Kazakhstan

Kazakhstan

Kazakhstan is situated in Central Asia and has borders with China to the east and with Russia to the north. Kazakhstan is one of the ten biggest countries of the world, it has a diverse landscape: rocky mountains, immense steppes, and amazing lakes. Besides, it should be pointed out that Kazakhstan is not rather populated so the local nature abounds in breathtaking views. There are few people and the flora and fauna exist in their diversity. Therefore, Kazakhstan is a place for those who love active tourism, rock-climbing, and orienteering.

In addition, it should be mentioned that Kazakhstan like other countries of the Central Asian region has a rich history and arouses tourists’ interest. There are a lot of architectural monuments that are included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.

Kazakhstan cuisine has ancient roots and it is rich in local dishes. However, vegetarians for sure will find a meal for their taste as the agricultural sphere is an important part of Kazakhstan economics. Fruits and vegetables are tasty and juicy owing to the sun and affluent rivers. Besides, it is worth tasting the KUMIS – a peculiar feature of Kazakhstan. It is a drink made of a fermented dairy product with a low quantity of alcohol. There is a type of Kumis without alcohol that helps in the heat and has a beneficial effect on the human organism.

Above all, in Kazakhstan tourists should know that like any country of CIS, Kazakhstan is very friendly with travelers. The infrastructure is developed, especially transport among the cities. There are railway and bus services too. Besides, tourists will not have problems with the currency exchange – the cash machines operate everywhere in the inhabited locality. There are not a lot of tourists in Kazakhstan, so the country is worth visiting for calm relaxation in the wild locality or in cities with comfort. Kazakhstan cities are modern and large populated localities do not differ from the world-famous capitals.

Nur-Sultan

The capital of Kazakhstan – Nur-Sultan is translated as “Bright Ruler”. It had different names: Akmolinsk, Tselinograd, Akmola, Astana. The current name is obtained in 2019.  Nur – Sultan is a modern million-person city, the second city of Kazakhstan by its population. Like in any other capital, Nur-Sultan is very beautiful and it has the interlacing of modern architecture and classic oriental motives. There is the monument Bayterek – the main sight and symbol of Kazakhstan. Besides, The Palace of Peace and Reconciliation is located in the capital – the congress-hall, built for the meetings of the representatives of different religions and confessions. A lot of libraries, concert-halls and exhibitions are located in Nur-Sultan.

Almaty

Almaty – the first city of Kazakhstan by its population. The city was the capital till 1997. Therefore, Almaty does not concede a point to Nur-Sultan.  The main sight of the city is a ramified system of the irrigation ditches that is capped by fountains. There are 120 fountains in Almaty. The inhabitants of Almaty celebrate annually “The Day of Fountains” at the end of the spring when all the fountains start working again after the winter season.  Besides fountains, the city is rich with the monuments of famous people. There are about 80 monuments in Almaty. Among them, there are the monuments to Victor Tsoy, Mahatma Gandim Alexander Pushkin.  

Shymkent

It is the third city by its population and the first by its area in Kazakhstan. Tourists often start their tour around Kazakhstan from Shymkent as there are more than 20 travel agencies that offer different directions for relaxation: active tourism, hunting and fishing, excursions around historical places. In the city there are several interesting locations for visiting: Museums of Local Studies and Ethnography, Art Gallery “Altin Orda”, squares, city installation “Tulip is the South Heritage”

Taraz

Taraz is one of the most ancient cities of Kazakhstan. It appeared in the 5^th century B.C. as a result of the unification of the nomad tribes. Nowadays, it is the modern city that attracts tourists by its historical monuments. It is worth mentioning the mausoleum of Karakhan, built in the 11^th century on the sight of the tomb of the first ruler from the Karakhanid dynasty. It is remarkably that the name of the ruler is unknown at the present time, despite the attempts of the archeologists and historians to gather the available information. The Jambul Museum of Local Studies is opened for tourists and locals. There are 16 expositional rooms with more than 35000 exhibits.