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Central Asia

KazakhstanTravel guide

Explore Kazakhstan visa rulesCommon scams in Kazakhstan

Kazakhstan is the largest country in Central Asia and stretches into Eastern Europe. It has wide open plains, deserts, mountains and modern cities. Its capital is Astana.

Why go

  1. See the modern buildings of Astana.

  2. Explore Köl-Say Lakes and the Altai mountains.

  3. Experience the country's vast desert and open grasslands.

  4. Learn about space travel at Baikonur.

  5. Try traditional food and share tea with local people.

Getting there

By air

  • Air Astana operates international flights to Europe and much of Asia, including the Middle East.
  • Many European and Asian airlines fly to Kazakhstan, some daily.
  • For some destinations, travelling through Istanbul or a Middle Eastern airport can be quicker than changing planes within Kazakhstan.

By land

  • International trains are generally slow, comfortable and clean. Routes to Almaty include Moscow, taking 77 hours; Novosibirsk, 35 hours; and Ürümqi, 34 hours.
  • Allow 3–4 hours at the Russian border or 6–8 hours at the Chinese border when travelling by train.
  • Railways.KZ offers online train booking. Talgo trains are more modern and cost slightly more.

By sea

  • Freight ships travel between Baku and Aktau, and it may be possible to travel with them.
  • Ships can wait weeks before entering port. Bring plenty of food and water.

Customs

  • Do not take caviar bought in Kazakhstan home with you. The source warns that it cannot be exported and that airport fines are high.

Getting around

  • Trains

    Trains are slow but generally comfortable and clean. Railways.KZ offers booking, and Talgo trains are more modern. Yandex Raspisaniya can help you find train, bus and plane connections.

  • Planes

    Domestic airlines include Air Astana, FlyArystan, Vietjet Qazaqstan and SCAT. Air Astana offers full service, while FlyArystan is its budget airline with fewer free extras. Air Astana has offices in some major hotels in big cities, which may help if you do not book online. Vietjet Qazaqstan has a small fleet and fewer flights. The source advises choosing another airline instead of SCAT because of service and safety concerns.

  • Buses and minibuses

    Buses and marshrutkas, which are shared minibuses, provide local transport. Yandex Raspisaniya can help you search for bus connections. Official public transport may be safer than unlicensed local taxis.

  • Taxis

    Keep your passport and valuables in your pockets, and your most valuable bag on your lap. Some unlicensed drivers demand extra money before returning luggage or drive away with it. Carry your accommodation address written on a card, especially if you do not speak Russian or Kazakh.

What to see and do

  • Astana

    Its modern buildings contrast with much of the rest of Kazakhstan.

  • Köl-Say Lakes

    The lakes are among the country's natural sights.

  • Altai mountains

    Eastern Kazakhstan has mountain scenery, with other mountain ranges along the southern border.

  • Desert and steppe

    Vast deserts and open grasslands cover much of the country.

  • Baikonur

    This space launch site sent Yuri Gagarin on the first human orbital flight. Tours reportedly need weeks for approval by Russian authorities.

  • Take a nature tour

    Companies in Almaty and Astana run trips throughout the year. Many make frequent short photo stops, and private tours may provide little or no commentary in English.

Food and drink

  • Beshbarmak

    A traditional dish of horse meat, pasta, potato and onion, sometimes made with beef or lamb. Restaurant portions often serve two or three people.

  • Kazy

    Handmade horse meat sausage, often served as a cold starter. Ask in advance if you want it served with beshbarmak.

  • Laghman

    Thick noodles with meat, carrot and onion, usually served as a soup.

  • Manty

    Large steamed dumplings, usually filled with meat and onions. Some places offer pumpkin versions.

  • Plov

    Fried rice with meat and carrots, sometimes with raisins or tomatoes.

  • Shashlyk

    Skewers of marinated, roasted meat, usually served with flatbread and onions.

Money

Kazakhstani tenge (KZT), shown as ₸ or T.

  • Some hospitals require payment in local cash and do not accept international credit cards.
  • Restaurants often price meat and side dishes separately. Check what each part of your meal costs.
  • Felt items are easy to carry and inexpensive to post. Traditional rugs include syrmak and tekemet.
  • The source's restaurant and transport cost table dates from 2019, so treat those figures as old estimates.

Typical costs

  • Street snack: around US$0.30–0.70.
  • Dorm bed in a big city: US$10–20 per night.
  • More comfortable double room: US$60–80 per night.
  • Some basic hotels: from €10 per night.
  • Inexpensive restaurant meal: 2,000 tenge in the source's 2019 cost table.
  • Three-course meal for two at a mid-range restaurant: 10,000 tenge in the 2019 cost table.
  • Local transport ticket: 80 tenge in the 2019 cost table.

Language

  • Kazakh and Russian are the two official languages.
  • Russian is generally the more useful language for travellers.
  • Many people under 25, customs officials and airport staff know some English.
  • Speaking a few words of Kazakh is usually warmly received.
byez myasa
Without meat, in Russian.
ya vegeterianetz
I am a vegetarian, said by a man in Russian.
ya vegetarianka
I am a vegetarian, said by a woman in Russian.
shai
Tea.

Staying safe

  • Cities are generally safe during the day, but some areas carry a higher risk after dark. In Almaty, the source warns about areas below Rayimbek Batyr, including nearby outer residential districts and Shanyrak.
  • The source also identifies Shar, Stepnogorsk and Temirtau as places with higher risks of mugging and violent crime.
  • Carry your passport, or a certified copy of your passport and visa, at all times.
  • Go out at night with a group or local people. Heavy drinking and going to nightclubs alone increase the risk.
6 common scams in Kazakhstan, and how to avoid them

Local customs

Do

  • Show interest in Kazakh language and culture. A few Kazakh words are usually appreciated.
  • Ask permission before camping near a nomadic group.
  • Remember that many Kazakhs do not eat pork when sharing food.
  • Be careful with approaches to local women, as attention that seems ordinary to you may be seen as offensive by relatives.

Don't

  • Do not insult Kazakhstan or local people, as arguments can become violent.
  • Do not insult religion or make jokes about it.
  • Avoid Borat jokes and comparisons, which many Kazakhs find offensive.
  • Do not continue an argument with local people if tensions rise.

Staying healthy

  • Bring medical supplies when visiting smaller places, as medicines may be scarce and health care standards vary.
  • Have travel insurance that covers evacuation by aircraft after serious illness or an accident.
  • Before travelling, ask your insurer which clinic to contact in an emergency. Some hospitals accept only certain insurers or no international insurance.
  • Keep access to local cash for medical care because some hospitals do not accept international credit cards.

Where to stay

  • Hotels range from very cheap rooms to luxury accommodation.
  • The cheapest hotels may not appear online. You may need to telephone them directly and speak Russian.
  • Dorm beds in big cities cost around US$10–20, while more comfortable double rooms cost around US$60–80.
  • Formal campsites are rare outside Burabay/Borovoe, but camping is possible across many uninhabited areas.

Trips to Kazakhstan

Day-by-day itineraries by snuck, shaped around you.

5 nights
Almaty at Your Own PaceAlmatyMedeuShymbulakCharyn CanyonFrom, per person~US$841
 6 nights
Almaty Winter for TwoAlmatyMedeuShymbulakFrom, per person~US$1,270
 8 nights
Lakes and City LivingAlmatyMedeuShymbulakCharyn CanyonFrom, per person~US$1,480

Outdoor adventures in Kazakhstan

Kazakhstan has treks in the Tian Shan, remote mountain scenery in the Altai, and wide stretches of desert and steppe. Beaches on the Caspian and the Irtysh River offer places to relax outdoors.

  • Tian Shan trekking

    TrekAlmaty Province

    Almaty Province is a base for treks into the Tian Shan. Tour companies in Almaty arrange trips to natural areas outside the city; check the itinerary and guiding arrangements.

    • Ticks can carry encephalitis, a serious illness, in mountainous and forested areas, especially in early summer.
    • Bring medical supplies when travelling to smaller places.

  • Altai Mountains scenery

    More to doAltai, eastern Kazakhstan

    Visit the Altai region in eastern Kazakhstan for remote mountain scenery. Specific routes and transport arrangements are not detailed.

    • Ticks can carry encephalitis, a serious illness, in mountainous and forested areas, especially in early summer.
    • Carry medical supplies when visiting remote places.

  • Köl-Say Lakes visit

    More to do

    Transport and visiting arrangements for the lakes are not detailed.

  • Caspian beaches

    BeacheCaspian Basin

    Visit the Caspian Basin for its beaches. Individual beach access points and transport arrangements are not detailed.

  • Pavlodar Waterfront Beach

    BeachePavlodarnear Pavlodar

    Warmer weather

    Go to the Embankment and Waterfront Beach on Lenin Street, beside the Irtysh River.

  • Pavlodar summer boat rides

    More to doPavlodarnear Pavlodar

    Summer

    Follow the riverside trail south to the old River Station, which operates summer boat rides.

    • Cost: A couple of hundred tenge.

Airports, metros and trains in Kazakhstan

Airports with scheduled flights

  • SCOAktau International AirportAktauMain international airport
  • AKXAktobe International AirportAktobeMain international airport
  • ALAAlmaty International AirportAlmatyMain international airport
  • GUWAtyrau International AirportAtyrauMain international airport
  • BXYBaikonur Krayniy International AirportBaikonurMain international airport
  • HSAHazrat Sultan International AirportTurkıstanMain international airport

Metro and subway

  • AlmatyAlmaty Metro11 stations13.4 kmsince 2011
  • AstanaAstana Light Metro18 stations22.4 kmsince 2026

Trains

Rail network
16,636 km
Electrified
4,500 km

People and safety in Kazakhstan

Religion

Most people are Muslim. Mixed.

  • Muslim70%
  • Christian25%
  • No religion4%

LGBT+ travellers

Legal in law, risky in places

  • Same-sex marriage is not recognised.
  • Legal gender change is recognised.

Check your own government's travel advice before you go, and be careful with public displays of affection and dating apps.

Women travellers

Ranked #72 of 181 countries for women's safety, inclusion and justice.

60% of women say they feel safe walking alone at night where they live.

Who can visit without a visa

Travellers from 87 of 198 countries can visit Kazakhstan easily: no visa, a visa at the airport, or a short online form.

  • Visa not required87
  • eVisa80
  • Visa required31

Who can visit easily, by part of the world

For each part of the world: how many countries' travellers can come easily. Easy means no visa, a visa at the airport, or a short online form.

  • Europe42 of 46 countries
  • Asia29 of 49 countries
  • Americas11 of 35 countries
  • Oceania2 of 14 countries
  • Africa3 of 54 countries

Questions

Can I travel without speaking Russian or Kazakh?

It is difficult outside the more modern cities, though some younger people and airport staff speak English. Carry your accommodation address written on a card.

How can I book a cheap hotel if I do not book online?

Some of the cheapest hotels can only be booked by calling directly. You will usually need to speak Russian.

What money should I use?

The local currency is the Kazakhstani tenge. Keep access to cash because some hospitals cannot accept international credit cards.

What is train travel like?

Trains are generally slow, clean and comfortable. Talgo trains are more modern and cost slightly more.

Can I find vegetarian food?

Yes, including market vegetables, salads, some food-court meals and pumpkin dumplings. Explain clearly that you do not eat meat, as apparently meat-free dishes may use meat stock.

Can I drink tap water?

The source advises boiling tap water before use. Bottled water is cheap and widely available.

Which numbers should I call in an emergency?

Call 112 for general emergencies, 101 for fire, 102 for police or 103 for an ambulance.

Are attractions open every day?

Many attractions close on Mondays for cleaning and maintenance.

What plugs and electricity does Kazakhstan use?

Electricity is 220 volts at 50 hertz. Europlug and Schuko plugs are used.

Can I camp in Kazakhstan?

Formal campsites are rare outside Burabay/Borovoe, but camping is possible in many uninhabited areas. Bring plenty of water and ask permission before camping near a nomadic group.

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