Kazakhstan

The country offers a wide range of travel themes: at Tanbaly, petroglyphs bear witness to pastoral societies; in Turkestan stands a major mausoleum of Timurid architecture. Nature destinations range from Charyn Canyon and the Kolsai Lakes to the wetlands and steppes of Saryarka. The history of space exploration is also part of the destination.

When looking for hotels, you can use these themes as a starting point: decide whether culture, nature or a particular route will shape your trip.

The Tanbaly Archaeological Landscape contains around 5,000 petroglyphs distributed across 48 complexes, along with associated settlements and burial grounds. The depictions and sites bear witness to livestock raising, social organization and the rituals of pastoral communities. Tanbaly thus brings together a large number of rock carvings and traces of life in the surrounding settlements.

The Mausoleum of Khoja Ahmed Yasawi in Turkestan, formerly Yasi, tells a different chapter of history. It was built under Timur between 1389 and 1405, stands 38.7 meters high and is one of the largest and best-preserved examples of Timurid architecture. In Mangystau, five sacred sites carved into the rock are surrounded by extensive burial grounds. These places have been important pilgrimage destinations for centuries.

Charyn Canyon is a natural monument formed from sedimentary rock dating back around 12 million years. Its steep slopes reach heights of 150 to 300 meters. Within the canyon is the Valley of Castles, around 2 kilometers long and 20 to 80 meters wide. Charyn National Park has three tourist routes, guesthouses, yurt camps and parking areas. It is about 200 kilometers east of Almaty on the Kulja Tract, where there is a paved road.

The route “Four canyons of the Charyn River in the Almaty region” also offers a distinctive view of the canyon landscape. It passes through the Kurtogai Valley, the Temirlik River Canyon, Uzyn-Bulak Canyon and the Valley of Castles. If you are considering this route, you can use these four named stops as a basis for choosing your trip.

Saryarka is known for its wetlands and steppe. The wetlands are important stopover and crossroads sites on the Central Asian bird migration route: waterbirds travel from Africa, Europe and South Asia to their breeding grounds in western and eastern Siberia. The steppe areas offer a valuable refuge for more than half of the species in the region’s steppe flora, as well as for threatened bird species and the endangered saiga.

Altyn-Emel State National Nature Park is part of the UNESCO Biosphere Reserve network. Its landscapes include the Aktau and Katutau mountain ranges, the Ili Valley and desert areas. The Aygaitas Singing Dune is about 150 meters high and produces a distinctive hum as the grains of sand move. Rare kulan, gazelles and caracals live in the park; its diverse flora includes more than 1,800 plant species.

Kolsai-1, the Lower Kolsai Lake, lies at an elevation of about 1,818 meters in a coniferous forest gorge. Fishing is allowed there, but swimming is prohibited. This rule is important when choosing a nature destination if you are planning activities at the lake.

The Baikonur Cosmodrome brings the country’s space history to life: it is the world’s first and largest cosmodrome. In 1961, Yuri Gagarin launched from there on his first orbital spaceflight. The first artificial Earth satellites, interplanetary probes and crews of the International Space Station were also launched from Baikonur. This gives Baikonur a historical and technological significance alongside the cultural and nature destinations.

For a closer look at individual regions, you can also continue to Karaganda, Atyrau, Mangystau, West Kazakhstan, Zhambyl, South Kazakhstan, Aktobe and Zhangeldi District, as well as North Kazakhstan, Kostanay, Karaganda, East Kazakhstan, Pavlodar, Kyzylorda, Almaty, Astana and Akmola.

What do the Tanbaly petroglyphs show?

The around 5,000 petroglyphs in 48 complexes bear witness to livestock raising, social organization and the rituals of pastoral communities. The complexes include settlements and burial grounds.

What is allowed at Kolsai-1 Lake?

Fishing is allowed; swimming is prohibited.

What landscapes does Altyn-Emel include?

The national park includes the Aktau and Katutau mountain ranges, the Ili Valley and desert landscapes. It is also home to the Aygaitas Singing Dune, which is about 150 meters high.

What facilities are available in Charyn National Park?

The park has three tourist routes, guesthouses, yurt camps and parking areas.