Ultimate Travel Guide to Kazakhstan

Do you love venturing into uncharted frontiers? Get ready to uncover the hidden gems of Kazakhstan, a land where ancient traditions meet futuristic skylines. From accessible mountains to the beautiful alpine lakes, Kazakhstan has plenty of surprises for the discerning traveler.

I traveled in Kazakhstan solo & then with my husband for about 10 days. I was perhaps one of the first people to cross the border to Kazakhstan when the visa free regime was introduced in 2022. We spent hours walking along the beautiful streets of Almaty, enjoyed a day in the mountains at Medeu, explored the turquoise blue alpine lakes in Kolsai & Kaindy, and spent a leisurely few days roaming around the Silk Road town of Taraz.

This Kazakhstan travel guide will provide you with everything you need to know from flights, visas, accommodation, food, and places to visit when you are there. So pack your bags, put on your walking shoes, and let’s dive into the heart of Central Asia.

Prefer to watch a video instead? I’ve got you covered!

Why Travel to Kazakhstan?

• First of all, it’s visa-free – so you don’t have to go through annoying paper work & you can practically show up at an airport just like how westerners do in most parts of the world including Europe & US. *passport privelege*

• Flights from Delhi are less than 30,000 INR & just over 3 hours so it’s budget friendly & convenient.

• In terms of the location, there are beautiful alpine lakes like in Canada, great road infrastructure like the US, access to mountains through cable car like in Switzerland – all of this for a fraction of the cost.

• Not to mention friendly who make you feel like a celebrity, nomadic heritage, and Silk Road towns.

Need I say more?

Where to Stay in Kazakhstan

Kazakhstan offers a wide range of accommodation options to suit different budgets.

Average price per night for stay:

• Hostels: USD 12 (& above)
• Apartments: USD 30 (& above)
• Hotels: USD 50 (& above)

Please find below the recommendations for stays in Kazakhstan divided by location and sorted by price (lowest first).

Almaty

Visa Requirements to Kazakhstan

As you might know, Kazakhstan has been visa-free for Indian passport holders for up to 14 days since July 2022. So if are traveling for 15 days or longer, you need to apply for the visa through the official government website. Visa-free entry applies to both land borders and air travel. Kazakhstan is also visa free for about 60 other countries.

In my case, I didn’t have any plans to visit Kazakhstan during my 2.5-month stint in Central Asia but then the visa rules changed while I was traveling in July 2022. Kazakhstan became visa-free.

Pro Tip: If you are crossing land borders to a country that has recently changed visa rules always carry a printout of the information – I carried a printout from the official website stating that Kazakhstan is visa-free for Indians – this is useful if you end up encountering any such situations in the future as these official rules take much longer to pass through land borders than at airports.

Costs for Kazakhstan Visa

Visa Fee: Free (for upto 14 days)

Do you need to book return flight tickets or stay before flying to Kazakhstan?

The short answer is yes. Even though it’s visa free to enter Kazakhstan, the immigration/airline officials might ask you for return flight tickets or stay confirmation to make sure you are going to leave the country within the stipulated dates. So, it’s better to have return flight tickets and atleast the stay confirmation for the first few days just to be safe.

Flights

Flights to Kazakhstan are quite affordable from India, with return flights between Delhi and Almaty starting at around USD 350 (Rs. 30,000).

These are the 3 major Airlines that ferry passengers between Delhi and Almaty:

• Air Astana – Official Airlines of Kazakhstan with a direct flight to Almaty or Astana
• Indigo – This is a newer addition to the list which is also a direct flight. You might be able to find return flight tickets for as cheap as Rs. 30,000 between Delhi and Almaty.
• Uzbekistan Airways – Official Airlines of Uzbekistan with a layover in Tashkent

The direct flights would be around 3 hour 30 minutes from Delhi. There’s only a half an hour difference in the timezone between India and Kazakhstan.

If you are flying from other parts of the world, then there are good connections from Dubai and Istanbul that are worth checking.

Almaty would most likely be your first point of contact with Uzbekistan.

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Transportation

How to Travel within Almaty?

For Public transport within the city – the metro is the fastest means of transportation if your destination is close to a stop. City buses are a great option too- these are big city buses, not cramped marshrutkas like in Kyrgyzstan although they might be crowded during peak hours (8-10 am, 5-7 pm on weekdays).

Apart from that, there are app-based taxis like Uber or Yandex taxis.

How to travel between cities in Kazakhstan?

Keep in mind that Kazakhstan is the 9th largest country in the world so the distances between cities are quite long which translates to longer journeys. So flights are the fastest option & overnight trains are quite comfortable & commonly used.

I traveled to Taraz from Almaty by train. We had a booth to ourselves & journey was comfortable and smooth.

You can book train tickets online, through a travel agent or one of the train ticket offices around town. We booked train tickets at the bus station so that’s also an option.

If you are booking train tickets online, you can check out Kazakh railways booking site. If your card is not accepted here, you can try these user-friendly websites:  Tutu.ru, Tickets.kz, Aviata.kz 

You can also check out this international transport website – it’s better for foreign travelers as it’s user-friendly & in English.

You will find slow trains & fast trains with different seating options.

Make sure you book train tickets at least a month in advance, especially during season time as the seats get filled quickly.

Yandex

Yandex is a cab-hailing app similar to Uber which is widely used in Kazakhstan. I’ve used Yandex in Almaty and Taraz, a small Silk Road town in Kazakhstan. This is really useful as you don’t have to haggle with the taxi drivers regarding the fares and generally less confusion regarding the destination.

Local Taxis

I have used the local taxi option as well in Almaty and Taraz. Especially when I didn’t have access to internet to book taxi. The taxi drivers were friendly and I felt safe while traveling in local taxis. Keep in mind that language is a barrier so there are chances of miscommunication. The only problem is that it might be hard to figure out if there’s a local taxi passing by. Just keep waving your hand by the side of the road and taxis will stop. Also, not a good idea to hail local taxis during the night.

Places to Visit in Kazakhstan

Tourists mostly visit Kazakhstan to experience the city life in Almaty and Astana & the great outdoors.

Kazakhstan is incredible for nature lovers – there are plenty of hiking trails around the cities of Almaty and Astana.

In Kazakhstan, I based myself in Almaty & Taraz & visited other locations from here. This gave me a good taste of both the urban & small town lifestyle.

Here are the locations that you can visit in Kazakhstan

• Almaty – Greenest city, mountains, and Shymbulak ski resort.
• Astana (Nur-Sultan) – Futuristic capital with stunning architecture.
• Charyn Canyon – The “Grand Canyon of Kazakhstan.”
• Kaindy Lake & Kolsai Lakes – Breathtaking mountain lakes.
• Baikonur Cosmodrome – The world’s first space launch site.
• Mangystau (Bozzhira & Valley of Balls) – Surreal landscapes in the west
• Taraz – Oldest town in Kazakhstan & a Silk Road town

If there’s one city you want to visit when in Kazakhstan, let it be Almaty.

Kazakhstan Travel Guide: 5-day Itinerary

If you are visiting Kazakhstan, I’d suggest you to base yourself out of Almaty. There are plenty of things to explore in and around Almaty. So, you can easily spend about 4-5 days here.

Day 1

You can go sightseeing around the city.

Green Bazaar market is quite lively & a great place to pick up dry fruits.

Explore the parks and monuments around the city & you can make a day out of it. I like to walk around a city & stumble into random quirks that make up a city.

Visit the Ascension Cathedral. You could spend a few hours in the evening just soaking in the vibe.

Then, you could take a cable ride to Koke Tobe Hill and watch the sunset from there. This place comes alive over the weekends. 

Day 2

Next, you could go to Medeu which is just 20 km from the city & take a cable car to reach 3200m. It’s a great spot to experience the Tian Shah mountains closely without doing any hiking.

Also, during winter, you can go skating at the Medeu Ice Rink or skiing while staying at Shymbulak ski resort.

If you can splurge, then stay at Tenir Eco Hotel – it’s hard to beat this location.

Day 3

There are beautiful lakes that are accessible on a day trip from Almaty. Big Almaty Lake is just an hour away from the city, so it’s a comfortable trip. You could take a taxi which would cost around 15,000 KZT, or opt for group tours which would be around 10,000 KZT while private tours would start from 100 USD. 

Day 4 & 5

You can also visit Kolsai, Kaindy lakes, and Charyn Canyon on a 2 day trip from Almaty. You can find plenty of tour operators doing this & they charge anywhere from 25 USD (12,000 tenge) to 200 USD per adult based on the stay, group size, and convenience.

In any case, there are no fancy acommodations in this region, so most likely you will end up staying in a local guesthouse or a 6-person nomadic yurt.

It takes about 5-6 hours one way. You could visit these places, stay in Saty village, then head back to Almaty the next day.

Day 6

Take a flight back from Almaty

Note: This is a suggested itinerary and you can customize it according to your preferences and interests.

More Places to visit in Kazakhstan

• If you want to venture outside the tourist trail, then explore Assy Plateau on a day trip from Almaty. Trek along the high-mountain plateau of Assy and Bear Waterfalls in Turgen Gorge. Here, you can witness dense pine forests, rejuvenating hot springs, and crystal-clear lakes.

• During winter, you can go skating at the Medeu Ice Rink, the world’s highest skating rink. Or skiing at Shymbulak. So if you can brave the sub zero temperatures, then you could experience a beautiful winter wonderland.

• You could also visit small Silk Road towns like Taraz like I did. It is one of the oldest cities in Kazakhstan & truly feels like a time capsule. The vibe here is totally different from the big cities like Almaty. The surprising thing is there are still tree-lined pedestrian paths even in small towns like this.

• You could visit the capital city Astana. Formerly known as Nur-Sultan, it became the capital in 1997, replacing Almaty. The city is known for its striking skyline, featuring landmarks like the Bayterek Tower, the Khan Shatyr shopping and entertainment center, and the Nur-Astana Mosque. Its well-planned infrastructure, wide boulevards, and mix of Soviet-era and ultramodern buildings make it an interesting destination for travelers. I didn’t visit Astana as I wasn’t keen on visiting another city. Maybe I am biased, but from what I hear from other travelers, Almaty is the most beautiful city in Kazakhstan not its capital city Astana & I would have to agree.

Kazakhstan Food Guide

Beshbarmak – National dish made of boiled meat and pasta

Kazy – Horse meat sausage

Shashlik – Grilled meat skewers

Baursak – Fried dough snacks

Kumis – Fermented mare’s milk

Tashkent Fruit tea – Unlike the name suggests, it was invented in Shymkent in Kazakhstan not Tashkent. So, don’t miss trying this when you are in Kazakhstan – it’s incredible – sweet, tangy, and bursting with the flavors. Served hot or cold, this tea is a refreshing treat after a hearty Kazakh meal.

What to Pack for Kazakhstan

When traveling to Kazakhstan, pack versatile layers for varying temperatures. In spring and autumn, bring a light jacket, warm clothing for cooler nights, and comfortable shoes for walking. If visiting in winter, pack heavy coats, thermals, and boots to stay warm in the cold weather. A hat, gloves, and scarf are also essential for winter months.

Compared to Uzbekistan & Tajikistan, Kazakhstan especially the cities are quite liberal – in terms of outlook and clothing. If you are visiting small towns, I’d suggest you to dress more conservatively.

Language

Most people including city dwellers don’t speak English here. Even the signs and boards are in Russian/Kazakh. So, it’s difficult to get around withougt knowing a bit of the local language.

I’d suggest you to learn atleast the basic phrases to have a better experience here. Locals always love it when you are making effort and they become more friendly in general. It will also help you better assimilate yourself into the local culture.

Key Phrases in Russian

• Privyet (pree-vyet) – Hello
• Spasibo (spa-see-ba) – Thank you
• Menya zovut (men-ya zovut) – My name is
• Ya khachu tuda (ya khachu too-da) – I want to go there
• Skol’ko stoit? (skol-ko sto-it) – How much?
• Xorosho (kharasho) – Good
• Ya vas lyublyu (ya vas lyub-lyu) – I love you
• Ochen’ priyatno poznakomit’sya (o-chen’ pri-ya-tna poz-na-ko-mitsya) – Nice to meet you.
• Do svidaniya (das-vee-da-ni-ya) – Goodbye

Key Phrases in Kazakh

• Sälem! (sa-lem) – Hello
• Rakhmet! (rakh-met) – Thank you
• Menің atym… (me-nin a-tym…) – My name is…
• Men sonǵa barǵym keledi (men son-ga bar-gym ke-le-di) – I want to go there
• Bul qanşa? (bul kan-sha) – How much?
• Jaqsy (zhak-sy) – Good
• Men seni jaqsı köremin (men se-ni zhak-sy kö-re-min) – I love you
• Tanysqanyma quattymyn (tan-ys-ka-ny-ma quat-ty-myn) – Nice to meet you
• Sau bolyŋyz! (sau bo-ly-nyz) – Goodbye

Download These Apps Before Traveling to Kazakhstan

• Google Translate – Translation app to communicate with the locals and read menus. Google Play Store
• Yandex – Book taxis in Tashkent, Samarkand, and Bukhara. Google Play Store | Apple App Store
• Happy Cow – Find restaurants serving vegetarian or vegan food. Google Play Store | Apple App Store
• Google Maps – Download offline maps for Almaty. Google Play Store

Travel Budget in Kazakhstan

Kazakhstan is a budget-friendly destination for travelers, with a daily average travel budget of around $60-80 per day. This includes accommodation, food, transportation, and some activities. However, this budget can vary depending on your style of travel and the type of accommodation you choose.

For example, if you opt for budget-friendly accommodations such as homestays or guesthouses, you can expect to spend less than $30 per day. On the other hand, if you prefer more comfortable & luxe accommodations, you can expect to spend more, around $100 per day.

Additionally, food costs in cities like Almaty are comparable to the prices in Indian cities. So, it isn’t very cheap but you can find plenty of multi-cuisine restaurants with dishes for about $8 a meal. The prices would be relatively lower when you visit small towns.

Transportation costs are also reasonable, with public transportation and local taxis being affordable options.

To budget for a 6-day trip to Kazakhstan, on average, you would need around $600, excluding flights.

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Border Crossings

I entered Kazakhstan by crossing the border from Kyrygyzstan to Kazakhstan & exited the border from Shyment to Tashkent. Here is my experience with border crossings in Kazakhstan.

Bishkek – Almaty

I took a taxi to the border from Bishkek city (40 mins from the city). And then crossed the border quite easily. No questions asked. Didn’t even ask how long I’m going to stay in Almaty. Took 20 minutes to finish the process. On the Kazakhstan side, I took a shared taxi to Almaty from the border (about 3 hours). Which dropped me at Sairan bus station.

Reaching the hostel from the bus station was quite tricky. I couldn’t find many taxis which would take me to the hostel in Kyrgyz som. And there wasn’t any specific landmark close to the hostel to communicate to either. And since I didn’t have internet, I couldn’t book Yandex either. So it took a while to actually get a taxi willing to take me to the hostel. And I ended up paying 1500 tenge for the same.

In hindsight, I could have planned this better.

Shymkent – Tashkent

I stayed in Taraz for a few days to break the long journey from Almaty to Shymkent. I booked a ride from Taraz to Shymkent through InDriver, a ride-sharing app. From Shymkent, I found local taxis to go to the border.

At the checkpoint, it took about 30 minutes to finish the security and immigration procedures.

Once on the Uzbekistan side, I took a taxi from the border to Tashkent.

Frequently Asked Questions About Traveling to Kazakhstan