Travelisto destinations
Kazakhstan holidays
Almaty's Tian Shan mountains, Astana's modern skyline, the Charyn Canyon and Aral Sea — Kazakhstan is the heart of Central Asia.
Overview
Welcome to Kazakhstan
Kazakhstan is the world's ninth-largest country and Central Asia's economic heart — a former Soviet republic that has reinvented its capital as the futuristic Astana (renamed Nur-Sultan, now called Astana again) with its Norman-Foster-designed Bayterek Tower and Khan Shatyr, the old-Soviet commercial capital Almaty (the apple-tree city, with the Tien Shan mountains as backdrop), the Charyn Canyon (Kazakhstan's answer to Arizona's, with the Valley of Castles formation), the Singing Dune at Altyn-Emel NP, the Aral Sea ghost-fishing-village ruins at Aralsk, and the Kazakh steppe (endless grassland, eagle hunters in winter).
A 10-14 day Kazakhstan trip: Almaty (3 nights — Panfilov Park's wooden cathedral, Green Bazaar, the Medeu skating rink, day-hike or ski at Shymbulak in the Tien Shan, the Kok-Tobe gondola views) → Charyn Canyon day-trip → Altyn-Emel NP (2 nights for the Singing Dune and Aktau coloured-mountain) → fly to Astana (2-3 nights — Bayterek, the Palace of Peace pyramid, the National Museum) → optional Burabay/Borovoe lake region (2 nights) or the Aral Sea logistics-heavy ghost-fishing-village trip (3-4 nights). The country is genuinely vast — internal flights save days.
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Eagle hunters in the Altai (south-east Kazakhstan, near the Mongolia border) are a winter cultural experience — the Berkutchi tradition uses trained golden eagles for fox and rabbit hunting; the World Nomad Games (held biennially) gather similar traditions. UK travellers get 14-day visa-free entry. The food: beshbarmak (the national five-fingers horse-and-noodle dish), kazy (smoked horse sausage), shashlyk (skewers), the ubiquitous green tea served in piyala bowls. Russian is the working language, Kazakh is the national one; English is patchy outside Almaty/Astana upscale tourism.
Best for: Central Asia specialists, adventurous independent travellers, photographers drawn to steppe and mountain landscapes, Silk Road travellers (Almaty was a major Silk Road waystation), winter-eagle-hunter travellers (Jan-Feb in the Altai). Often combined with Uzbekistan (Tashkent is 1.5h flight), Kyrgyzstan (border crossing 4 hours from Almaty), or Mongolia.
From the team
Why we love Kazakhstan
Kazakhstan is the under-the-radar Central Asia trip — pair Almaty's mountains with Nur-Sultan's futuristic capital, then add Uzbekistan for the Silk Road depth.
Rossella Rossella, Luxury & Destination Specialist Meet our Travel DesignersMain areas
Where to go in Kazakhstan
2 distinct regions — they pair beautifully two or three at a time.
Almaty & Tian Shan
Almaty
Big Almaty Lake
Charyn Canyon
Medeu
Astana (Nur-Sultan) & North
Astana
Burabay
Bayanaul
Find your trip
Holiday types in Kazakhstan
Pick a holiday style — or combine two. Each section links straight to the next step.
Mountain & steppe retreats
Kazakhstan's mountain ski areas and steppe lodges.
City breaks
Kazakhstan's cities reward 2-4 nights each — pair two for a tailor-made multi-centre trip.
Astana
Cruises
Kazakhstan is landlocked; no cruise port. Many travellers combine with the Trans-Siberian Railway or Silk Road tours.
Escorted tours
11 escorted tours through Kazakhstan — guided, customisable, fully ATOL-protected.
Every Travelisto tour runs with a small group (max 16), an English-speaking local leader, and is fully ATOL-protected. Most tours are also bookable as private departures — same itinerary, your party only, your dates.
Tailor-made
Everything you see above is a starting point — we'll shape any of these around how you actually want to travel.
Bespoke Kazakhstan itinerary
Pick your headlines and we design the route, brief private guides, and book the hotels and transfers.
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Multi-generational Kazakhstan
A pace and accommodation style that suits three generations.
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Kazakhstan + cruise
Pair Kazakhstan with a cruise — booked end-to-end with us.
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Honeymoon or special celebration
A milestone trip with the romantic flourishes quietly arranged.
EnquirePractical info
Knowing before you go
When to go
Jan
-1°
Feb
2°
Mar
10°
Apr
18°
May
24°
Jun
30°
Jul
33°
Aug
32°
Sep
26°
Oct
17°
Nov
8°
Dec
1°
April-October is the prime season. June-August can be hot in the lowlands but pleasant in the mountains. November-March is winter; Shymbulak ski season is December-March.
Flights & how to get there
Flights from UK to Kazakhstan — ~7h to Almaty (1 stop).
Visa & passport
UK passport holders get 30 days visa-free entry. For up-to-date entry requirements and safety advice, check the UK FCDO travel advice for Kazakhstan.
Currency & money
The Kazakhstani Tenge (KZT). Cards in cities; cash for rural areas. 10% tip in tourist services.
Language & tipping
Kazakh and Russian; English in tourism.
Health & safety
Consult your GP 6 weeks before travel. Country-specific vaccinations may apply. Buy comprehensive travel insurance.
FAQs
Kazakhstan — your questions
When is the best time to visit Kazakhstan?
April–June and September–October. Summer (June–August) is hot in the south, comfortable in the mountains. Winter is bitterly cold.
Do I need a visa for Kazakhstan?
UK passport holders get 30 days visa-free.
Can I do the Silk Road in Central Asia?
Yes — Kazakhstan + Uzbekistan + Kyrgyzstan covers the classic Silk Road cities (Almaty, Samarkand, Bukhara, Bishkek) over 14–18 days.
Make this trip yours
Plan your Kazakhstan holiday with a Travel Designer
Pick from any of the options on this page or tell us what you have in mind — we'll build it around how you actually like to travel. ATOL protected, flights included, real humans available 9am–7pm.
ATOL protected
100% financially protected in a Trust bank account
PTS 6035
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