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Introduction
Kazakhstan (in Kazakh, Қазақстан; in Russian, Казахстан), officially the Republic of Kazakhstan (in Kazakh, Қазақстан Республикасы Kazakstan Respubłīkasi; in Russian, Республика Казахстан Respublika Kazakhstan) is a transcontinental country, with most of its territory located in Central Asia and a minor in Europe. Kazakhstan shares borders with Russia, China, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan Y Uzbekistan, while having coasts in the Caspian Sea and the old Aral Sea.
Understand
The Kazakh population has its origins in the Turkic and Mongol nomads who migrated to the region in the 13th century, in the 16th the tribes were united into one nation. Kazakhstan was conquered by the Russian Empire and in 1936 it became part of the Soviet Union.
During the 1950s and 1960s, the Soviet government launched an agricultural program known as "Virgin Lands" in which citizens from various parts of the country moved to Central Asia to farm the northern region. This produced an influx of immigration (most of them Russians and Volga Germans). After the independence of the country, part of the population emigrated to other countries.
To this day, Kazakhstan is considered a neo-patrimonial state characterized by its considerable nepotism and dominance over political and economic issues carried out by its President Nursultan Nazarbayev. However, it is not a totalitarian state in contrast to Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan Y China. After the fall of the Soviet Union in 1991, the Kazakh Government began economic development programs. Part of its raw material is found in gas and oil reserves, especially in the north and west.
The native Kazakhs, a mix of nomadic Turkic and Mongol tribes who migrated to the region in the 13th century, united as one nation in the mid-16th century. The area was conquered by Russia in the 18th century and Kazakhstan became a Soviet Republic in 1936.
During the launch of the "Virgin Lands" agricultural program in the 1950s and 1960s, Soviet citizens were encouraged to help cultivate the pastures of northern Kazakhstan. This influx of immigrants (mostly Russians, but also from some other deported nationalities, including Volga Germans) skewed the ethnic mix and allowed non-Kazakhs to outnumber natives. Independence has caused many of these newcomers and their descendants to emigrate.
Modern Kazakhstan is a neo-patrimonial state characterized by considerable nepotism and dominance over political and economic affairs by President Nursultan Nazarbayev, who resigned in March 2019 after a 29-year term. However, it is not a severely authoritarian government compared to neighboring Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and China, and the opposition is rarely fired or jailed. Since its independence from the Soviet Union in 1991, the government of Kazakhstan has allowed foreign investment to flow into the capital for development. The development of significant oil and gas reserves, particularly in the north and west, has brought a great deal of wealth to the country, although the money falls into the hands of a few people. However, Kazakhstan is now listed as a middle-income country and is already rated with a high Human Development Index.
While Islam is the majority religion, Kazakhstan is nonetheless a secular state with a significant Christian minority, and the variety of Islam practiced here tends to be more liberal than in the Gulf.
Current problems include: developing a cohesive national identity; expand the development of the country's vast energy resources and export them to world markets (an oil pipeline has been built to China; the gas pipeline is under construction); achieve sustainable economic growth outside the oil, gas and mining sectors, and strengthen relations with surrounding states and other foreign powers.
Regions
Almaty Province
| This is the location of the ancient capital, with hikes to Tian Shan, historical cities, and ancient petroglyphs. |
North Kazakhstan
| These are the cold steppes that are home to the national capital, the country's Russian minority, and industrial cities. |
Kazakhstan desert
| Location of the ancient desert cities that dot the Silk Road. |
Altai
| It includes a remote and beautiful alpine landscape. |
Caspian basin
| It includes the Caspian beaches and the oil industry, and where local tribal affiliations are still strong. |
Central Highlands
| This is a land of endless and sparsely populated steppes. |
To get
Entry requirements
Most Western passport holders do not need a visa to enter Kazakhstan for a visit of up to 30 days. (The day of entry always counts as day 1, even at 23:59). This exemption has been extended year after year several times, but since October 2018 it appears to be permanent. For ordinary (i.e. non-diplomatic) passports, the countries included are:
- America: Canada, United States and dependencies, Mexico, Greenland, Argentina, Chile, Brazil, Ecuador and French Guyana. (It is expected to soon include Cuba).
- Europe: the entire EU, including the UK and Andorra, plus Iceland, Norway, Serbia, Turkey and Switzerland. Excludes Bosnia-Herzegovina, Macedonia, Liechtenstein, San Marino, and the Vatican.
- Middle East: Israel and the United Arab Emirates.
- Australasia: Australia, New Zealand, Japan, South Korea, the Philippines, Malaysia, and Singapore; Hong Kong citizens only for 14 days.
- plus Azerbaijan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.
Citizens of CIS countries can enter visa-free for up to 90 days. These countries are: Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, Moldova, Georgia, Armenia, and Mongolia.
Kyrgyz visa holders can also travel visa-free to the Almaty and Jambul regions (which includes the Almaty-Taraz highway). This is only relevant for those who would otherwise need a visa to enter, so it can benefit the citizens of Liechtenstein and Saudi Arabia.
If you know in advance that your stay will be longer, for example, for work, then you need a visa, which will need to be supported by an official invitation letter from the employer or agency in Kazakhstan. For more information, consult the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Kazakhstan. For sightseeing where you are enjoying the country you want to stay so much, the easiest way is to take a trip to neighboring Kyrgyzstan, which also does not require a visa for many countries, and return directly to earn another 30- day stay. There is no limit to how often you do this.
Registration (card): never lose the registration card that was given to you upon entry. You must have at least one stamp, corresponding to the entry stamp in your passport. For most visitors, you will have two, which means that you are already registered for the duration of your stay and do not need to register with the immigration police. If you only have one stamp, you must register within five days of entering Kazakhstan (there are offices in Astana and Almaty), and again at each place you visit for more than 72 hours. And you also need to report right away if you lose it - otherwise, you will have to endure a lot of pain, probably fines and possibly arrest, when you try to leave the country.
As of September 2018, as a Western passport holder, one receives 2 entry stamps immediately and 1 passport stamp, both when entering by plane and at the border with Kyrgyzstan. It is not necessary to present the address of the stay.
By plane
The most important airline is Air Astana, which flies to Almaty and Astana from Abu Dhabi, Moscow, Delhi, Beijing, Istanbul, Bangkok, Hannover, London, Amsterdam, Baku, Kuala Lumpur, Frankfurt and Seoul.
Air Astana maintains a monopoly on some international routes by limiting which airlines can fly to Kazakhstan.
Lufthansa also has daily flights to Almaty, from where you can go anywhere via the local operator SCAT, which flies to most cities in Kazakhstan. British Airways and KLM now fly several times a week to Heathrow and Schiphol respectively. There is also a non-stop connection twice a week from Prague, operated by Czech airlines. Turkish Airlines is a good passenger airline, with flights to Istanbul (ask a travel agent about student fares, which can be a good deal).
There are flights twice a week from Seoul to Almaty; one is with Asiana Airlines and the other is Astana. Airbaltic also flies to Almaty; If you book the tickets in advance, you can go there for € 130 (from Riga).
Etihad flies weekly from Abu Dhabi to Astana. The flight time is about 4 and a half hours.
Taxi fares from the airport to the city range from 2,000 to 3,000 tenge.
A Russian transit visa is needed if you change planes in Russia when traveling to or from Kazakhstan.
By train
Trains in Kazakhstan are slow but comfortable and clean. Popular routes include Almaty to / from Moscow (77 hours), Novosibirsk (35 hours) and Ürümqi, China (34 hours). Expect a 3- to 4-hour stay at the Russian border or 6-8 hours at the Chinese border. Trains in Kazakhstan can also be booked online.
By car
You can enter Kazakhstan by car through many of the border checkpoints on the country's main roads. However, be prepared to wait up to 24 hours in queues, with rather poor facilities.
By bus
From China
It is quite easy to travel from Ürümqi to Almaty by sleeper bus, especially if you are not in a rush and don't mind living on a bus for 24 to 36 hours. The border crossing itself is a hike, and you may need to take all your belongings with you for quite a while in really hot weather. The bus ride and "baggage fees" are around US $ 45. You can also pick up your Kazakhstan visa at the Ürümqi consulate, but be prepared to relax for at least a week of waiting and make sure you get a copy of your passport before handing it in.
From Kyrgyzstan
It is a direct (mini) bus ride of 3½ to 4½ hours from Bishkek to Almaty for about 1,200-1,800 tenge, depending on which option you choose (eg 500 som directly from Bishkek Western bus station). For more information, see Almaty.
Boat
Freighters regularly travel between Baku and Aktau, and hitchhiking is possible. It is common for ships to stop, even for weeks, before entering the port, so it is best to stock up on food and water before boarding. Check out freighter rides to better understand how this works.
Travel
You can travel within the country using taxis, buses, trains and planes, it depends on your budget and demands. Renting a car is quite expensive compared to other means of transport.
By bus
In Semipalatinsk (Semey) a marshrutka costs 35 tenge and a large bus costs 35-40 tenge. In Astana it ranges from 60 to 65 tenge.
Public buses
Public transport in big cities is quite popular. You can use buses, trolleybuses, trams and minibuses. A big disadvantage of all of them is that they are never on time and are very crowded at peak times. Also, there is absolutely no plan with bus stops and schedules. If you don't speak Russian, taking the bus will be quite difficult but not impossible.
Marshrutkas
Similar to regular buses and another inexpensive way to get around is by taking a marshrutka. These are the dilapidated transport vans that go around or between cities. They usually have a sign (in Russian) indicating the destination, and the driver usually indicates where they are going. However, you will not find them operating within the city of Almaty.
Long distance buses
They are a popular alternative to trains and are faster, but less comfortable. Similar to train travel, you will need to purchase your ticket in advance and you will be given a seat number. Be careful when the bus makes a toilet stop, the driver often does not check if all passengers are on board before driving away!
Fares are relatively low, for example a single ticket from Almaty to Karaganda (14 hours) will cost 2,500 tenge, much cheaper than a plane ticket.
In taxi
Use taxis as they are very cheap (€ 2-6 within the city). You don't have to use official taxis in most cities, you can basically stop almost any car on the street by raising your hand. It works well in Almaty and Astana, but in Karaganda the best way is to take a taxi by phone. It's somewhat cheaper and even faster than hitchhiking.
Getting to the Almaty airport can be expensive. Taxis to the airport vary greatly in price. Any foreigner will be quoted a very expensive rate, but generally drivers will drop once they see that they will not be able to get that much. $ 50 is outrageous. Do not accept the first price, as you will be overcharged. Must be less than US $ 10, though I never know it can guarantee that a foreigner will get that price. A better option is the minibuses and buses that go to the airport. The word "airport" is very similar in Russian and English.
A common way to get around is by unofficial taxis. At any time of the day, just wave your hand and someone will stop. The locals do this all the time. Negotiate the price and destination before agreeing to go. Around 2 to 4 US dollars is just right for a ride inside the center of Almaty. If your Russian is poor or non-existent, you will be charged much more than the locals; To avoid this, try to use public buses as much as you can and feel free to tell the driver how much you are willing to pay (do so before he tells you how much you want). However, to be safe, do not get into a car if more than one person is driving. Also, do not take this type of taxis for long distances or anywhere that passes through remote areas, as thefts are frequent, especially from foreigners.
Always try to have the exact amount of cash (the price you negotiated with a taxi driver), as they will generally not give you change. So if the price is to be 350 tenge, give the driver 350 tenge, no more (since he may not give the change).
By rail
The train is the most popular way to cover the enormous distances between major cities in Kazakhstan. The main train stations are in Astana, Karaganda, and Almaty, but stations can be found in almost all major cities.
Rolling stock, train classes, ticket and reservation systems were inherited from the old Soviet railways, so they are very similar to the Russian railway system.
Ticket prices are slightly lower than in Russia. Tickets for the Kazakh railways can be purchased online.
Kazakhstan is a big country. For example, it will take almost 24 hours to get from Almaty to Astana. However, going by train is a very fun way to travel, as trains are a great way to meet people. Much has been written about the pitfalls of being included in a party to drink vodka on a train, but for the most part, fellow travelers are friendly and eager to know about you ("why aren't you married?" And , if you are, "why don't you have children?", and if you do, "why don't you have children?"). Most travelers bring food for the trip, as the provision of dining cars is sporadic (and they expect you to share yours too!). If you don't have enough to last the distance
There is also a train called Talgo, which can cover the distance from Almaty and Astana in 9 hours. The cost of the ticket is about 9,000 tenge.
By plane
Air Astana offers offices in some of the main hotels in the big cities; it is the fastest way to travel within the city for those who can afford it. The aircraft are new and meet European quality standards. Qazaq Air is a cheaper alternative and also offers some connections between the main cities of Kazakhstan, the most frequent connection being the Astana - Almaty route.
To buy
Money
| Kazakhstani tenge exchange rates As of January 2020:
Exchange rates fluctuate. Current rates for these and other currencies are available on XE.com |
The national currency is have , denoted by the symbol " ₸ "or" T "(Cyrillic: тенге, ISO code: KZT). In Wikivoyage we use have to denote the currency, for example, 100 tenge.
Costs
How much does it cost? (2019)
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Kazakhstan is a bit more expensive than Uzbekistan, but it is still cheaper than Turkmenistan. A sandwich on the street costs between $ 0.30 and $ 0.70. A night in a dormitory in the big cities costs between 10 and 20 dollars. A more comfortable double room costs between $ 60 and $ 80.
Shopping
Even for people who are not big buyers, beautifully crafted felt items will still appeal. They are also easy to transport and inexpensive to post.
Eat and drink
To eat
Meats, potatoes, rice and pasta. And a lot. If you are a vegetarian, be careful, because if it does not have meat, it will surely cook in meat broth.
Some recommended dishes:
- Beshbarmak - "five fingers", a pasta and horse meat dish with potato and onion. The traditional national dish of Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan is most often served for special occasions. It can also be prepared with beef or lamb. Most restaurants that serve it will feature a serving size enough for two or three people.
- Kazy - Handmade horse meat sausage, can be cooked and served with Beshbarmak, but not in restaurants, unless requested when pre-ordering from the menu. Otherwise, it would be served as a cold meat appetizer with other types of cold cuts (Zhaya, Basturma, Shyzhyk). And a separate price would be charged. Kazakh dish.
- Laghman - a thick noodle dish with meat, carrot and onion, usually served as soup; some other vegetables can also be added.
- Manty - Large steamed meatballs filled with meat and onions. Sometimes it is made with onion or pumpkin. Traditional Uighur dish.
- Plov - Wonderful dish of fried rice, meat, carrots, and sometimes other bits like raisins or tomatoes. Traditional Uzbek dish.
- Shashlyk or Shish Kebab: skewers, roasted pieces of marinated meat, served with some type of flatbread (usually lavash) and onions. You can use various marinades and different ways of cooking it, open fire or others.
- Baursaky - Bread is best served warm. A bit like a sugar free donut. Kazakh.
- Pelmeni: dumplings made with different types of meat or potato. Russian.
If you are a vegetarian, you are probably thinking that there is nothing for you in Kazakhstan. And you're right, if you eat out. But if you are cooking your own food, you will be more than satisfied. Kazakhstan has some great products available in small markets everywhere. You will be amazed at the taste and availability of fresh organic vegetables at a low price! For a treat in Almaty, try Govinda's, a delicious Hare Krishna vegetarian restaurant. Malls have food courts with some vegetarian options as well. Even some small Kazakh restaurants will prepare vegetarian meals for you if you make it very clear to them (for example, "byez myasa" (no meat), "ya vegeterianetz" (I [man] am a vegetarian), "ya vegetarianka" (I [woman] am vegetarian) in Russian). In some places (eg.
The legacy of Korean resettlement in Kazakhstan means that Korean dishes, particularly salads, are very common. In the country's many bazaars (independent food and produce markets), look for the Korean ladies who sell them. They will wrap any number of delicious, often spicy and garlic salads for take out in plastic bags. If you are a vegetarian, this may be the only decent thing you can eat while in the country.
On the other hand, in Kazakhstan you can find any dish you want, but Chinese and Japanese dishes are very expensive. The most delicious is caviar, which is very cheap. You can buy 1 kilo of caviar for less than US $ 300 at Almaty Zyeloniy Bazaar, but you cannot export it or take it home with you; they will stop you at the airport and pay heavy fines.
Eating out is relatively cheap; You basically order the meat dish and then you add rice, potatoes, etc. Each item is priced individually, so you can order, for example, just meat or just rice. Prices are relatively cheap, 500 tenge for chicken, 1,000 tenge for beef and up to 1,500 tenge for horse, a local delicacy. Of course, the fancier the restaurant, the higher the price. If you don't speak Russian, things are relatively difficult as most restaurants do not have English menus (with the exception of some advertised places in Almaty).
Although Kazakhs are not very religious, most do not eat pork. Keep this in mind if you are dining with Kazakhs or planning a dinner at home. Also many dishes that are prepared elsewhere with pork (such as meatballs or sausages) are made here with beef or lamb.
To drink
Traditional drinks include:
- Kumiss - Fermented mare's milk, up to 6% alcohol content. Imagine sour lemonade, mixed with semi-sour milk.
- Kumyran (Shubat) - fermented camel milk
- Kvass Described as similar to root beer, it can be bought in a bottle in a store or in a mug from people with giant yellowish tanks on the street.
- So . Fizzy drink based on mare's milk.
- Cheap alcoholic drinks can be found in every little corner store (called astanovka). These places are open 24/7, just knock on your door if the merchant is asleep. Kazakhstan's specialty is cognac, although stores still sell vodka cheaper than bottled water sometimes. However, some of these astanovka sometimes sell alcohol of dubious origin; For the sake of your stomach, you may want to buy your drink from a supermarket, although the price will definitely be higher.
- Various brands of beer , of good quality and flavor, they are made in Karaganda. Becker, Staut, Tian-Shan, Derbes, Irbis, Alma-Ata. Local brands made in Almaty are pretty good.
- Juices They are common and delicious in cartons, especially peach juice.
- The tea it is widely available, mostly very good and often quite strong. If you are on a budget, this is what to order with your meal. Tea is culturally important in Kazakhstan: "Shai" time is one of the most important things a visitor can participate in to learn about the culture.
- Coffee . Modern coffee shops and western-style cafes are popping up. They serve good coffee. Coffeedelia (Kabanbai batyr and Furmanov) is popular with expats and makes good coffee. One of the best coffees in Almaty can be found at 4A Coffee, where they roast theirs every day. You can also find Gloria Jeans and Marone Rosso.
- The wine . Try the local variety. You can get a good one for less than $ 4 a bottle. "Bibigul" is perhaps the most consistently good wine, and it comes in a semi-dry red or a semi-dry white. Avoid drinking wine in restaurants. It is usually very expensive.
- Vodka . Good vodka at $ 8-10 a bottle. In restaurants that don't tend to cater to foreigners you get 20 (!) Cl if you order a vodka, there are no smaller portions available. Buy a bottle of "Kazakhstan" vodka to go. It is in a nice bottle with a picture of a Kazakh hunting with a hawk seen through a "window". Taste the vodka Mayor , which is made from the local deer antler pantacrene.
external links
Wikipedia has an article on Kazakhstan.w: Kazakhstan
Wikimedia Commons houses multimedia content about Kazakhstan. Commons
