Kazakhstan: Almaty, Astana and the Canyons — Where to Go and What to Try

Almaty and the Trans-Ili Alatau mountains

Almaty is the greenest city in the country, spread out at the foot of the mountains. It has shady streets, parks, the Green Bazaar and cosy cafés, and the mountains themselves can be seen from almost anywhere in the city. Very close by are the high-altitude Medeu skating rink and the Shymbulak resort, which you reach by cable car, and a little further away is Big Almaty Lake with its turquoise water.

Charyn Canyon and the Kolsai Lakes

East of Almaty lies Charyn Canyon: red cliffs in fantastic shapes that are often compared to the canyons of America. Through the Valley of Castles you can walk down to the river itself. Further still are the Kolsai Lakes amid spruce forests and Lake Kaindy, where the trunks of drowned spruce trees rise out of the water. People usually come here on a day trip or stay overnight.

Astana: a city in the middle of the steppe

Astana grew up in the middle of the steppe and amazes visitors with its bold architecture: the Baiterek tower with its observation deck, the huge Khan Shatyr tent and modern districts on the banks of the Ishim River. The city is especially beautiful in the evening, when the lights come on. Winters here are freezing, while summers are warm and sunny.

Turkistan and the south

In the south lies ancient Turkistan, with the Mausoleum of Khoja Ahmed Yasawi, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, along with old cities of the Great Silk Road. It's warmer here than in the north, the bazaars sell fruit and spices, and the architecture has the feel of Central Asia.

What to try

Kazakh cuisine is the cuisine of nomads: plenty of meat, dough and dairy.

• Beshbarmak — boiled meat with thin noodles and a rich broth.
• Baursaks — fluffy fried doughnuts served with tea.
• Plov and manty, which are cooked all over the country.
• Kazy — homemade horse-meat sausage.
• Kumis and shubat — fermented drinks made from mare's and camel's milk.
• Tea with milk, which people here drink often and with great pleasure.

Good to know before you go

A few simple tips will help you feel at ease in Kazakhstan.

• In the cities it's convenient to use taxi apps — that makes it easier to agree on the price and the route.
• You can pay by card almost everywhere in the cities, but cash comes in handy at bazaars and on trips out of town.
• Russian is understood almost everywhere, and a few words of Kazakh are always met with a smile.
• It's easier to reach the canyons and lakes on a tour or by car with a driver: the roads can be challenging in places.
• Guests here are treated generously — don't be surprised if your tea is topped up again and again.

Staying connected

In Kazakhstan you need the internet from the very first minutes: to call a taxi from the airport, open a map, translate a sign, or show your hotel booking. You can install your eSIM at home over Wi-Fi, so after landing you won't have to hunt for a SIM card at the airport or stand in queues. When a plan's validity begins is shown on the checkout page before you pay: for some plans it starts at the first connection in the destination country, for others on installation or right after purchase. Your main number stays in your phone, and calls and messages to it keep arriving as usual, under your carrier's terms.