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Republic of Kazakhstan - former republic of the USSR, west of the Ural River

Kazakhstan borders upon China, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, the Russian Federation and has a coastline on the Caspian Sea.

Provinces in Kazakhstan : Almaty, Aqmola, Aqtobe, Atyrau, Batys Qazaqstan (Oral), Mangghystau (Aqtau), Ongtustik Qazaqstan (Shymkent), Pavlodar, Qaraghandy, Qostanay, Qyzylorda, Shyghys Qazaqstan (Oskemen; formerly Ust'-Kamenogorsk), Soltustik Qazaqstan (Petropavl), Taldyqorghan, Torghay, Zhambyl (Taraz).

Capital City of Kazakhstan: Astana


car hire, hotels, tour operator, travel guides, transportation / traveling to kazakhstan 

links


Car Rental Kazakhstan

 Europcar - Almaty downtown / Almaty airport

Hotels in Kazakstan

 Hyatt Regency Almaty - hotel looks over the city and the Alatau mountains. About 20 km from Almaty International airport.
 Hotel Otrar - City Center Almata
 Best Eastern Hotels - Hotels in Aktobe, Almaty, Astana and Karaganda
 Allrussianhotels.com
Gateway to over 100 bookable hotels in Russia, Ukraine, Baltic States and countries of the former Soviet Union and CIS.

National Parks

 National Park Borowoje-Kokschetau

Tour Operator / Travel Agents





 KLM Travel to Kazakhstan - Travel with KLM
Hotel booking and car hire also available. Check our air tickets and special offers online. Book your flight to Kazakhstan at KLM 

 Bestway Tours & Safaris - Cultural Tours in Kazakstan
 Central Asia Tourism Corporation
 Asiatour - Travel Agent in Alma Ata

Travel Guides Kazakhstan / Related books

Once in Kazakhstan: The Snow Leopard Emerges - by Keith Rosten
Kazakhstan became independent as the Soviet Union disintegrated in 1991. Author Keith Rosten was a Fulbright Lecturer in Kazakhstan soon after the country gained independence. In Once in Kazakhstan, Rosten draws a sometimes humorous portrait of a critical period in the emergence of Kazakhstan. He interweaves the challenges and exhilaration of living in Kazakhstan with the historical backdrop of a country grappling with its independence. From horse heads in the Central Market, to guns on the ski slopes, to the first-ever parliamentary elections, Rosten takes the reader on a whirlwind tour of the country. He leads the reader on a tour of the war monuments in Almaty and the mines of Karaganda. He vividly recounts the change in currency from the Soviet ruble to the tenge. He travels with a candidate for parliament to a rural village near Semipalatinsk and journeys to the Karakhan Mausoleum in Dzhambul. Rosten uses his knowledge of Russian living and language to give the reader access to non-English sources on the history, politics, traditions, and spirit of Kazakhstan. The book contains photographs of the people, places, and monuments of the country. Once in Kazakhstan is an invaluable resource for anyone who is traveling to Kazakhstan.
Paperback: 254 pages; Publisher: iUniverse, Inc. (January 13, 2005); Language: English; ISBN-10: 0595327826; ISBN-13: 978-0595327829
Central Asia - Lonely Planet Travel Guide
by Bradley Mayhew (Author)
Discover Central Asia. Lose yourself among the blue domes and mosaics of the Registan in Samarkand, Uzbekistan - Play Marco Polo, exploring Silk Road forts while bathed in the light of the snowcapped Hindu Kush in the Wakhan Valley, Tajikistan - Watch a Kyrgyz eagle hunter in action and taste the delights of fermented mare's milk in Kyrgyzstan - Follow in the footsteps of British spies, Chinese pilgrims and Russian explorers and embark on your own Great Game.
Paperback: 516 pages; Publisher: Lonely Planet Publications; 4 edition (August 2007); Language: English; ISBN-10: 1741046149; ISBN-13: 978-1741046144
The Silk Road: Two Thousand Years in the Heart of Asia - by Frances Wood (Author)
Illustrated with drawings, manuscripts, paintings and artifacts, this historical journey through the byways of the old Silk Road is a beautifully rendered tribute to the thousands of years in which these routes served as the center of trade.
Paperback: 270 pages; Publisher: University of California Press; 1 edition (September 20, 2004); Language: English; ISBN-10: 0520243404; ISBN-13: 978-0520243408

Transport / How do I travel to Kazakhstan

 Alma Ata Airport - Almaty International Airport
Online arrivals ad departures.

 Air Astana
Flights from London to Almaty

 Airline Tickets / Bargain Flights

 Map of Kazakstan [ Uni Texas - Perry-Castañeda Bibliothek - Map Collection ]
  Silk Road Countries World Map  
For centuries European traders travelled the Silk Road in search of riches from the Orient. This map details National Parks, the routes from Eastern Turkey to Western China and all the great caravan cities.
Map (July 25, 2003); Publisher: GeoCenter International Ltd; Language: English; ISBN: 3707904059


Links 

 Travel Insurance 

 President.kz - official website

 Welcome to Kazakhstan - a lot of info from several sources

 Almaty - Capital City untill 1997

 Altaj and Altajvorland
Zajsan Lake, Sourth Altaj and Markakol, Zentraler Altaj und Bjelucha, Westaltaj
 Steppe / Sary Arka
Tengiz and Korgal´zhin, Caspian Switzerland - Burabaj, Bajanaul, Abajs
 Caspian Sea border
Mangyschlak, Ustjurt-Plateau, Delta of the Ural
 Siebenstromenland / Zhetysu
Tien Schan, Zhongar Alatau, Ile-Ebene and Balchasch
 South-Kazakhstan
Silk Road, Talas Alatau

 Almaty
 Aqmola
 Aqtobe
 Atyrau
 Batys Qazaqstan [ Ural ]
 Mangghystau [ Aqtau ]
 Ongtustik Qazaqstan [ Shymkent ]
 Pavlodar 
 Qaraghandy
 Qostanay
 Qyzylorda
 Shyghys Qazaqstan [ Oskemen; formerg y Ust'-Kamenogorsk ]
 Soltustik Qazaqstan [ Petropavl ]
 Taldyqorghan
 Torghay
 Zhambyl [ Taraz ]

 Calala 

 Aqtau, former Shevkenko
Aqtau did not begin it's existence until 1963. I was originally built as a "Soviet Model" of how cities should be built. It has wide, straight streets and sandy beaches. It was called Shevkenko for awhile because of a poet who was exiled there as a political prisoner. Aqtau means "white mountain" in Kazak, so named after the vast, flat steppes surrounding the city!
Een beetje een toeristische attractie geworden, mede door zijn ligging aan de Kaspische Zee [ het water aldaar nodigt niet tot zwemmen aan - wordt gezegd ].
 Astana [ also called Akmola, Aqmola, Tselinograd or Akmolinsk ]
Astana has been an important rail junction in Northern Kazakstan. It is located along the Ishim River and they produce agricultural machinery, chemicals and has meat-packing plants.
 Atyrai - capital of caviar
This city was founded as a Russian military base on the east bank of the Ural River in 1645. It has grown to expand on both sides of the river, leaving half of the city in Europe and the other half in Russia. Today, it is known for its oil refineries (from the rich oil deposits in the Caspian Sea) and for providing much of the caviar for the former Soviet Union
 Baykonur, also called Baikonur, Leninsk or Tyuratam.
Baykonur has long been known as a place upon where the Soviets' heroes left this earth and became the first in space. It is from this launching point in central Kazakstan that Sputnik was launched in October 4, 1957 . It is also from here that the first person to orbit the earth, Yuri Gagarin, started the "Space Race" with the United States.
Baykonur has been the foundation of the Soviet space program. While there were two other launching pads, Plesetsk (Northern Russia) and Kasputin (Central Russia) , this was the primary launching point for manned missions. Currently, Russia has agreed to lease Baykonur from the independent country of Kazakstan for 20 years at $115 million in annual rent
 Kyzl Orda, also called Qyzylorda, Ak-Mechet or Perovsk
It was originally founded as the far western fortress Ak-Mechet for the Kokand khanate (state). In 1853, Russian forces took it over and renamed it Perovsk. From 1925 until 1929, Kyzl Orda was the capital of the Kazak Soviet Socialist Republic (SSR).
Today, Kyzl Orda is the capital of the Kyzl Orda Oblast (or state). Located along the Syrdariya River, it is a fertile rice growing area. Unlike many of the other areas along the Syrdariya, they are unable to grow cotton because of their northern latitude. The climate of Kyzl Orda has also under gone a change since the Soviets took power. Talking to Kazaks who have lived there for many years, they have noticed that the winters are colder and the summers hotter. Much of this may be attributable to the shrinking of the Aral Sea.
Of the cities in Kazakstan, Kyzl Orda is one of the most Kazak cities. Over 90% of the population speaks Kazak as the mother tongue and it is one of the few large cities in Kazakstan that one can get around in using only Kazak.
 Medeo - skate rink
 Semey, former Semipalatinsk
Semey werd in 1718 oorspronkelijk opgezet als een fort op een lokatie dicht in de buurt van de huidige locatie.
In 1778 werd het fort verplaatst naar de plek nu bij de rivier de Irtysh.

This was the major nuclear testing sight for the Soviet Union. Much of the testing was done above ground, causing the spread of radiation throughout the area. Reservoirs were even made using a nuclear explosion to provide water for the residents. Over 470 nuclear bombs were exploded here between 1949 and 1989. Semey is only 93 miles (150 km) from where most of the testing occurred. Because of the lack of environmental concerns, many of the citizens of Semey suffer some form of radiation poisoning.

 Bank - National Bank of kazakhstan
 News - Kazpravda - Kazachsmanskaja Pravda - daily online
 News from Kazakstan - Internews - located in US, CA
 North-Kazakstan - het meest gerussificeerd
 Skiing - Chimbulak
At the end of the forties mountain skis amateurs discovered a remarkable place located in Chimbulak tract, at a height of 2200 metres above sea level. A long natural mountainside ideal for skiing down, with various relief in combination with unique snow content, as was discovered later, providing the better sliding and linking, has charmed everybody. Later on the first downhill route in the country complying with the international requirements was opened. Accommodation in Medeo ???
 Russianclimb.com
Russianclimb alpinism, expeditions, mountain regions in Russia and CIS
 Tien Shan Mountains with the Khan Tengri
 Vladimir Snatenkov - world traveller
Is a leader among Russian travelers in fulfilling desert routes. Has taken part in expeditions and trips in deserts: Kara-Kum, Kyzyl-Kum, Sahara, Libyan (Africa), Syrian, Negev, Vadi-Ram (Middle East), Dasht-e-Lut, Dasht-e-Kevir, Mekran, Beludgistan (Iran), Sandi (Pakistan), Thar (Pakistan, India), Takla Makan and Gobi (China), Atacama (S.America), Namib (Namibia), Kalahari (Botswana), Gibson, Simpson (Australia). In Gobi and Sahara he took solo trips of more than 200 kilometers long.

 Khorgos [ China Border ]

 Yerzhan's Guide to Kazakhstan - many sources with info about Kazachstan.
 Kazak Info - geography, culture, religion, economy, etc.
 WorldSkip Guide to Kazakhstan - links to news, products & services
 Kazakhstan - travel, accommodations, restaurants, education, etc.

Cuisine - Kazakh Cooking

In general Kazakhs prefer meat dishes. Favorite national dish of Kazakhs is beshbarmak. Beshbarmak is cooked of mutton, horse meat, beef and dough. Such dishes of horse meat as kazy, karta, zhal, zhaya and of course kumyss are favourable. Medicinal drink kumuss (mare's milk) has curative qualities and effect and is used for treatment of lung and intestinal-gastric illnesses. Taking into account that peoples of more than hundred nationalities live in Kazakhstan, cuisine of Kazakhstan people is various. All Kazakhstan people love national dishes of Russian, Uighur, Ukrainian, Uzbek, Korean and European cuisine.

 Cuisine of Kazakhstan [ some recipes ]

History of Kazakhstan

Independence: 16 December 1991 from the Soviet Union.

 Kazakhstan's History - Wikipedia
Overview, Background, Historical Setting, Early Tribal Movements, Forming the Modern Nation, Russian Control, In the Soviet Union, Reform and Nationalist Conflict, The Rise of Nazarbayev, Sovereignty and Independence

Music, Art & Culture, Events & Entertainment

Kazakhstan is a Turkic nation.

 Music of Kazakhstan - listen to the samples
 Music from Almati 

Modern Clan Politics: The Power Of "Blood" In Kazakhstan and Beyond
by Edward Schatz (Author)
Edward Schatz explores the politics of kin-based clan divisions in the post-Soviet state of Kazakhstan. Drawing from extensive ethnographic and archival research, interviews, and wide-ranging secondary sources, he highlights a politics that poses a two-tiered challenge to current thinking about modernity and Central Asia. First, asking why kinship divisions do not fade from political life with modernization, he shows that the state actually constructs clan relationships by infusing them with practical political and social meaning . By activating the most important quality of clans - their "concealability" - the state is itself responsible for the vibrant politics of these sub ethnic divisions which has emerged and flourished in post-Soviet Kazakhstan.
Paperback: 250 pages; Publisher: University of Washington Press (December 31, 2004); Language: English; ISBN-10: 0295984473; ISBN-13: 978-0295984476

Web Portals / Search Engine / Directory

 Embassy of the Republic of Kazakhstan
 Asiaco Kazakhstan - search engine and directory with news, jobs, travel etc.
 Kazakhstan Freenet - links to web sites about Kazakhstan
 Kazakinfo.com
 Welcome to Kazakhstan - lots of info [ sources ] about Kazakhstan.

 Yahoo Kazakhstan Directories


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