Country Facts
The world's ninth biggest country is one of its last great travel unknowns. The leafy commercial and social hub, Almaty, has an almost European feel. Astana, in the north, is being transformed into a 21st-century capital with a unique mix of Islamic, Western, Soviet and wacky futuristic architecture. Around the fringes of the great steppes, Kazakhstan presents an array of surprising adventures. You can trek on foot or go on horseback in the spectacular Tian Shan or Altay Mountains, watch flamingos on steppe lakes or discover mysterious underground mosques near the Caspian Sea.
- Capital: Astana
- Official Languages: Kazakh, Russian
- Government: Presidential Republic
- Currency: Tenge
- Time Zone: West/East +5/+6 GMT. (½ and 1 hour behind India)
- Telephone Calling Code: 007
When To Go
Best time to visit: Kazakhstan's climate is extremely continental and very dry. The best time to visit Kazakhstan is in spring (April to June) or autumn (September to October) when temperatures are mild. Summer temperatures average 70°F (21°C) in the north and 81°F (27°C) in the south. Snow starts to fall around November.
What To Do
Kazakh cuisine traditionally revolves around mutton and horse meat and as well as various milk products.
What to eat and drink
- Besbarmak: A very popular dish consisting of boiled horse
- Hazy and Shuzhuk: Horsemeat sausages
- Baursak or Bauyrsaq: A ball-shaped doughnut fried in oil and sprinkled with sugar
- Kuimak, Kattama and Oima: Flat puff cakes fried in oil then covered in cream
- Manti: A spiced mixture of ground lamb (or beef) spiced with black pepper, enclosed in a dough wrapper
Shopping
Black wood statues, Silk paintings, Kazakh stacking-nesting dolls, felt home shoes/ boots/ vests/ hats, traditional dwelling yurt, quilts, jewelry boxes, rugs, carpets.
