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Kazakhstan

About Kazakhstan

About Kazakhstan — Tourism, Travel Guide, Visa and Essential Facts

Formal Name:

Republic of Kazakhstan

Location of Kazakhstan:

Central Asia

Capital:

Nur-Sultan

Demonym:

Kazakhstanis

Area:

2724900Sq Km

Population:

18448600

Ethnic Groups:

Other

Languages:

Russian

Religion:

Other religions

Currency:

Tenge (KZT, ₸)

Best Time To Visit:

Sep-Oct

Calling Code:

7

Drives On:

Right

Visa on Arrival:

No

Major Cities:

Almaty

Administrative and Territorial Structure:

Kazakhstan is divided into 14 regions, 84 cities, 159 districts, 241 towns and 2,042 auls (villages)

Land Boundaries:

Total: 13,364 km, Border countries (5): China 1,765 km, Kyrgyzstan 1,212 km, Russia 7,644 km, Turkmenistan 413 km, Uzbekistan 2,330 km

Geography of Kazakhstan


Kazakhstan is officially known as Republic of Kazakhstan. It is world’s largest landlocked country and ninth largest in the world. Kazakhstan is also only one of two countries in the world which has territory in two continents. Talking about Kazakhstan Geography in current times then it has an area of 2,700,000 Sq. KM which is equivalent to size of Western Europe. Kazakhstan shares its borders with Russia, Uzbekistan, China, Kyrgyzstan and Turkmenistan. Astana is capital city of Kazakhstan and other than this other major cities of Kazakhstan are Almaty, Karagandy, Shymkent and Atyrau. Kazakhstan is entirely located in Asia region but small portion of the country is also located in Eastern Europe which is west of the Ural Mountains.

Talking of Kazakhstan nature the country’s major part are steppes, deserts, semi-deserts and mountains. Being the largest landlocked country in the world Kazakhstan has no access to World Ocean but the territory of the country is touched by two land-locked seas namely Caspian and Aral.

Climate and Weather of Kazakhstan


Kazakhstan Climate is extremely continental. Country has warm to hot summers and very cold winters. Because of big distance from oceans the country has warm summers and winters are quite cold. Summers are quite hot in the country as temperature can go up to 49° C and similarly winters are quite cold as temperatures can go down to – 30-40° C and even lower in the northern part. In fact, Astana, the capital city of Kazakhstan is known to be the second coldest capital city in the world. Kazakhstan is almost entirely covered by deserts and steppes which determines climate in Kazakhstan. This is why northern part gets the maximum rain while in south and centre it comes down significantly.

Kazakhstan Weather can be extreme during summers and winters. But as Kazakhstan is a big country so weather can vary in different parts of the country. Both summers and winters are ideal for tourists. Especially in winters snow covering in the country attracts lot of adventure sports lovers.

History of Kazakhstan


Kazakhstan holds quite a significant place in the history of Central Asia region as it has been a historical crossroad and also homes for several empires, states and people throughout the history. The geographical and geopolitical position of Kazakhstan has played huge role in the overall development of the country. History of Kazakhstan is hugely impacted by the fact that it is located in the centre of Eurasia. This led to social, cultural, economic and lot of other influences from both east and west part of the world. At different junctures in Kazakhstan history different states emerged, developed and contributed in the making of Kazakhstan which we see today.

Because of the terrain and the climate of Kazakhstan, it had nomadic culture for longest period of time which can still be seen. The biggest example of this is the Yurt, which is a dome shaped portable house made from wood, a perfect stay for nomadic people. Though Kazakhstan is believed to be inhabited from Stone Age, yet it mainly came into existence in the beginning of 15th century. Since then it was under the rules of many outside emperors and in 19th century it came under the Soviet Union Rule from which it got independence in 1991 only as a result of Soviet Union fall out. So, Kazakhstan history is quite interesting and can be seen in the culture, architectural and social life of the country.

Culture and Traditions of Kazakhstan


Kazakhstan Culture is what is today because of influences of who always lived here and those who came from outside and lived here for substantial length of time. Not to forget being at the crossroads of Asia and Europe thousands of people walked this land for trade and thy also left their footprints in creating Kazakhstan culture. However Kazak culture is very much influenced by Turkic nomadic lifestyle. There has been tradition of curses and blessings that affected animals. Animal husbandry was such an intrinsic part of the culture that people asked about the health of livestock first when they met each other and after that only they asked for the human aspect of their life.

Modern Kazakhstan lifestyle is influenced by western societies, Russia and China. Nomadic lifestyle also contributed in art and crafts of the country. Folk art developed here in tune with nomadic way of life. Kazakhstan traditions include craftwork of people here who made decorated clothes, jewellery, colourful rugs, embroidery and many other things. Even today in the local Bazaars of Kazakhstan one can find souvenirs, cloths, jewellery and rugs with lot of art work on it crafted by local craftsmen.

Food and Cuisine of Kazakhstan


Lamb, horse meat and variety of dairy milk products are the main items around which traditional Kazakh cuisine revolved. Nomadic way of life contributed hugely the cooking style, techniques and majority of ingredients that were used in Kazakhstan food. Food items were aimed to be preserved for long time and that is why they were cooked in certain manner. Beshbarmak is the most popular Kazakh dish. This is the national dish of Kazakhstan and this is made of horse or lamb meat. There are several other popular dishes made of horse meats in Kazakhstan. Other than these, Pilaf or palaw is the most common Kazakh food made of rice. Pilaf is served along with vegetables like carrots, onions and garlic, and chunks of meat.

Modern Kazakhstan cuisine is very much influenced by western countries especially in Astana and Almaty. This has resulted in lot of new breed of cuisine coming in Kazakhstan in recent years. Thus blends traditional savoury Kazakh dishes with European fast food items. And youth likes this new blend of cuisine very much. Visitors coming to Kazakhstan find it cool as well because now they have plenty of options here. 
 

Languages of Kazakhstan


Kazakhstan language is Kazakh, also known as Qazaq, is a part of the Nogai-Kipchak subgroup of north-eastern Turkic language. Many words of Kazakh language have been taken up from Russians, Kyrgyz, Han Chinese, Uighurs and Mongolians as people of Kazakhstan have mixed a lot with the people of these regions.
 

Interesting Facts About Kazakhstan:


1. It is the most multinational and multicultural country on earth. Over one hundred different nationalities are living there.
2. Kazakhs are aggressive about feeding their guests. So the social life means going to cafes or restaurants. Not being hungry, being sick, having already eaten; none of these are excuses not to eat and drink socially. Your hosts will be offended if you do not eat a lot.
3. Even though Kazakhstan is land locked, they still have a Navy that guards the waters of Caspian Sea.
4. Kazakh people celebrate three new years eves each year; 1st January, 22nd March - spring equinox or renewal of nature and 14th January which has been the Russian legacy old new year.
5. Out of 110 elements from the Mendeleev's table of chemical elements 99 were detected on the mineral rich Kazakhstan territory.
6. Every car is a taxi here, there are not many official taxis and even those do not have fixed prices. One can simply wave on the street, discuss the destination and price and hop on. Kazakh people do not mind making some extra cash while commuting.
7. Kazakhstan has more horses than women.
8. The word "Kazakh" means "free independent nomad" or "wanderer".
9. The first manned space flight with Russian astronaut Yuri Gagarin, was launched in 1961 from the Baykonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan.
10. It is said that apples were first grown in south east Kazakhstan from where it spread around the world. The former capital Almaty was named after apples.
11. Kazakhstan was the first of the CIS countries to pay off its debt to IMF in 2000, seven years before it was due.
12. Kazakhstan has the second largest uranium reserves in the world (35% of world's production).
13. The comedy film Borat was not shot in Kazakhstan and the character is not Kazakh.

Kazakhstan Tourism — Top Destinations and Attractions

Kazakhstan is the largest country in the world and compared too many Central Asian countries, it’s still left unexplored. The country has much to offer, its natural wonders, beautiful landscapes and historical sites that are worth visiting. There are many hidden treasures in Kazakhstan which will leave you to amaze when you visit the country. If you are wondering what to see and what to do in the country, you should visit these attractions such as Almaty, Ile-Alatau National Park, Big Almaty Lake, Issyk Lake, Turgen Gorge, Kolsai Lakes, Lake Kaindy and many other splendid places.


Tourism in Almaty and Astana


The two cities have played a major role in the country’s tourism for being the capital city of the country. In 1997, Astana (Nur-Sultan) became of the capital city of Kazakhstan. Its suppose to be the weirdest place with extensive history which was built more or less from the ground. It has a lot of modern architecture with striking design and scale which is in contrast to the dry steppes. Another big metropolis city is Almaty, the largest city in Kazakhstan which used to be the capital city of Kazakhstan up to 1997. It the major commercial and central hub of the country located on the southern foothills of Kazakhstan.
 

Different Types of Tourism in Kazakhstan:


1. Historical Tourism in Kazakhstan


Most of the main sights in Kazakhstan include architectural monuments like Otrar where it shows the ruins and traces of Genghis Khan’s invasion, Khoja Ahmed Yassavy etc where pilgrims from all over the world come to visit and explore. Then there’s the famous Baikonur Cosmodrome where the first space fight happens in the history of mankind. With so many historical events that took place in Kazakhstan, it has resulted in leaving so many historical monuments which have turn into historical attractions.

2. Cultural Tourism in Kazakhstan


If you want to explore the cultural interests of Kazakhstan, Almaty has a lot of interesting places to visit such as the old towns, theatres, temples, museums and palaces. The main attraction in the city is a wonderful park named after 28-Pilnov heroes where there’s a cathedral who survived the 1911 earthquake. Then a few steps away, there’s Memorial of fame, another landmark is the Greenmarket and many others.

3. Wildlife and Nature Tourism in Kazakhstan


Kazakhstan is known to have contrasting habitats and different types of wildlife population. The landscape is beautiful and big stretching from the mountain to the lakes and canyons. Shymbulak is one nice place to trek as it has nice scenery with amazing view on the way and it’s beautiful in the winter season. Some of the other place to see nature and wildlife are Big Almaty lake, Kaindy lake, Ile-Alatau National Park, Panfilovets' Park and many others.

4. Honeymoon Tourism in Kazakhstan


Kazakhstan is a beautiful country with green plains and modern architecture. It is surrounded by the Altai Mountain, the Caspian Sea and countries such as Russia and China which makes it an exotic place for honeymoon travellers. This landlocked country also offers couples to explore and see majestic glaciers, deserts, canyons, ancient structures etc.
 

5. MICE Tourism in Kazakhstan


Kazakhstan is one of the upcoming business destinations of Central Asia. Its shift its attention to attracting more business travellers for M.I.C.E travellers from all over the world. They are expecting delegations to be coming into the country more as its capital city, Astana is very well equipped with the modern and international infrastructures to meet the needs and expectations of the business travellers.

6. Health and Wellness Tourism in Kazakhstan


Medical health tourism is associated with natural resources therapy by using mineral water. Many local and foreign travellers visit many balneological resorts which are some of the most popular spas resorts in the world. There is about 623 underground water in Kazakhstan which is used for therapeutic purpose in many spa centres and wellness resorts.

7. Culinary Tourism in Kazakhstan


Kazakhstan’s traditional food is mainly focused on meat and milk products as they were herders for many years. Their cooking technique was highly influenced by the nomadic way of life which is mainly based on boiling. The most popular forms of meat are horse and mutton which are often served in large pieces.

8. Nightlife Tourism in Kazakhstan


Almaty is a big metropolis that covers the main nightlife in the country. There are a variety of places you could enjoy the night club life with a laid back atmosphere, peppy dance clubs and where you and your friends can have fun right away. There are many bars, cafe and restaurants along the street which are open at night if you just want to chill out and have some good food.

9. Winter Tourism in Kazakhstan


The mountainous winter of Kazakhstan is captivating in the winter time as it brings out the other side of the country’s beauty. The region peaks of the snowy lands are more visible giving them a completely different look and touch. Winter here offers a lot for the tourist to see and explore, along with which it also offers some of the interesting winter sports activities.

Kazakhstan Tour & Travel Guide

Kazakhstan is a country rich in natural, historical and cultural heritage. It’s starting to get its recognition in the travel world, and every year, people are exploring the wonderful city. Its capital city, Astana also offers many different places and things to do. It is a vibrant city with many modern architectures, buildings, art etc. Another city which is frequently visited is Almaty, the city gives a combination of feeling in Asia and Europe, and it’s like a two-in-one country.


Astana and Almaty Travel Guide


Astana is a fascinating city which has undergone a lot of transformation in recent years, and it was made the capital city in 1997. Billions have been invested in this country on international architects to make it an interesting city. And, the result is what was expected, it has tourist now more than ever. Almaty uses to be the capital city of Kazakhstan, and it also has its own beauty to offer travellers to see and explore the city.

1. Penny Wise Kazakhstan

Items

Price in  Kazakhstani Tenge (KZT)

Price in Dollars ($)

 Meal for 2, in inexpensive Restaurant

1762.97

9.48

 Meal for 2, in mid range Restaurant, Three-course

7000.00

37.65

 Combo Meal at McDonalds

1350.00

7.26

 Domestic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

275.00

1.48

 Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

350.00

1.88

 Cappuccino (regular)

507.14

2.73

 Coke/Pepsi (0.33 liter bottle)

125.75

0.68

 Milk (Regular, 1 Ltr.)

215.70

1.16

 Water (0.33 liter bottle)

93.70

0.50

 Bottle of Wine (Mid-Range)

1200.00

6.45

 Pack of Cigarettes (Marlboro)

250.00

1.34

 Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

300.00

1.61

 Taxi 1km (Normal Tariff)

100.00

0.54

 Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

1500.00

8.07

* Prices are our approximation and may vary slightly.
* Prices are market prices of articles and may vary at restaurants and hotels.
 

2. Accommodation in Kazakhstan


Kazakhstan has suitable accommodation for all kinds of travellers in many of its cities such as Astana, Almaty, Karaganda, Shymkent etc. In smaller towns, the options are quite difficult but otherwise, you could get accommodation in hotels, home stays, guest houses, hotels etc. It depends upon the budget and you can get yourself accommodated in what suits your stay.

2. Transportation in Kazakhstan


If you want to do an intercity trip, taxis is the best option as they are faster than minibuses and buses. For short trips, you can opt for minibuses which are relatively comfortable and they cost more than the buses but they are quicker than the buses. Trains are also available and they are in all the cities and many small cities of Kazakhstan.

3. Shopping in Kazakhstan


Shopping is very easy and convenient as you will find what you are looking for in almost all the city locations. Whether, you are looking for traditional bazaars, shopping centres or even local bazaars, it’s all there! Some of the best shopping places are Central Market, Dostyk Plaza, Villa Boutiques and restaurants, etc.

4. Best Time to Visit Kazakhstan


The best time to visit Kazakhstan is during the month of July to August, it’s a high season where the weather is perfect all throughout the country. The autumn season is also a good period to visit the country as it's relaxing with a good and pleasant climate.
 

5. Kazakhstan Travel Tips


• You can extend your visa but it can be tricky.
• Register within five days of your arrival.
• Get a travel insurance.
• The currency is Kazakh Tenge.
• Meals start from 2 to 6 USD.
• The people call themselves Soviet Muslim.
• Try Beshbarmak
• Big cities have everything you want.
• Take a train to move around the city.
• Accommodation is plentiful in many cities.
 

6. Kazakhstan Flight Connections (Flight to Almaty)


Destination: Almaty-Kazakhstan (Central Asia)
Pickup & Drop: Delhi International Airport
Mode of Travel (Flight Details): Fixed Departure for Almaty

Almaty Flight Connections:

• There are direct Air Astana flights from Delhi to Almaty.
• Fly Dubai have flights via Dubai from eight airports in India.
• Air Arabia flies to Almaty via Sharjah.

7. Kazakhstan Tour FAQs


If you have any query about Kazakhstan Tourism, Tourist Destinations, Attractions, Visa Process, and other related tour information then visit Frequently Asked Questions of Kazakhstan.

Kazakhstan Visa Information

Visa: Normal visa process takes 20 working days. For urgent visa minimum 5 working days are required.


Documents Required:


• Covering Letter or Letter Head
• A copy of Passport and Employment Letter is required at the time of booking and later followed by 02 original passport size photographs with white background and original passport.
• Visa issuance is the sole right of Embassy of Kazakhstan.
 
Know more about Kazakhstan Tourist Visa!

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