Kazakhstan
Tailor-Made Kazakhstan Holidays
Build Your Kazakhstan Itinerary
Seen a route that feels close to what you want? Tell us how much time you have and which places matter most, and we can use that as the starting point for your own Kazakhstan trip.
Where to Go in Kazakhstan
For a first visit, the Almaty region gives you a useful mix without immediately adding another part of the country. You can combine time in the city with the Tian Shan, then travel east towards Charyn Canyon, Kolsai and Kaindy Lakes and the villages around them.
Astana makes sense when you want to add the very different character of Kazakhstan’s capital, while Turkistan is better suited to travellers who want more history and Silk Road heritage. The right combination depends less on how many places you can fit in and more on how much time you want to spend travelling between them.
Almaty & the Tian Shan
One of Almaty’s strengths is how easily city time and the mountains can sit in the same itinerary. You can spend part of the day around the city’s cafés, restaurants and neighbourhoods, then head towards Medeu or Shymbulak without turning it into a separate regional journey.
A useful local tip is to visit Charyn, Kolsai and Kaindy on weekdays, when they are usually quieter, and leave some weekend time for Almaty’s cafés, restaurants and city atmosphere.
Food can be part of that mix too. Traditional dishes such as beshbarmak and baursak sit alongside a contemporary café and restaurant scene, giving Almaty more of a role in the journey than simply being the starting point for mountain excursions.
PLAN MY TRIP
A useful local tip is to visit Charyn, Kolsai and Kaindy on weekdays, when they are usually quieter, and leave some weekend time for Almaty’s cafés, restaurants and city atmosphere.
Food can be part of that mix too. Traditional dishes such as beshbarmak and baursak sit alongside a contemporary café and restaurant scene, giving Almaty more of a role in the journey than simply being the starting point for mountain excursions.
PLAN MY TRIP
Charyn Canyon, Kolsai & Kaindy
Charyn Canyon, Kolsai Lakes and Kaindy Lake are several hours from Almaty, so the main consideration here is travel time rather than difficult physical activity. If your dates allow, visiting during the week can also mean less traffic and a quieter experience at the main natural stops.
If Kolsai and Kaindy matter to you, we would usually consider an overnight stay in Saty instead of rushing back to Almaty the same day. It makes the journey more comfortable and adds another side of the region through village life, local hospitality and more time around the lakes.
This is also where private transport becomes particularly useful. It gives you more control over departure times, stops and the pace of the day without building the itinerary around repeated long returns to Almaty.
PLAN MY TRIP
If Kolsai and Kaindy matter to you, we would usually consider an overnight stay in Saty instead of rushing back to Almaty the same day. It makes the journey more comfortable and adds another side of the region through village life, local hospitality and more time around the lakes.
This is also where private transport becomes particularly useful. It gives you more control over departure times, stops and the pace of the day without building the itinerary around repeated long returns to Almaty.
PLAN MY TRIP
Astana
Astana is worth adding when you want the trip to show more than Kazakhstan’s mountains and natural landscapes. Its broad avenues, contemporary architecture and landmarks such as Bayterek and Khan Shatyr give the capital a very different character from Almaty.
The extra journey makes more sense on a longer itinerary, when you have enough time to experience the capital without cutting short your time in the south-east. If your trip is brief and nature is the priority, staying focused on Almaty and the surrounding region may be the better choice.
PLAN MY TRIP
The extra journey makes more sense on a longer itinerary, when you have enough time to experience the capital without cutting short your time in the south-east. If your trip is brief and nature is the priority, staying focused on Almaty and the surrounding region may be the better choice.
PLAN MY TRIP
Turkistan & the Silk Road
Turkistan is a stronger choice when history and cultural heritage matter as much as scenery. The city is closely tied to the Silk Road and is home to the Mausoleum of Khoja Ahmed Yasawi, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Because it requires time beyond an itinerary focused on Almaty and Astana, Turkistan suits a longer trip best. It is worth adding when you want the journey to include more of Kazakhstan’s religious and cultural history, rather than simply another city stop.
Because it requires time beyond an itinerary focused on Almaty and Astana, Turkistan suits a longer trip best. It is worth adding when you want the journey to include more of Kazakhstan’s religious and cultural history, rather than simply another city stop.
FAQs
Around a week is a sensible starting point if you want to focus on Almaty, the Tian Shan, Charyn Canyon and the mountain lakes. If Kolsai and Kaindy are priorities, including a night in Saty can make this part of the route more comfortable than trying to return to Almaty the same day.
With roughly 10 days or more, you have more room to add Astana, Turkistan or another region without making transfers the focus of the trip.
With roughly 10 days or more, you have more room to add Astana, Turkistan or another region without making transfers the focus of the trip.
Do not judge mountain conditions by the weather in Almaty. A warm, sunny day in the city can feel very different at higher elevations, so bring a jacket or extra layer even in summer.
Comfortable footwear is usually enough for many popular stops unless your itinerary includes proper hiking.
Comfortable footwear is usually enough for many popular stops unless your itinerary includes proper hiking.
Yes, particularly when the itinerary is built around sensible driving times and fewer rushed transfers. Most popular places around Almaty can be enjoyed without difficult hiking, and routes can be planned with relatively little walking for children, older travellers or families who prefer a slower pace.
The Almaty region works particularly well because city time, mountains and nature can be combined without moving between several distant regions. Halal-friendly dining and family-friendly stops can also be prioritised when planning the trip.
The Almaty region works particularly well because city time, mountains and nature can be combined without moving between several distant regions. Halal-friendly dining and family-friendly stops can also be prioritised when planning the trip.
The cost depends mainly on the length of the trip, accommodation standard, transport and how many regions you include. Private transfers, guides, domestic flights or longer overland journeys can all increase the total.
A useful estimate only becomes possible once the itinerary is clear, so it is better to decide the route first and price the trip around that rather than work backwards from a generic package figure.
A useful estimate only becomes possible once the itinerary is clear, so it is better to decide the route first and price the trip around that rather than work backwards from a generic package figure.
Not everywhere. Almaty itself is relatively straightforward to explore, and you do not need a guide beside you throughout the whole holiday.
Private transport becomes much more useful for Charyn Canyon, Kolsai and Kaindy because the main issue is distance. Having your own vehicle and driver gives you more flexibility over stops, departure times and the pace of the day, particularly for families and travellers who do not want to follow a fixed group schedule.
A local guide becomes more useful when you want cultural or historical context rather than simply transport.
Private transport becomes much more useful for Charyn Canyon, Kolsai and Kaindy because the main issue is distance. Having your own vehicle and driver gives you more flexibility over stops, departure times and the pace of the day, particularly for families and travellers who do not want to follow a fixed group schedule.
A local guide becomes more useful when you want cultural or historical context rather than simply transport.
Yes, particularly if you have enough time for a wider Central Asia journey. The two countries can complement each other well, but combining them only makes sense when the itinerary still leaves enough time in each place.
For a shorter holiday, focusing on one country usually gives you a more complete trip with fewer transfers.
For a shorter holiday, focusing on one country usually gives you a more complete trip with fewer transfers.
Omani passport holders can currently visit Kazakhstan without a visa for stays of up to 30 days.
Entry requirements can change, so it is still worth checking the latest official guidance before you travel.
Entry requirements can change, so it is still worth checking the latest official guidance before you travel.
Yes. We can build the trip around your available time, preferred pace and the parts of Kazakhstan you actually want to experience rather than starting from a fixed package.
For first-time visitors from Oman, Almaty and the surrounding region are often the most practical starting point. Direct flights currently operate between Muscat and Almaty on selected days, and the itinerary can then be built around the city, mountains, Charyn Canyon and the lake region before deciding whether another part of Kazakhstan is worth adding.
For first-time visitors from Oman, Almaty and the surrounding region are often the most practical starting point. Direct flights currently operate between Muscat and Almaty on selected days, and the itinerary can then be built around the city, mountains, Charyn Canyon and the lake region before deciding whether another part of Kazakhstan is worth adding.