Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Kazakhstan
Казахстан
Why Go?
The world's ninth-biggest country is the most economically
advanced of the 'stans', thanks to its abundant reserves of oil
and most other valuable minerals. This means generally bet-
ter standards of accommodation, restaurants and transport
than elsewhere in Central Asia. The biggest city, Almaty, is
almost reminiscent of Europe with its leafy avenues, chic
cafes, glossy shopping centres and hedonistic nightlife. The
capital Astana, on the windswept northern steppe, has been
transformed into a 21st-century showpiece with a profu-
sion of bold futuristic architecture. But it's beyond the cit-
ies 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, enjoy-
ing home-spun hospitality in village guesthouses, or jolting
across the western deserts to remote underground mosques.
Almaty ..........................56
Karkara Valley ..............77
Taraz ...........................79
Shymkent .....................81
Turkistan ..................... 87
Kyzylorda ....................90
Aralsk (Aral) .................91
Aktau ...........................93
Astana .........................98
Lake Burabay .............107
Karaganda .................. 108
Ust-Kamenogorsk ......112
Semey .........................115
Best Parks &
Reserves
¨
Aksu-Zhabagyly (p85)
¨
Sayram-Ugam (p86)
¨
Korgalzhyn (p106)
¨
Ile-Alatau (p73)
¨
Altyn-Emel (p78)
¨
Kolsay Lakes (p76)
When to Go
Almaty
Rainfall
inches/mm
°C/°F
Temp
40/104
5/125
4/100
30/86
20/68
3/75
10/50
0/32
-10/14
2/50
1/25
0
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Best
Architecture
¨
Yasaui Mausoleum (p88)
¨
Khan Shatyr (p98)
¨
Palace of Peace
& Accord (p99)
Mid-Apr-early
Jun
The steppe
and hills blossom
and migrating
birds flock in.
May-Sep
The
weather is perfect
and from July it's
hiking season.
Nov-Apr
It's
cold, but skiers
enjoy Central
Asia's best
facilities at
Chimbulak.
