Published on and written by Cyril Jarnias
Amid vast steppes, glowing canyons, turquoise alpine lakes, and Silk Road mausoleums, Kazakhstan is a country that surprises with the richness of its landscapes as much as the depth of its cultural heritage. The ninth-largest country in the world, still largely unknown to European travelers, it offers a rare combination of nearly pristine nature, futuristic cities, and vibrant nomadic traditions.
This article presents a structured selection of Kazakhstan’s main tourist sites, combining major classics, remote natural gems, and key historical locations of the steppe. It aims to provide an overview of destinations that alone justify a trip, without claiming to be exhaustive.
Almaty and its Mountains: The Gateway to the South
Almaty, the former capital and largest city in the country, remains the main hub for travelers. Nestled between the first foothills and the snow-capped peaks of the Trans-Ili Alatau (a range of the Tian Shan), it perfectly embodies modern Kazakhstan: green, dynamic, very urban, yet just minutes away from high mountain scenery.
The city itself deserves several days. 28 Panfilov Guards Park is home to the Ascension Cathedral, a massive wooden Orthodox church built in the early 20th century without a single metal nail, famous for having withstood a major earthquake in 1911. Nearby, the Green Bazaar immerses you in the atmosphere of Central Asian markets: mountains of dried apricots, steppe cheeses, horse or mutton meat, round breads, and colorful spices.
The Central State Museum traces the country’s history through over 300,000 artifacts, from prehistory to independence, while the Arasan Baths offer a chance to experience the bathing culture blending Russian, Turkish, and Finnish traditions, including the famous venik session, an energetic massage with birch branches.
But the true signature of Almaty lies in the heights, at the city’s doorstep.
Medeu and Shymbulak: Winter Sports and Panoramas
About thirty minutes by bus or taxi from the center, the Medeu Valley concentrates several national symbols. Here you’ll find the world’s highest outdoor ice rink, at 1,691 meters above sea level, with an ice surface of 10,000 m². The structure is complemented by a mudflow protection system, itself classified as a remarkable engineering complex, to the point of being proposed for UNESCO World Heritage inscription.
From Medeu, a cable car leads to the Shymbulak ski resort, one of the most renowned in Central Asia. Located at about 2,200 meters above sea level, it offers several slopes, including a descent of over 3 kilometers. In winter, it attracts skiers and snowboarders, and in summer, hikers and mountain bikers. Higher up, between 3,200 and 3,400 meters, the glacial zone of the Bogdanovitch Glacier becomes accessible to experienced hikers.
Kok Tobe and the TV Tower: Almaty from Above
On the other slope, Kok Tobe is the city’s iconic hill. You can take the cable car up to enjoy a complete panorama of the tree-lined avenues, Soviet blocks, and modern towers, all bordered by the white wall of the Tian Shan. At the top, family attractions, small shops, and especially the immense TV tower (about 371 meters) offer a striking contrast between industrial architecture and the mountain backdrop.
Big Almaty Lake and Issyk: The Picture-Perfect Lakes
Heading south from Almaty, the road plunges into Ile-Alatau National Park. This park, established in 1966, covers nearly 200,000 hectares, is home to more than 300 animal species, including the elusive snow leopard, and welcomes over 600,000 visitors a year.
Big Almaty Lake, a drinking water source for the city, is a high-altitude site with strictly regulated access where swimming is prohibited. Its water, with colors shifting between turquoise and deep blue, is accessible via a scenic road crossing a wooded valley.
Further east, Issyk Lake tells a different story. Born from a natural dam, the original lake was destroyed by a landslide in 1963 before being gradually recreated. Today, its calm waters, framed by wooded peaks, make it a popular day trip from the city, distinct from the famous Kyrgyz Issyk-Kul Lake it’s often confused with.
A table helps locate some major sites around Almaty.
| Site | Type | Approx. Altitude | Distance from Almaty | Main Features |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Big Almaty Lake | Glacial Lake | ~2,500 m | 15–30 km | Drinking water reservoir, turquoise colors, regulated access |
| Issyk Lake | Mountain Lake | >~1,700 m | ~65 km | Lake rebuilt after a natural disaster |
| Medeu | Sports Complex | 1,691 m | ~15 km | World’s highest outdoor ice rink |
| Shymbulak | Ski Resort | 2,200–3,200 m | ~25 km | Major ski resort, cable car from Medeu |
| Kok Tobe | Urban Hill | 1,130 m | 5 km from center | Panoramic view, TV tower, cable car access |
Charyn Canyon, Kolsai, and Kaindy: The Eastern Nature Triangle
East of Almaty, the road escapes toward some of the country’s most spectacular landscapes. On a two- to three-day loop, you can combine Charyn Canyon, the Kolsai Lakes, and the mysterious Lake Kaindy, often using the village of Saty as a logistical base.
Charyn Canyon, Central Asia’s “Little Grand Canyon”
About 200 kilometers from Almaty, Charyn Canyon follows its eponymous river for nearly 150 kilometers. Its 200- to 300-meter-high walls, carved into sedimentary layers around 10 to 12 million years old, display a whole palette of ochres, reds, and yellows that change with the daylight.
The most famous section, the Valley of Castles, gets its name from rock formations resembling towers, bastions, and ramparts. But the park encompasses other canyons: Temirlik, nicknamed Iron Canyon; Uzunbulak, also called Moon Canyon for its lunar landscape; Bestamak, Red Canyon, known for its darker hues; not to mention the Black Canyon, carved into darker rocks and reputed to be one of the country’s deepest.
The main activities in Charyn Canyon are hiking and photography. Excursions are usually day trips from Almaty. For a more complete experience, especially to capture the magnificent sunrise and sunset light when the canyon takes on fiery hues, it’s recommended to extend your stay with camping or simple on-site accommodation.
Kolsai Lakes: Alpine Pearls of the Tian Shan
Further south, towards the Kyrgyz border, Kolsai Lakes National Park lines up three high-altitude lakes in a setting of fir trees, flowering meadows, and peaks with sharp ridges. They are often called “Pearls of the Tian Shan”, as the combination of still water and dark forests creates a fairy-tale atmosphere.
The first lake, the most accessible, is at over 1,800 meters above sea level. You can drive to its vicinity, then take a short trail. Rowboats can be rented, and the shores have controlled camping areas.
The second and third lakes require additional effort: several hours of walking through the forest and then pastures, or sometimes on horseback, depending on the season and physical condition. The last body of water exceeds 2,800 meters, in a distinctly more alpine environment. Only a small part of the park – about 13% – is open to tourism, to preserve a rich biodiversity of over 700 plant species and 50 mammal species, including bears, lynx, and snow leopards.
The table below summarizes the characteristics of the main lakes in the area.
| Site | Number of Lakes | Main Altitude | Possible Activities |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kolsai Lakes | 3 | ~1,800 m to ~2,850 m | Hiking, horseback, rowboat, camping |
| Lake Kaindy | 1 | ~2,000 m | Photography, walks, horseback for final access |
| Big Almaty Lake | 1 | ~2,500 m | Walks, observation, surrounding hikes |
Lake Kaindy: The Sunken Forest
About thirty kilometers from the Kolsai Lakes, Lake Kaindy offers a unique spectacle in the world. This lake, about 400 meters long and 30 meters deep, was formed in 1911 after a landslide triggered by an earthquake. The natural dam flooded a conifer forest, whose time-bleached trunks now emerge from the turquoise water, while the submerged branches remain remarkably well-preserved in water that barely exceeds 6°C (43°F) in summer.
The site is reached via a bumpy track, usually by 4×4 or Soviet minibus, then on foot or horseback from an improvised parking area. The water’s clarity, the strangeness of these trunks standing above the surface, and the mineral setting explain why the lake has become one of the country’s most shared images, while remaining relatively preserved thanks to its remoteness.
The nearby village of Saty concentrates the supply of small guesthouses and homestays. This rural micro-economy is representative of tourism still on a human scale, where accommodation in a yurt or wooden house allows you to discover local cuisine and the daily life of the inhabitants.
Altyn-Emel and the Central Asian Deserts
Heading northeast from Almaty, the landscape changes radically. The Tian Shan’s eternal snows give way to arid steppes and parched hills, to the edge of the desert. This is where Altyn-Emel National Park stretches, one of Kazakhstan’s most emblematic parks.
Altyn-Emel: Singing Dunes and Colored Mountains
Established in 1996, Altyn-Emel covers nearly 4,600 to 5,200 km² of varied terrain: arid plains, rocky hills, mountain ranges, semi-desert areas, and historical sites. It is part of the transnational natural heritage site “Cold Winter Deserts of Turan,” which recognizes the ecological importance of Central Asia’s great deserts.
Height in meters of the singing dune, a major attraction formed by the accumulation of sand over millennia.
To the east, the Aktau Mountains reveal a landscape of hills striped in white, red, and orange, formed from ancient eroded sediments. The Katutau Mountains, darker, are composed of volcanic rocks with tortured shapes, remnants of ancient magmatic episodes. The park also contains numerous Scythian burial mounds, notably the Besshatyr Mounds, as well as ancient petroglyphs.
The wildlife is also notable: Przewalski’s horses, wild asses (kulans), Persian gazelles, mouflon, and Bukhara deer populate these vast spaces where you’ll rarely encounter more than a few ranger or tourist 4×4 vehicles. The lack of public transport and the park’s expanse almost always require renting a car or joining an organized tour from Almaty.
Mangystau and Ustyurt: Landscapes from Another Planet
On the opposite geographical side of the country, on the shores of the Caspian Sea, the Mangystau region shows another face of Kazakhstan. From the coastal city of Aktau, tracks plunge toward the Ustyurt Plateau, a vast desert expanse dotted with chalk cliffs, isolated mesas, and geological curiosities.
The Bozzhyra Tract (Boszhira) is a much-photographed amphitheater of white-cream cliffs, with gorges and pinnacles. Nearby, the Valley of Balls (Torysh) presents, over several kilometers, rocky spheres of various sizes, sometimes perfectly round, whose geological origin is still debated.
This region also houses several underground or rock-hewn mosques, like Beket-Ata or Shakpak-Ata, carved into the rock and surrounded by necropolises. They are on UNESCO’s Tentative List as “Rocky Mosques of Mangyshlak Peninsula,” testifying to religious syncretism and local Sufi traditions.
Further north, the Ustyurt Plateau itself stretches for hundreds of kilometers, to the borders of Uzbekistan. It is an integral part of the transnational site “Cold Winter Deserts of Turan,” which highlights these extreme environments with very harsh winters and scorching summers, where saiga antelope, goitered gazelles, and rare raptors survive. Access, again, requires solid logistics: 4×4 vehicle, experienced guide, sufficient water and supplies.
The Great Lakes: Balkhash, Markakol, Alakol
Alongside the mountain lakes already mentioned, Kazakhstan also stands out for its large lowland water bodies, often little-known but essential for regional ecology and domestic tourism.
Lake Balkhash: One Foot in Freshwater, the Other in Salt
Lake Balkhash, the country’s largest lake, is also one of the most original in Asia. Its shoreline stretches for over 2,300 kilometers, with a body of water believed to be about 35,000 years old. Its most fascinating feature lies in its dual nature: in the west, the water is fresh; in the east, beyond a narrow strait that constricts the basin, it becomes salty.
Lake Balkhash attracts over 350,000 visitors annually, mainly Kazakhs, for its recreational activities.
Markakol, Alakol, and the Altai Lakes
At the eastern extremity of the country, at the foot of the Altai Mountains, stretches a constellation of colder, wilder lakes. Markakol, for example, covers nearly 455 km² between the Azutau and Kurchum ranges. Its greenish-blue water, reputed to be particularly soft, is home to an endemic fish, the uskuch, related to salmonids.
Further south, Alakol is also frequented for its supposed healing properties, especially for the skin. These lakes and their shores are still very little developed for international tourism but are booming destinations for domestic tourism.
Saryarka, Korgalzhyn, and the Lands of Migratory Birds
Kazakhstan isn’t just mountains and deserts. Its northern steppes and wetlands earned the country the inscription of a major natural site on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2008: “Saryarka – Steppe and Lakes of Northern Kazakhstan.”
This property encompasses two reserves: Naurzum and Korgalzhyn, totaling over 450,000 hectares. These areas combine vast steppe plains, freshwater and saltwater lakes, and constitute a crucial stopover on the Central Asian Flyway connecting Africa, Europe, and South Asia to nesting grounds in Siberia.
Near Nur-Sultan, the Korgalzhyn Nature Reserve on Lake Tengiz hosts the world’s northernmost colony of greater flamingos, with up to 14,000 nesting pairs in spring. This site also welcomes a great diversity of birds like Dalmatian pelicans, cranes, various ducks, and threatened raptors such as Pallas’s fish eagle, as well as the iconic saiga antelope, symbolizing the faunal richness of the Kazakh steppes.
For travelers, visiting such a site allows you to appreciate the country’s ecological dimension and include a genuine birdwatching experience in an itinerary otherwise focused on mountains or desert.
Astana: Futuristic Capital in the Heart of the Steppe
A radical change of scenery with Astana, officially reverted to Astana after a period as Nur-Sultan. Built in the heart of the northern steppe, the city was chosen to replace Almaty as the capital in the late 1990s. Its master plan was entrusted to Japanese architect Kisho Kurokawa, a figure of the Metabolism movement, and its skyline boldly mixes monumental glass structures, domes inspired by yurts, and futuristic architecture.
Baiterek, Khan Shatyr, and Nur Alem: The New Symbols
Baiterek Tower is arguably Astana’s most famous monument. This tower, approximately 97 to 105 meters tall, symbolizes a founding legend: the tree of life where the mythical bird Samruk lays a golden egg. At its summit, a golden sphere 7.5 meters in diameter serves as an observation platform, offering views of the ruler-straight grand avenues and government buildings.
Designed by Norman Foster, Khan Shatyr is a transparent plastic tent 150 meters high. This leisure center houses a shopping mall, restaurants, and an indoor beach with artificial waves, the Sky Beach Club, allowing residents to enjoy ‘the sea’ even at -30°C.
Norman Foster, architect
Another spectacular structure: Nur Alem, a glass sphere about 100 meters high and 80 meters in diameter, the former centerpiece of the 2017 International Exposition. It has been transformed into the Museum of Future Energy, with interactive exhibitions on solar, wind, hydro, kinetic, and even space energy.
The following table summarizes some major landmarks of the capital.
| Monument / Site | Height / Area | Main Function |
|---|---|---|
| Baiterek Tower | ~97–105 m | Observation tower, city symbol |
| Khan Shatyr | 150 m | Shopping and leisure center, “giant tent” |
| Hazrat Sultan Mosque | Main dome 51 m, 4 minarets 77 m | Grand mosque capacity ~10,000 worshippers |
| Nur Alem | 100 m (sphere) | Energy museum, legacy of EXPO 2017 |
| Abu Dhabi Plaza (tallest tower) | ~320–382 m | Residential complex, offices, hotel |
Mosques, Museums, and Memory
The Hazrat Sultan Mosque, completed in 2012, stands as one of the largest mosques in Central Asia. It can accommodate up to 10,000 worshippers, and its vast central dome, inner courtyard, and slender minarets dialogue with the monumentality of other buildings on Independence Square, which also features the Kazakh Eli monument, 91 meters tall.
Inaugurated in 2014, this museum is essential for understanding the country’s history. It presents collections ranging from the era of the nomads to the contemporary period.
The building is distinguished by its white marble and blue glass facades, housing vast galleries on Kazakh history.
Gallery dedicated to nomadic culture, displaying artifacts and reconstructions, including the famous “Golden Man,” a Saka warrior.
Exhibitions dedicated to Soviet Kazakhstan and the post-independence period, tracing the country’s modern evolution.
Near Astana, the ALZHIR Memorial Museum, located on the site of a former camp for wives and children of “enemies of the people” under Stalin, recalls the dark side of Soviet history. Further away, the Karaganda region is also marked by the gulag camp experience, embodied by the KarLag Museum in Dolinka.
Turkestan, Taraz, and the Silk Road
If Astana embodies the future, the south of the country, around Shymkent, Turkestan, and Taraz, plunges into a completely different register: that of caravans, mausoleums, and cities established at the crossroads of trade routes between China, Iran, and the Mediterranean.
Turkestan and the Mausoleum of Khoja Ahmed Yasawi
Turkestan is one of the country’s oldest cities, inhabited since at least the 8th century. Formerly known as Shavgar and then Yassy, it became a major spiritual center with the figure of Khoja Ahmed Yasawi, a 12th-century poet and Sufi mystic.
Upon his death, a modest mausoleum was dedicated to him. More than two centuries later, Emperor Timur (Tamerlane) ordered the construction of a monumental building to honor him. Between 1389 and the early 15th century rose the Mausoleum of Khoja Ahmed Yasawi, a masterpiece of Timurid architecture in baked brick, adorned with turquoise ceramics, geometric patterns, and Quranic inscriptions. With its main dome nearly 39 meters high, it is one of the largest complexes of this style in Central Asia.
Capacity in liters of the gigantic metal cauldron (taikazan) used to hold holy water.
Turkestan is also part of the vast “Sacred Geography” (karta sakral’naya) project launched in Kazakhstan in 2017, which inventories and protects places deemed spiritually important, whether religious monuments, revered mountains, or springs considered miraculous.
Arystan Bab, Sauran, and Otrar: Neighbors of Turkestan
About sixty kilometers south, near the village of Kogam, is the Mausoleum of Arystan Bab. Dedicated to Yasawi’s spiritual teacher, this site has been rebuilt several times and remains a traditional stop for pilgrims heading to Turkestan, who often pause for a night of prayer.
Located about 40 km from Turkestan, the ruins of Sauran reveal a medieval town (14th-15th centuries) surrounded by well-preserved ramparts. A former regional capital and stronghold, it was abandoned in the early 16th century. The site, still minimally developed, offers a raw immersion in the steppe among the adobe brick vestiges.
The entire Otrar Oasis, a vast archaeological complex of about 200 km², testifies to the strategic importance of this region on the Silk Road. Otrar, a trading city and ceramic production center, was ravaged by Genghis Khan’s armies in the early 13th century, an episode often cited as a historical turning point in the collapse of the region’s caravan cities. Several sites of the oasis – satellite towns, necropolises, fortifications – are part of the transnational project “Silk Roads: Fergana-Syrdarya Corridor” on UNESCO’s Tentative List.
Taraz, Aisha Bibi, and Akyrtas: Qarakhanid Funerary Art
Further west, the city of Taraz boasts another jewel of medieval architecture: the Mausoleum of Aisha Bibi. Built in the 11th–12th centuries and entirely covered with finely carved terracotta tiles, it is linked to a tragic love legend making it a sort of local “Romeo and Juliet.” Thoroughly restored in the early 2000s, it is particularly popular with newlywed couples.
Nearby are the more sober Babaji Khatun Mausoleum and the Karakhan Mausoleum, remarkable for its mix of bricks and inscriptions. These monuments illustrate the refinement of funerary architecture under the Qarakhanids, the first Islamized Turkic dynasty in Kazakhstan.
Not far away, the Akyrtas palace-fortress, a vast complex of red sandstone blocks covering 2.5 hectares, puzzles archaeologists. Composed of about sixty rooms and fifteen columned galleries, it was never completed. Its identity – princely residence, caravanserai, or something else – is still debated. Nevertheless, it was included in 2014 in the serial property “Silk Roads: the Routes Network of Chang’an–Tianshan Corridor,” alongside other Kazakh trading towns like Talgar, Kayalyk, Kulan, or Kostobe.
A table helps locate some major sites of the Kazakh Silk Road.
| Site | Main Period | Specificity | UNESCO Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yasawi Mausoleum | 14th–15th c. (on 12th c. tomb) | Timurid masterpiece, pilgrimage center | Inscribed Site (2003) |
| Otrar Oasis | 9th–13th c. | Major caravan crossroads, city of Al-Farabi | Tentative List (Fergana-Syrdarya corridor) |
| Sauran Ruins | 10th–15th c. | Fortified town with preserved ramparts | Tentative List (Fergana-Syrdarya corridor) |
| Akyrtas | 8th–12th c. | Unfinished palace complex in red stone | Part of transnational Chang’an–Tianshan site |
| Aisha Bibi / Babaji Khatun | 11th–12th c. | Legendary mausoleums, terracotta décor | Part of broader proposed “monumental monuments” |
Forgotten National Parks: Bayanaul, Karkaraly, Katon-Karagay
Beyond the Almaty–Charyn–Kolsai, Astana–Burabay, or Shymkent–Turkestan routes, Kazakhstan holds a mosaic of less-visited national parks, often remote, offering deep immersion into a country still largely wild.
Bayanaul National Park: Granite, Forests, and Northern Lakes
Located in the Pavlodar region, Bayanaul is one of Kazakhstan’s first national parks, created in 1985. Covering a little over 680 km², it blends pine forests, freshwater lakes – like Sabyndykol or Jasybai – and granite reliefs sculpted by erosion into sometimes fantastical shapes. Swimming, camping, hiking, and climbing are popular here, especially with local families.
Karkaraly National Park: Sacred Mountains and Relict Forests
More centrally, Karkaraly National Park, in the Karaganda region, unfolds its granite mountains, high-altitude lakes – including the famous Shaitankol, literally “Devil’s Lake” – and its relict pine forests. The etymology of “Karkara,” a name associated with a traditional female headdress ornament, underscores the place’s symbolic importance. Traces of ancient Buddhism are also found here with the ruins of the Kizhel Kensh monastery, built in the 17th century by the Dzungars, as well as a 19th-century wooden mosque linked to the family of poet Abai.
Katon-Karagay: The Vastness of the Altai
Even more remote, Katon-Karagay National Park, at the far eastern edge of the country, is Kazakhstan’s largest national park at over 6,400 km². Backed against the Altai Mountains, bordering Russia and China, it combines glacial valleys, fast-flowing rivers, coniferous forests, and nearly 400 lakes, including Bukhtarma and Rakhmanov, known for its radon hot springs.
The Altai region is home to rich and diverse wildlife, including brown bears, wolves, moose, lynx, argali sheep, and snow leopards. Its highest peak, Mount Belukha (over 4,500 m), located on the Russian side, dominates the landscape and contributes to the mythical and spiritual dimension of this territory.
Access is generally from the city of Oskemen (Ust-Kamenogorsk), combining sometimes tricky roads and tracks, which still limits tourist numbers and adds to the end-of-the-world feel.
Rock Art Sites: Tamgaly and the Petroglyphs of the Mountains
Human presence on Kazakh territory dates back millennia, and one of its most tangible manifestations is the abundance of petroglyphs. Among them, those of Tamgaly, in the Chu-Ili mountains, hold a special place.
Tamgaly: A Stone Book Inscribed by UNESCO
Discovered in the mid-20th century, the Tamgaly site – not to be confused with Tamgaly-Tas on the Ili River – contains nearly 5,000 rock engravings, distributed across several gorges and groups. Dated from the end of the second millennium BCE to the early 20th century CE, they depict animals, hunting scenes, schematic human figures, solar deities, and ritual processions.
This archaeological landscape includes funerary mounds, stone enclosures, and remains of small pastoral settlements dating from the Bronze and Iron Ages. It was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2004, becoming the first site of its kind recognized in Central Asia.
On a national scale, other concentrations of petroglyphs, like those in the Karatau range (Arpaozen, Sauyskandyk) or Zhetysu (Kulzhabasy, Eshkiolmes, Bayan-Zhurek), are on UNESCO’s Tentative List and testify to the vitality of shamanic and nomadic traditions over the long term.
Tamgaly-Tas: Buddhas on the Banks of the Ili
In a completely different iconographic register, Tamgaly-Tas, about 170 kilometers northwest of Almaty, brings together rock faces adorned with large images of Buddha and bodhisattvas, accompanied by Tibetan inscriptions. This “written cliff” overlooking the Ili River recalls the passage of Buddhist missionaries and merchants along this branch of the Silk Roads. The site is now a popular picnic spot, halfway between sanctuary and recreational area.
Burabay and the Northern Resorts
For the residents of Astana, the “Kazakh Switzerland” lies two to three hours’ drive north, in the wooded hills of Burabay (or Borovoe). This region of lakes, pine forests, and picturesque rock formations – like the Jumbaktas or Okjetpes rocks rising from the water – has long been a prime vacation spot.
Burabay National Park in Kazakhstan, covering an area of about 835 km², encompasses several bodies of water including the famous Lake Borovoe, surrounded by beaches and small harbors. Its network of trails leads to remarkable viewpoints like Mount Bolektau. The region is also rich in history, home to sites such as the clearing of Abylay Khan, where the ruler is said to have gathered Kazakh tribal chiefs.
In a country where the sea is distant for most inhabitants, Burabay plays a role comparable to an alpine lake region, combining sanatoriums inherited from the Soviet era, modern hotels, and outdoor activities.
Baikonur and the Space Dream
It’s impossible to mention Kazakhstan’s must-see sites without noting Baikonur Cosmodrome, even though visiting it remains complex. Located in the Kyzylorda region, this base is the first and largest operational cosmodrome in the world. It’s from here that Yuri Gagarin’s historic manned flight was launched in 1961.
Although Russia still leases the Baikonur Cosmodrome and some agencies offer trips to witness a rocket launch, combining cultural and technical visits, this experience remains very exclusive. Prices run into several thousand euros and security procedures are lengthy, reserving it for a highly motivated audience.
Tourism, Seasons, and Ways to Explore
One of Kazakhstan’s major assets is that its tourism remains underdeveloped on an international scale, which still guarantees low visitor density at most sites. But this situation also implies a certain level of self-reliance and serious preparation.
The country has an efficient railway network between major cities, buses, marshrutkas (minibuses), and shared taxis, but access to many parks and lakes remains difficult without a private vehicle. Renting a car, or even a 4×4 for the tracks of Altyn-Emel, Mangystau, or Kaindy, is therefore often the best option, possibly supplemented by the services of a local driver-guide.
Seasons strongly influence the travel experience. Spring and autumn, with their moderate temperatures and photogenic landscapes (wild tulips, the steppe’s ‘golden autumn’), are ideal for general discovery. Summer, hotter, is perfect for high mountains and alpine lakes but can make visits to canyons and deserts grueling. Winter, very harsh especially in the north, transforms the country into a playground for snow sports: skiing at Shymbulak, skating at Medeu, snowshoeing, and discovering frozen landscapes around the lakes.
Finally, the cultural dimension of the trip is fed by multiple layers: visits to mausoleums and modern mosques, immersion in ethnic villages perpetuating the art of the yurt, discovery of museums dedicated to Soviet camps or literary figures, participation in festivals like Nauryz (spring new year) or more local celebrations.
A Country of Contrasts to Explore in Depth
The must-see tourist sites in Kazakhstan trace an impressive arc, from Charyn Canyon to the singing dunes of Altyn-Emel, from the Kolsai and Kaindy lakes to the underground mosques of Mangystau, from the Timurid mausoleums of Turkestan to the glass and steel towers of Astana, from the flamingo colonies of Korgalzhyn to the waterfalls and glaciers of the Ile-Alatau or Katon-Karagay parks.
Kazakhstan offers a great variety of landscapes (steppe, mountain, desert, lakes, wetlands) that reflect the richness of its historical heritage: nomadism, the Silk Road, Sufi Islam, the Soviet period, and oil-fueled modernity. For travelers, the country can be discovered through grand two-week itineraries combining nature and cities, as well as through specialized explorations in ornithology, high-mountain trekking, desert geology, or architecture.
With more than 25,000 recorded historical monuments, six sites already inscribed as World Heritage, and about a dozen proposals pending, Kazakhstan is only just beginning to carve out a place on the international tourist map. Those who venture there early will have the privilege of discovering these still lightly visited places, where pastoral hospitality and wide-open spaces still dominate.
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Cyril Jarnias is an independent expert in international wealth management with over 20 years of experience. As an expatriate himself, he is dedicated to helping individuals and business leaders build, protect, and pass on their wealth with complete peace of mind.
On his website, cyriljarnias.com, he shares his expertise on international real estate, offshore company formation, and expatriation.
Thanks to his expertise, he offers sound advice to optimize his clients' wealth management. Cyril Jarnias is also recognized for his appearances in many prestigious media outlets such as BFM Business, les Français de l’étranger, Le Figaro, Les Echos, and Mieux vivre votre argent, where he shares his knowledge and know-how in wealth management.
