Kazakhstan

Travel guide to Kazakhstan. Discover top places and attractions, tips for exploring independently on foot or by car, and a ranking of the best hotels.

photo Astana Beyond Baiterek, Parks, Food and Transport Astana Beyond Baiterek, Parks, Food and Transport
Places
Astana is easy to misjudge from the postcards. Baiterek, the glass pyramid, the tent-shaped mall: the official skyline looks like…
photo 10 Astana Hotels From Hostel Bunk to Rixos Suite 10 Astana Hotels From Hostel Bunk to Rixos Suite
Hotels
Astana is two cities with a river between them. On the left bank of the Ishim stand the government quarter,…
photo What to See in Astana, from Baiterek to Khan Shatyr What to See in Astana, from Baiterek to Khan Shatyr
Places
Astana became the capital of Kazakhstan in 1997, and almost everything a visitor comes to see was built after that…
photo Astana for First-Timers: Weather, Flights, What to Buy Astana for First-Timers: Weather, Flights, What to Buy
History
Astana is a capital that was mostly built in the last 25 years, on a flat steppe where winter lasts…
photo 10 Almaty Hotels Worth Booking, From Shymbulak to ibis 10 Almaty Hotels Worth Booking, From Shymbulak to ibis
Hotels
Almaty sits between 700 and 1,000 meters above sea level, with the Zailiysky Alatau ridge closing off the whole southern…
photo Two Days in Almaty and the Mountains Two Days in Almaty and the Mountains
Places
Almaty stopped being the capital of Kazakhstan in 1997, and nobody in the city seems to have noticed. It remains…
photo Day Trips from Almaty Worth the Drive Day Trips from Almaty Worth the Drive
Places
Almaty sits at the foot of the Zailiysky Alatau, the northernmost ridge of the Tian Shan. The mountains start where…
photo The History of Almaty, Walked in a Day The History of Almaty, Walked in a Day
History
Almaty is a young city by Central Asian standards. Its official birthday is 1854, and the founding document was signed…