.
- 3Adventure
Medeu and Shymbulak
Just above Almaty, the high-altitude Medeu skating rink and Shymbulak ski resort are linked by cable car; in summer the lifts carry hikers towards the 3,000-metre-plus Talgar Pass. Big Almaty Lake, in a neighbouring valley, makes a separate trip.
- 4Sacred site
Mausoleum of Khoja Ahmed Yasawi
Commissioned by Timur in 1389 and left unfinished, this UNESCO-listed shrine in Turkistan has a turquoise ribbed dome and a giant bronze cauldron. It honours a 12th-century Sufi poet and draws pilgrims year-round.
- 5Nature
Bozzhyra
A sweep of white chalk cliffs and fang-shaped pinnacles on the edge of the Ustyurt Plateau in Mangystau, around 300 km from Aktau. Reachable only by 4x4 with a driver, it is best seen on a camping trip at sunset and sunrise.
Biggest cities
Almaty
Kazakhstan's largest city and cultural capital: tree-lined avenues, the wooden Zenkov Cathedral, the Green Bazaar and a cable car up Kok-Tobe, with mountains rising straight behind.
Astana
The planned capital, built up since 1997 on the open steppe, is a showcase of ambitious architecture, from the Bayterek tower to Norman Foster's tent-like Khan Shatyr; two days is plenty.
Shymkent
A fast-growing southern city with busy bazaars and a warm climate, chiefly useful as the gateway to Turkistan and the ruined Silk Road cities of Sauran and Otrar.
Ranked by urban-area population where available. Figures are rounded estimates, and sources define city limits differently, so rankings of similar-sized cities can vary.
When to go to Kazakhstan
Best time: May–Sep.
Average climate in Almaty
Festivals & events
- MarNauryz
The spring-equinox new year, celebrated from 21 to 23 March with yurts in city squares, horse games, concerts and bowls of nauryz kozhe, a seven-ingredient soup.
- JulCapital Day, Astana
On 6 July Astana celebrates its status as capital with concerts, fireworks and light shows along the Esil River embankments and around Bayterek.
How much does Kazakhstan cost?
Estimates per person per day, excluding flights. Prices vary by season and city.
Food to try
Beshbarmak
The national dish: boiled horse meat or mutton served over broad sheets of noodle with an onion broth; the name means 'five fingers', as it was traditionally eaten by hand.
Baursak
Puffy squares or rounds of fried dough served at every celebration and family table, alongside milky tea and fruit jams.
Kumis
Fermented mare's milk, slightly fizzy, sour and mildly alcoholic, sold at roadside yurts and markets in summer.
Getting around
Domestic flights on Air Astana, FlyArystan and SCAT are the fastest way to cover the distances and are often cheap. KTZ trains, including overnight sleepers, link the main cities and are comfortable if slow. Buses and shared taxis serve smaller towns. In cities, use Yandex Go or inDrive for taxis; Almaty also has a single metro line. For Charyn, Kolsai and Mangystau, hire a car and driver or join a tour.
Practical information
- Plugs & voltage
- CF220V — bring a UK-to-C/F adapter
- Emergency numbers
Source: FCDO “Getting help”
- Dialling code
- +7
- Time zone
- UTC+5 (standard time)
- Tap water
- Varies — bottled or filtered is safer
- Driving
- On the right
- Tipping
- Many city restaurants add a 10–15% service charge, so check the bill before tipping. Otherwise round up, and tip guides and drivers on tours.
- Etiquette
- Accept tea and food when offered, and never put bread on the ground or turn a loaf upside down. Remove your shoes in homes, and greet elders first.
- Main airports
- Almaty International Airport (ALA), Almaty; Nursultan Nazarbayev International Airport (NQZ), Astana
Visas & entry for Kazakhstan
Shown for a British passport.
No visa needed
You can visit Kazakhstan without a visa for up to 30 days for business or tourism. You can make as many visa-free visits as you like, but you must not stay more than 90 days without a visa in any 180-day period.
To stay longer, to work or study or for other reasons, you must meet the Kazakh government’s entry requirements. Check which type of visa or work permit you need with the Kazakh Embassy in the UK. Also see visa information from Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
From the UK government's FCDO entry requirements for British passport holders — read the full page for passport validity, permits and exceptions.
Health & vaccinations
- Recommended for most travellers
- Tetanus
- Sometimes advised — depends on your trip, activities and health
- Hepatitis BMeaslesRabiesTick-borne encephalitisTuberculosisTyphoid
- Yellow fever certificate
- A yellow fever certificate is only required if you arrive from (or transit through) a country with yellow fever risk — not if you fly direct from the UK.
- Malaria
- No malaria risk
Source: TravelHealthPro (National Travel Health Network and Centre), checked 21 October 2026. This is a summary, not medical advice.
Public holidays in Kazakhstan
The next 12 months. Banks, offices and some sights may close, and transport and hotels get busy around these dates.
| Sun 25 Oct 2026 | Republic Day |
| Mon 26 Oct 2026 | Republic Day (observed) |
| Wed 16 Dec 2026 | Independence Day |
| Fri 1 Jan 2027 | New Year's Day |
| Sat 2 Jan 2027 | New Year's Day |
| Mon 4 Jan 2027 | New Year's Day (observed) |
| Thu 7 Jan 2027 | Orthodox Christmas |
| Mon 8 Mar 2027 | International Women's Day |
| Mon 15 Mar 2027 | Constitution Day |
| Sun 21 Mar 2027 | Nowruz Holiday |
| Mon 22 Mar 2027 | Nowruz Holiday |
| Tue 23 Mar 2027 | Nowruz Holiday |
| Wed 24 Mar 2027 | Nowruz Holiday (observed) |
| Sat 1 May 2027 | Kazakhstan's People Solidarity Holiday |
| Mon 3 May 2027 | Kazakhstan's People Solidarity Holiday (observed) |
| Fri 7 May 2027 | Defender of the Fatherland Day |
| Sun 9 May 2027 | Victory Day |
| Mon 10 May 2027 | Victory Day (observed) |
| Sun 16 May 2027 | Eid al-Adha (date may shift) |
| Tue 6 Jul 2027 | Capital Day |
National holidays only. Dates based on lunar calendars can move by a day or two depending on official announcements.
Useful phrases in Russian
| English | Russian | Say it |
|---|---|---|
| Hello | Здравствуйте | ZDRAST-vooy-tyeh |
| Thank you | Спасибо | spa-SEE-ba |
| Please | Пожалуйста | pa-ZHAL-sta |
| Excuse me | Извините | iz-vee-NEE-tyeh |
| How much is this? | Сколько это стоит? | SKOL-ka EH-ta STO-eet? |
Know before you go
- Russian is the most useful language for getting around, but a few words of Kazakh — 'Sálemetsiz be' for hello and 'Rakhmet' for thank you — are warmly received.
- Carry your passport at all times: hotels, train staff and police checkpoints ask for it, and some mountain areas near the Chinese and Kyrgyz borders need permits, which tour operators arrange.
- Weather in the Tian Shan changes fast: even on a hot July day in Almaty, take a warm layer and a rain jacket for lakes and passes above 2,500 metres.
Kazakhstan travel FAQs
When is the best time to visit Kazakhstan?
The best time to visit Kazakhstan is generally May–Sep. Peak months are May, June and September. Average highs in Almaty range from 0°C to 31°C across the year.
How much does a trip to Kazakhstan cost per day?
Roughly £35 a day on a tight budget, £80 mid-range and £170+ for comfortable travel, per person including accommodation, food and local transport. Flights are extra.
What currency is used in Kazakhstan?
Kazakhstani tenge (KZT).
What plug type does Kazakhstan use?
Type C and F sockets at 220V. UK visitors need a travel adapter — UK Type G plugs will not fit.
Which side of the road do they drive on in Kazakhstan?
Traffic drives on the right in Kazakhstan, unlike the UK.
Is tap water safe to drink in Kazakhstan?
Varies — bottled or filtered is safer.
Do I need a visa for Kazakhstan?
For British passport holders, the FCDO says: You can visit Kazakhstan without a visa for up to 30 days for business or tourism. Entry rules change, so check the official FCDO entry requirements for Kazakhstan before you travel: https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/kazakhstan/entry-requirements
What vaccinations do I need for Kazakhstan?
TravelHealthPro recommends Tetanus for most travellers, with Hepatitis B, Measles, Rabies, Tick-borne encephalitis, Tuberculosis and Typhoid sometimes advised depending on your trip. Make sure routine UK vaccinations are up to date and see a travel health professional 6–8 weeks before you go.
