Things to do in Kazakhstan

25 things to do in Kazakhstan

Listed in full below. The running order is set by votes and loads with the page.

• Watch sunrise over Big Almaty Lake

  Arrive before dawn to see the first light turn the turquoise alpine lake a brilliant sapphire, surrounded by the snow-streaked peaks of the Trans-Ili Alatau.

  Almaty Region

• Hike through the Valley of Castles in Charyn Canyon

  Wander among towering red sandstone pillars carved by wind and water into fantastical shapes, a landscape often compared to the Grand Canyon.

  Almaty Province

• Trek around Lower Kolsai Lake

  Follow the forested trail that hugs the shore of this pristine mountain lake, with reflections of spruce trees and 3000-metre peaks in its emerald waters.

  Kolsai Lakes

• Kayak among submerged spruces at Kaindy Lake

  Paddle across the crystal-clear water above the drowned forest, where stark white trunks rise like masts from the lake bed created by a 1911 earthquake.

  Saty area

• Ski the slopes of Shymbulak Ski Resort

  Carve down runs that start above 3200 metres with views of the snow-covered Tian Shan, then warm up in a mountain hut with mulled wine.

  Almaty

• Ride the cable car up to Kok Tobe for panoramic city views

  Glide above the city to the green hilltop park, where you can see the whole Almaty basin backed by the Zailiysky Alatau, especially stunning at sunset.

  Almaty

• Sample traditional beshbarmak and fresh kumis at the Green Bazaar

  Nab a seat at the bustling market's food stalls to taste Kazakhstan's national dish – boiled meat on wide noodles – alongside a bowl of fermented mare's milk.

  Almaty

• Explore the UNESCO-listed Mausoleum of Khoja Ahmed Yasawi

  Step inside the colossal turquoise-domed shrine built by Timur in the late 14th century, a masterpiece of Central Asian Islamic architecture and the spiritual heart of Turkistan.

  Turkistan

• Admire Bronze Age petroglyphs at Tamgaly

  Walk the open-air gallery of over 5,000 rock carvings depicting sun-headed deities, hunters, and animals, buried in a remote canyon that has been sacred for millennia.

  Tamgaly, Almaty Region

• Ascend the Bayterek Tower's golden sphere

  Rise into Nur-Sultan's iconic monument and place your hand in the gilded imprint of President Nazarbayev, looking out over the futuristic capital boulevard.

  Nur-Sultan

• Walk the Nurzhol Boulevard from Ak Orda to Khan Shatyr

  Stroll the axis of the Left Bank, passing monumental government buildings, dancing fountains, and the colossal transparent tent, especially magical when lit at night.

  Nur-Sultan

• Shop and ice skate inside the Khan Shatyr Entertainment Center

  Enter the world's largest tent, where a tropical beach, waterpark, mini-golf, and indoor ice rink hide beneath a translucent canopy that warms the interior year-round.

  Nur-Sultan

• Attend a concert inside the Palace of Peace and Reconciliation

  Marvel at the glass-and-steel pyramid designed by Norman Foster, home to a 1,500-seat opera hall and exhibits on world religions, symbolizing Astana's interfaith ambitions.

  Nur-Sultan

• Listen to the roar of the Singing Dune in Altyn-Emel

  Climb the 150-metre-high crescent of sand that emits a deep, organ-like hum when the dry grains slide down its face, set against the backdrop of the Aktau Mountains.

  Altyn-Emel National Park

• Photograph the layered Aktau Mountains at sunset

  Capture the alien beauty of white, pink, and red sedimentary badlands that glow like a Martian landscape, eroded into a maze of canyons and jagged ridges.

  Altyn-Emel

• Discover the spherical concretions of the Valley of Balls

  Wander among thousands of giant stone spheres, some up to three metres in diameter, scattered across the steppe as if left by a geological bowling alley.

  Mangystau

• Enter the rock-cut Shakpak-Ata underground mosque

  Descend into the 10th-century carved sanctuary hollowed from a limestone outcrop, with a central pillar and niche orienting prayers toward Mecca, perched above the Mangyshlak Peninsula.

  Mangystau

• Stand awestruck before the white cliffs of Bozzhira

  Gaze at the giant chalk buttes and towering escarpments rising from the steppe, the most dramatic section of the Ustyurt Plateau, especially ethereal at dawn.

  Mangystau

• Watch a ballet at the Abay Opera House

  Settle into a velvet seat in the neoclassical gem of Almaty's cultural life, where you can catch a performance of Swan Lake or Kazakh operas beneath sparkling chandeliers.

  Almaty

• Sip traditional kumis at a roadside stall in Shymkent

  Pull up a plastic stool and taste the tangy, slightly effervescent fermented mare's milk sold from blue-painted shacks, the authentic drink of the Kazakh steppe.

  Shymkent

• Soak in the geothermal springs of Chundzha

  Bathe in naturally hot mineral water under a vast sky, watching steam rise into the cool desert air at this remote oasis between Almaty and the Chinese border.

  Chundzha

• Hike to a glacier viewpoint in Turgen Gorge

  Trek through lush meadows and past thundering waterfalls to the foot of a glacier in the Trans-Ili Alatau, with the snowy peak of Pik Talgar looming overhead.

  Turgen, Almaty Region

• Snowshoe through the spruce forests of Ile-Alatau National Park

  Strap on snowshoes and crunch through silent, deep powder beneath centuries-old Schrenk spruces, keeping an eye out for deer and snow leopard tracks.

  near Almaty

• Feast on shashlik and lagman on Almaty's Arbat

  Grab a seat at an open-air grill on Zhibek Zholy pedestrian street, ordering sizzling skewers of marinated lamb peppered with cumin and a hearty bowl of hand-pulled noodles.

  Almaty

• Browse Silk Road artefacts at the Central State Museum

  Examine an ancient Golden Man warrior suit, nomadic yurts, and vibrant Kazakh textiles in the country's largest museum, housed in a striking Soviet-era building.

  Almaty