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Kazakhstan
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Overview
The worldās ninth-biggest country is the most economically advanced of the āstansā, thanks to its abundant reserves of oil and most other valuable minerals. That money has transformed the capital Nur-Sultan, on the windswept northern steppe, into a 21st-century showpiece with a profusion of bold futuristic architecture. Travelers will find some fantastic restaurants and accommodation amongst the leafy avenues of Almaty too; its biggest city also boasts the chic ALZhiR Museum-Memorial Complex, glossy shopping centres and hedonistic nightlife. But it's beyond the cities that you'll find the greatest travel adventures, whether hiking in the high mountains and green valleys of the Tian Shan, searching for wildlife on the lake-dotted steppe, enjoying homespun hospitality in village guesthouses, or jolting across the western deserts to remote underground mosques.
Attractions
Must-see attractions
Kazakhstan
Some 285km east of Aktau, Beket-Ata is an important and extremely popular place of pilgrimage for those wishing to visit the underground mosque and finalā¦
National Museum of the Republic of Kazakhstan
Nur-Sultan (Astana)
This huge blue-glass-and-white-marble museum covers the history and culture of Kazakhstan from ancient to modern times. Themed halls comprise interactiveā¦
Kazakhstan
Over millions of years, the swift Charyn (Sharyn) River has carved a truly spectacular 150m- to 300m-deep canyon into the otherwise flat steppe some 200kmā¦
Almaty
Almatyās best museum takes you through Kazakhstanās history from Bronze Age burials and nomadic culture to WWII sacrifices, telecommunications and theā¦
Kazakhstan
Housed in the old KarLag headquarters building, this poignant museum walks you through KarLag's role in the Soviet Gulag Archipelago. The repression ofā¦
Nur-Sultan (Astana)
Nur-Sultan's most extraordinary building (so far), the Khan Shatyr is a 150m-high, translucent, tentlike structure made of ethylene tetrafluoroethylene ā¦
Kazakhstan
Located around 12km by paved (from 2018) road from Saty village, these three spruce-and-mountain-hemmed lakes are Alpine-esque beauty at its best and aā¦
Palace of Peace & Reconciliation
Nur-Sultan (Astana)
This beautiful glass-and-steel pyramid was opened in 2006 as the home for the triennial Congress of World and Traditional Religions, hosted by Kazakhstanā¦
Planning Tools
Expert guidance to help you plan your trip
Best Things to Do
Our list of the best things to do in the Central Asian country will take you from the steppe to the mountains and back.
Read articleBest Time to Visit
Summer is for exploring the steppes and mountains, winter is for skiers, spring is for festivals and flowers. Hereās more as you plan your visit.
Read articleTransportation
Count on a mix of trains, cars, buses and even horses to take in Kazakhstanās vast and varied landscapes.
Read articleArticles
Latest stories from Kazakhstan
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