Travelogues Kazakhstan
Vacation in Kazakhstan : Highlights & Travel Tips
Kazakhstan is a vast and often under-the-radar destination that appeals to travelers looking for wide-open landscapes, Silk Road history, and a mix of modern cities and nomadic culture. As the world’s largest landlocked country, it offers remarkable geographic variety, from the futuristic skyline of Astana and the leafy, mountain-backed streets of Almaty to endless степpe, canyons, lakes, and snow-capped ranges. What makes Kazakhstan especially memorable is the sense of scale and contrast: you can explore contemporary architecture, Soviet-era heritage, traditional hospitality, and dramatic natural scenery all within one trip.
Key highlights include hiking and day trips from Almaty to places like Big Almaty Lake, Charyn Canyon, and the Kolsai and Kaindy Lakes, known for their striking colors and alpine scenery. Travelers interested in culture can experience Kazakh cuisine, local markets, yurt traditions, and historical sites connected to Silk Road routes in the south, including Turkistan. Practical tips: distances are large, so domestic flights and trains can save time; learning a few words of Russian or Kazakh can be helpful outside major tourist areas; and packing layers is important because temperatures can vary sharply by region and season. Kazakhstan is generally best for travelers who enjoy independent travel, nature, and destinations that still feel relatively uncrowded.
Latest travel reports from Kazakhstan
Kazakhstan
You can see it already at the border of Kazakhstan: how people from different parts of the world have moved and met here. You see the Turkic peoples, you see Persia, you see...
All roads lead to Almaty
During my time in Kazakhstan, I returned to Almaty again and again. It wasn't entirely by choice, as without a car it's difficult to stay away from the city for long. However,...
Goodbye Kazakhstan!
At the end of my time in Kazakhstan, here are a few facts and impressions about the country: Kazakhstan is enormous, ranking as the ninth largest country in the world by area...
Pass crossing in the Ile-Alatau Mountains
Motivated to start the hike (we actually wanted to take before-and-after photos, but we forgot in the end)
Trip to the Kaindy and Kolsai Mountain Lakes
With a guided tour, exclusively occupied by Kazakhs and Russians besides us, Philipp and I traveled to a canyon and two mountain lakes. The tour itself was long, a bit chaotic,...
Altyn Emel National Park - Day 2
After a few cookies and a canned coffee for breakfast, we set out early on the second day towards the 'Singing Dune.' In the midst of the stony steppe of the national park rises a...
Altyn Emel National Park - Day 1
The Altyn Emel National Park is located about 300 km northeast of Almaty. Before we even set off, I had decided to go there – a photo of the landscape instantly captivated me...
Two Days in the Kazakh Steppe
The landscape behind Almaty from the car window
From the runway in Turkmenistan to the sunset at Kök Töbe: Arriving in Almaty
Since some have already asked for photos, I wanted to make sure the first blog post doesn’t take too long to publish this time: Leon and I have arrived today, after exactly 24...
Kazakhstan
On August 15th, we crossed the Russian-Kazakh border. What I will never forget is the incredibly friendly expression on the Kazakh border officer's face when it was my turn to...
Stage 124: From Shengeldy back to Almaty
On our preliminary last day together, Aman and I went to the main road and separated there in a very clichéd way, one going north, the other going south. For me, the route was...
Schymkent - last tour with Schrotti
For a change, on Friday morning, January 3, 2020, Schrotti has the opportunity to give a fellow sheet metal colleague a jump start. The car of the hostel manager didn't want to...
Almaty - DA Hostel
sunny morning in Almaty
Charyn Canyon
Tuesday (29.10.2019) welcomes us with beautiful weather. The sun is shining and the strong gusts of wind from the previous evening have died down. So I take the opportunity to...
Taras - Hotel Rosa
On Monday morning, September 23, 2019, we pack our seven things into Rango in the Moskvich and, after breakfast at the Dream Hostel, continue our journey. On the way out of...
Qysylorda - Türkistan - Schymkent
Am Donnerstagmorgen (19.09.2019) nutzen wir die Infrastruktur in unserem Gästehaus in Ayteke Bi. Dann bringt uns unser Vermieter gegen halb zehn frisch geduscht und rasiert zu...
Aral - Ayteke Bi
On Monday, September 16, 2019, we have breakfast on the shore of Lake Schalkar in sunny weather. Then, after our seven things have found their place in Schrotti, we drive to our...
Jembi - Schalqar
Tomorrow at Aktobe Reservoir
Oral - Aktobe
After a bath in the Ural River and breakfast, we set off to Merey-Bazar in the south of Atyrau on Monday, September 9, 2019. Once we arrive there, we take a stroll around the...
Atyrau - Schrotti shows us the finger
On Wednesday morning (September 4, 2019), we (Melanie, Jeoffrey, Markus, Rango, and I) start the day around seven. After a shared breakfast, we pack our stuff into the Moskvich...
Aqtau - No space on the train to the east
On Friday, August 30, 2019, I have breakfast with Melanie and Jeoffrey on the beach in Aqtau before we break camp and make our way along the promenade. We are accompanied by...
Fishing Harbor Race in Bremerhaven
Short trip to Bremerhaven
Shymkent in southern Kazakhstan
displayed by me on the granite monument. The cities here are embellished with all sorts of splendor. No expense is spared on marble and granite. But you just have to look 90° to...
Baikonur Kazakhstan
In Baikonur we only stopped briefly, because access to the spaceport, the Buran and the huge Soyuz rockets is only possible with a long pre-booking and four-digit prices. But we...
Aral former Aral Sea
We visited the ships in the desert. However, we reached the limit and returned to the next village with the non-all-wheel-drive Benz. There we stopped at the first...
Kazakhstan's North
The first 300km were hilly and partly forested, and the landscape changed to steppe. It is impressive to have the same landscape for 700km. There was no variety even during the...
Short Conclusion Russia:
Big country, bad roads, met nice and helpful people. You often read that the people here are unfriendly. I can't say that. But sometimes they show windy patience when it doesn't...
Kleines aber feines Valparaiso
A port city to love.