{"id":39936,"date":"2023-03-23T17:16:00","date_gmt":"2023-03-23T15:16:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/againstthecompass.com\/?post_type=country&p=39936"},"modified":"2025-01-20T12:07:13","modified_gmt":"2025-01-20T10:07:13","slug":"kazakhstan","status":"publish","type":"country","link":"https:\/\/againstthecompass.com\/en\/country\/kazakhstan\/","title":{"rendered":"Kazakhstan"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\n
<\/div>\n\n\n\n
\n

Kazakhstan is a very strange country, really.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On the one hand, it is home to the most Westernized city in Asia, Almaty, whose inhabitants are very European-minded.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Moreover, it also has some of the most striking mountain scenery you will ever see, but it also has thousands and thousands of square miles of absolutely nothing but steppe.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And on the other hand, this gas-rich country is home to some of the weirdest places on Earth, like an old nuclear testing town<\/strong><\/a>, a drought sea, the Russian Cosmodrome, and an extremely vast steppe with the occasional 2-humped hairy camel.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Kazakhstan is an amazing off the beaten track destination which you cannot miss.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For all the practical information, read my 35 Travel tips for visiting Kazakhstan<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
\n
\n

need to know for traveling in Kazakhstan<\/mark><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
<\/div>\n\n\n\n
\n
\n

<\/i><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Quick facts<\/h5>\n\n\n\n

Capital<\/strong>: Astana<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Population<\/strong>: 18.3 million (62nd)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Languages<\/strong>: Kazakh (a Turkic language) but Russian is widely spoken.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Area<\/strong>: 2,724,900km\u00b2 (9th largest country)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

\n

<\/i><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Visa<\/h5>\n\n\n\n

Most nationalities can get a free 30-day visa on arrival at any entry point.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

\n

<\/i><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Getting in<\/h5>\n\n\n\n

There are several international airports (Almaty, Astana, Aktau, Atyrau, and Shymkent), but you are likely to land in Almaty.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The easiest and most common land borders are Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan and Russia<\/strong><\/a>. As long as you have a visa for China or Turkmenistan, crossing there should be easy too.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

\n
\n

<\/i><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Travel Insurance<\/h5>\n\n\n\n

With its Backpacker plan, IATI Insurance<\/a><\/strong> is the best insurance for any kind of adventurous destination, like Kazakhstan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n
GET A QUOTE<\/strong><\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
\n

<\/i><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Best time to visit<\/h5>\n\n\n\n

Most of Kazakhstan has a continental climate with cold winters and hot summers, but the weather varies in each region.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

June to September is good for the north and trekking.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The southern Kazakh steppe is best visited during spring and autumn.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

\n

<\/i><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Money<\/h5>\n\n\n\n

The official currency is Kazakhstani Tenge<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

1 USD = 530 KZT<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Today, you can pay by card anywhere in Kazakhstan, except in villages and the caf\u00e9s inside trains, so always have some cash with you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Budget: <\/strong>starting at $35 a day for budget backpackers. <\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n

Travel on a Soviet train in Kazakhstan<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
\"Kazakhstan<\/picture><\/figure>
\n

One of the best things to do in Kazakhstan is traveling across the country and through the steppe on a Soviet train. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

I personally traveled more than 3,000km, from Beyneu to Almaty.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Check my guide to travel by train in Kazakhstan<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n

Top experiences in Kazakhstan<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
\n
\n

Travel in a Soviet train through the steppe<\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Epic multi-day journeys through remote Kazakh lands. Read: How to travel by train in Kazakhstan<\/a><\/strong>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

\n

Discover the gorgeous mountains of southeastern Kazakhstan<\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Unbelievable scenery.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

\n

Hang out in Almaty<\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The most European city in Asia.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

\n

Visit the Aral Sea<\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The worst environmental disaster caused by men. Read (Guest Post): A guide to the Aral Sea<\/strong><\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

Check our 4-week Kazakhstan itinerary<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n
\n

tips for Kazakhstan<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
<\/div>\n\n\n\n
\n
\n

<\/i><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Accommodation<\/h5>\n\n\n\n

There are hotels and hostels all across the country and you can find them on booking.com.<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n
FIND YOUR HOTEL HERE<\/strong><\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
\n

<\/i><\/p>\n\n\n\n

A useful book<\/h5>\n\n\n\n

Bradt has the only guidebook on Kazakhstan ever written.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n
check it here<\/strong><\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
<\/picture><\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
\n

<\/i><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Transportation<\/h5>\n\n\n\n

You can travel by train pretty much everywhere. In more remote places, a local shared taxi might be a more convenient option.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n

ALL MY ARTICLES ON KAZAKHSTAN<\/h3>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":40850,"menu_order":0,"template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false},"categories":[],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-39936","country","type-country","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/againstthecompass.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/country\/39936","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/againstthecompass.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/country"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/againstthecompass.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/country"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/againstthecompass.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/40850"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/againstthecompass.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=39936"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/againstthecompass.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=39936"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/againstthecompass.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=39936"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}