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Travel Guide
Visiting Kazakhstan
Select your passport to instantly check if you need a visa.
Discover
Top Attractions in Kazakhstan
The most iconic and unmissable experiences this country has to offer.
UNESCO World Heritage
Mausoleum of Khoja Ahmed Yasawi
Commissioned by Timur (Tamerlane) in the late 14th century to honour the revered Sufi poet and mystic Khoja Ahmed Yasawi, this UNESCO World Heritage Site is one of the finest surviving examples of Timurid architecture in the world. Its vast ribbed turquoise dome, intricate tilework, and monumental portal were experimental works that directly influenced the later construction of Samarkand. The complex remains an active site of pilgrimage and includes a mosque, palace halls, and a library.
Charyn Canyon
Around 200 kilometres east of Almaty, Charyn Canyon cuts through 12-million-year-old red sandstone to depths of up to 300 metres, earning comparisons to the Grand Canyon in the United States. The 3-kilometre Valley of Castles trail winds between towering eroded pillars, while the canyon floor shelters a relic grove of Sogdian ash trees that survived the last Ice Age. Visitor numbers have grown sevenfold since 2020, reflecting the canyon's growing reputation as one of Central Asia's most dramatic natural landscapes.
Wise
Your bank marks up every USD you spend in Kazakhstan. Wise doesn't.
- No foreign transaction fees
- Free ATM withdrawals up to your limit
- Pay in local currency at the real rate
4.8 ★ App Store·4.8 ★ Google Play
Airalo eSIM
Your phone plan was built for home. This one was built for Kazakhstan.
- No SIM swapping
- No data roaming charges
- Active in minutes
4.7 ★ App Store·4.6 ★ Google Play
Health & Safety
Health & Emergency Info
Before You Travel
Before you travel check that: your destination can provide the healthcare you may need you have appropriate travel insurance for local treatment or unexpected medical evacuation This is particularly important if you have a health condition or are pregnant. Emergency medical number Dial 103 and ask for an ambulance. The operator answering may not speak English. Contact your insurance company quickly if you’re referred to a medical facility for treatment. Vaccine recommendations and health risks At least 8 weeks before your trip: check the latest vaccine recommendations for Kazakhstan see where
Full health advice (FCDO) →Emergency Numbers
Police102
Ambulance103
Fire101
Health information sourced from UK FCDO. Always consult a travel health professional before departure.
Practical Info
Travel Essentials
Travel Guide
Frequently Asked Questions About Visiting Kazakhstan
Entry requirements vary by passport. Check the requirements for your specific passport on the Kazakhstan page at Yoogo.
Kazakhstan's currency is the Kazakhstani tenge (KZT). Card payments are common in hotels, restaurants, and larger shops in Almaty and Astana, but carrying cash remains useful for smaller vendors, markets, and local transport. ATMs accepting Visa and Mastercard are widely available in cities and at airports.
Kazakhstan is generally considered a safe destination for travellers, with the US State Department rating it at Level 1 (exercise normal precautions). Petty theft is the most common concern in busy urban areas, so the usual city-travel precautions apply. Violent crime against tourists is uncommon.
Almaty has a single metro line that is clean and inexpensive, and both cities have buses and trolleybuses covering most areas. Ride-hailing apps such as Yandex Go are widely used and straightforward for non-Russian speakers. Long-distance travel between cities is possible by domestic flight or overnight train, with flights being significantly faster given Kazakhstan's vast distances.
The shoulder seasons of April to May and September to October offer the most pleasant conditions for travel, with mild temperatures and scenic landscapes in bloom or autumn colour. Summers can be very hot on the steppe (above 40°C in places), while winters are severe across most of the country, with temperatures regularly dropping below -20°C. Mountain regions near Almaty are accessible for hiking from June through early October.
Kazakh and Russian are both official languages, with Russian widely understood across all major cities. English is spoken in hotels, international restaurants, and some tourist services in Almaty and Astana, but is less common outside these areas. Learning a few words of Russian or downloading a translation app can be very helpful for navigating daily interactions.
Hepatitis A and typhoid vaccines are commonly recommended for most travellers, and all visitors should be up to date with routine immunisations including MMR and tetanus-diphtheria. Tick-borne encephalitis is a risk in forested and rural areas, particularly in eastern regions during spring and summer, so consult a travel health professional at least four to six weeks before departure. Malaria is not present in Kazakhstan.
Tipping is appreciated but not obligatory. In restaurants, leaving around 10% is customary if a service charge has not already been included in the bill, which is common at smarter establishments. Taxi drivers and ride-hailing services do not generally expect tips, though rounding up the fare is a small appreciated gesture.