Top 8 Places To Visit In Kazakhstan

Kazakhstan is the biggest landlocked country in the world, spanning from the Altai Mountains in the east to the Caspian Sea in the west and from Russia in the north to China in the south.

Popular tourist destinations in Kazakhstan include its many majestic canyons, deserts, dry plains, glaciers, and ancient structures, making it a desirable vacation spot at any time of the year. Kazakhstan, the tranquil vacation paradise that it is, should be high on your list.

Kazakhstan, the ninth-largest country in the world, spans 5 climatic zones and 2 time zones due to its expansive size. But, the variety of landscapes in the country is what makes it so appealing to tourists.

Top 8 Places To Visit In Kazakhstan

If you want to see the best of Kazakhstan, you should write down all the cities, towns, and other attractions that interest you most as you plan your trip.

Top 8 Places To Visit In Kazakhstan

This is a rundown of some of the best tourist destinations in Kazakhstan. Everyone can find anything that they like among Kazakhstan’s many well-known landmarks. Check them out and make a note of them:

1. Astana

Amazing sights and experiences in modern Kazakhstan may be found in the country’s beautiful capital city. The city’s architecture, with its many high-rises and bustling commercial districts, makes it a great place to go sight-seeing in Kazakhstan.

There’s a lot to do in Astana, from visiting the Duman Recreational Complex, which is the perfect pit stop for all art enthusiasts, to taking in the breathtaking panoramic view of the city from the top of the 105-meter tall Bayterek Tower.

2. Almaty

Almaty, located at the base of the Trans-Ili Alatau mountains, has a stunning location and postcard-perfect scenery. The snow-capped mountains that surround the city make it an attractive tourist destination in Kazakhstan.

Among the city’s many tourist attractions, the Central State Museum stands out for the wealth of history it preserves. The city served as the capital of Kazakhstan until 1997, and it is currently one of the most popular destinations in the country.

If you’re interested in discovering the unique flavors of Almaty, you can spend a day taking in the splendor of nature, or you can go shopping in Zelyony Bazar or Dostyk Plaza. The Green Market is where many locals go to buy groceries, meats, clothes, and other necessities. Moving on, serious art and history buffs will like the abundance of local galleries.

3. Aktau

The approximately 40-year-old settlement is a stunning sight, perched on a cliff above the enormous Caspian Sea, and is widely regarded as one of the most peaceful tourist destinations in all of Kazakhstan. Ancient architectural ensembles and other unusual Kazakh tourist attractions can be found in Aktau.

All across the city, you may find museums, theaters, libraries, and other cultural institutions that are essential for getting to know the city like a local. As you explore the downtown streets of Aktau, you can spend hours taking in the city’s many architectural ensembles, green alleys lined with poplars and acacias, and emerald-green lawns and parks.

4. Tamgaly Petroglyphs

The Tamgaly Petroglyphs are remarkable because they depict epic hunting scenes, majestic people on their own, and a broad range of animals and fauna. Amazingly, you can choose from more than 5,000 of them. Several of the artifacts at the site date back to the Bronze Age, making it a very unique destination.

Discovering a new, well-preserved petroglyph while exploring the picturesque canyon’s many boulders and rock formations is a thrilling experience. The tranquility of the canyon’s interior conveys the spiritual significance of the location, and the remarkable petroglyphs themselves, in addition to the stunning scenery, make the destination well worth a day trip from Almaty.

5. Aral

The Aral Sea’s drastic shrinkage after 1960 is a prime example of the ecological devastation that can be caused by human activity. Its waters were channeled to cotton fields in the desert during the Soviet era, but they quickly evaporated or seeped below ground due to poorly thought-out governmental planning.

Formerly the fourth-largest body of fresh water in the world, the Aral Sea is now only a fraction of its previous size, and its sluggish comeback has only occurred in recent years. These these factors make the city of Aral an interesting tourist destination. The sea has long since receded beyond the horizon, leaving behind just vast desert near the historic fishing port that was famous across the Soviet Union for its big catches.

6. Charyn Canyon

Charyn Canyon, situated in the southeast of Kazakhstan, is a stunning natural attraction. The stunning scene that awaits you is difficult to imagine as you travel across the unending, featureless steppe to get there.

The canyon cuts its way through the rock for a total length of over 90 kilometers and a maximum depth of about 300 meters in some places. Its crimson cliffs and rocky outcrops are reminiscent of the scenery in the American states of Utah and Arizona. Visitors to Charyn Canyon often remark that it rivals the Grand Canyon in terms of sheer beauty.

7. Turkestan

Turkestan, a city in southern Kazakhstan bordered by the Kazakh Desert, is a one-of-a-kind destination thanks to the harmonious fusion of nomadic culture and the urban lifestyle of neighboring Uzbekistan.

As a result, it’s a fascinating site to discover. The stunning tomb of Kozha Akhmed Yasaui, built in the 14th century, appears like it belongs in an ancient Silk Road city in Uzbekistan rather than Kazakhstan. The mausoleum that Timur commissioned to be built in honor of the famous Sufi Sheikh is one of the most impressive and significant historical sites in the country.

In addition to this, the nearby desert is home to the ruins of the ancient cities of Otrar and Sauran, two of the city’s most popular tourist destinations. Turkestan’s main market is a great place to people-watch and people-watch is about all there is to do outside visiting the country’s historic landmarks.

8. Baikonur Cosmodrome

If you’re interested in space, the Baikonur Cosmodrome is one of the few spots on Earth where you can see a rocket launch into orbit. Even if you aren’t a space buff, witnessing a rocket blast out into the cosmos is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

Baikonur is jointly managed by the governments of Kazakhstan and Russia and is the world’s largest space launch complex.

Sputnik 1 and Vostok 1, the first manned mission to space, were launched from this location. This means there is a wealth of history to be seen. Take a tour of the site and its adjacent museum, which features fascinating displays, models, and artifacts.

Conclusion

You’ve come to the correct site if you’ve been looking for Kazakhstan’s top tourist destinations. Kazakhstan is an absolute paradise for the intrepid visitor, from the Caspian Sea coast in the west to the Altai Mountains in the east. It is an unique uncut jewel encased in the middle of Central Asia, although it is often disregarded as a tourist destination.

Tourists in Kazakhstan can choose from a wide variety of natural attractions, including national parks, biodiversity hotspots, lakes, gorges, and canyons. The country has everything a tourist might want, whether they are on a budget trip or a family vacation.