KAZAKHSTAN REPUBLIC

Capital: Astana
The biggest city: Almaty
Official languages: The state language: Kazakh,
the language of interethnic communication: Russian
Form of government: Presidential Republic, President Nursultan Nazarbayev
Date of Independence: December 16, 1991 (from USSR)
Area: 2,724,900 sq km (9th)
Water table %: 1,7
Population: January 2010 estimate 15,999,483
Currency: Tenge (KZT)
Internet: .kz
Country code: +7
Time zone: West/East (UTC +5/+6)

KAZAKHSTAN

Kazakhstan has something for every kind of tourist. A rich history and diverse ethnic heritage have left scores of diverse sights of interest for the sightseer; the natural
environment offers innumerable opportunities in eco- and sports tourism, the latter including trekking, mountaineering - Kazakhstan being particularly well provided for
as far as mountains are concerned - fishing and hunting, the latter already popular with an established clientele who value the diversity of species available and the
relatively low cost of such trips. The wealth of religious sites, mostly, but not all, connected with Islam, attract a steady and growing number of visitors.
There are also numerous places of interest associated with the Silk Road, mostly in the south, and especially in the valleys of the Chu, Talas and Syrdarya rivers. Remains
in Kazakhstan dating from the Middle Ages are of significance not only for Kazakhstan but for the wider world, so many of the events and actors with which they are
associated having achieved international recognition.
*Photo by Dagmar Schreiber

ASTANA THE CAPITAL CITY

Astana is very possibly the fastest-changing city in the world, and its changing for the better. I say that despite a generally sceptical view of life and patriotism and that
sort of thing. Its just a fact: if you leave Astana for a month, on your return you see changes that would have taken years in other cities. Everything is new: streets and
houses, statues and squares, quays and bridges.
The sun rises and sets quickest of all on the left bank of the Ishim, where the most immense construction projects are currently under way, the architects obviously
competing with one another in the originality and scale of their erections. And the speed: the buildings, of the weirdest variety of shapes, just appear overnight. Its like
mushrooms.
The Baiterek tower, set to become the most visible symbol of Kazakhstan, has not yet achieved the popularity expected of it as Kazakhstans Eiffel Tower. Itll be a few
years before the holes and skeletons in the panorama from the tower - foundation pits and steel frames - are replaced by multi-storey buildings, and the brown of the
local clay covered over by grass, trees and asphalt. But still, itll be quick: the pace has been set.
A good place for an overview of Kazakhstan is the Atameken Ethnopark, a huge relief map featuring models of the most important sights around the country. Although
recent additions to the exhibit have been a little disproportionate, a criticism acknowledged by all, it is still useful and interesting to be able to see the whole country in
miniature and to travel around it along paths that lead you from one region to another.
Right next to Atameken is the Duman Oceanarium. This kind of attraction always claims some kind of superlative for itself, often in defiance of the facts. But the Duman
management have decided to play safe and have opted for most distant from the ocean; which, although it is true, seems to lack a certain something, a certain
significance. Still, it is true; and likely to remain so until they put one in space.
*

Photos by Anastacia Lee, Vitaliy Shuptar

ECOLOGICAL TOURISM OF KAZAKHSTAN

Kazakhstan, occupying a territory of 2.7 million square kilometers, is the ninth largest country in the world by territory with only 15 million inhabitants. The country is
sparsely populated and has a great variety of vast natural landscapes, which have not been preserved. Steppes, deserts, semi-deserts, grand rock massifs with thick
forests, Alpine meadows and glaciers, rivers in their primeval water fronts, almost unbuilt-up coast of the Caspian Sea, and on top of all that it has a wide diversity of
climatic and vegetation zones. The ecological tourism is the only adequate form of development of the tourism industry.
At the present time, the Ecotourism Information Resource Center (EIRC) is coordinating activities for more than 60 rural guesthouses in the following regions:

Almaty oblast:

Talgar, about 30 km to the east from Almaty, at the base of the Tien Shan Mountains, immediately at the entry to Ile-Alatau National park.

Saty, about 280 km to the east from Almaty, in the valley of the Shelek River between two main ranges of the Tien Shan, among the forest, not far from

picturesque Kolsai lakes.

Lepsinsk and Amanbokter, about 600 km to the northeast from Almaty, at the bottom of the Jungar Alatau Mountains, local forests and meadows are

renowned due to apiaries.

Southern Kazakhstan:

Zhabagly, central farmstead of Aksu-Zhabagly nature preserve, at the bottom of the Western Tien Shan, remarkable due to diverse vegetation, including tulips

and juniper forests.

Ugam, several beautiful, typically Kazakh villages aslope the Western Tien Shan, at the entry to Sairam-Ugam national park, in the region with superb history

and culture.
Central and Northern Kazakhstan:

Korgalzhyn, 180 km westward of Astana in the steppe, adjacent to Korgalzhyn nature preserve, which was included in UNESCOs World Heritage List in 2008,

this place, is of particular interest to ornithologists.

Kokshetau, several former Cossack settlements amid woods and lakes, at 250 km to the northwest from Astana.

Karkaraly, hilly, occasionally rocky oasis in the steppe, rich in forests and lakes, about 200 km to the east from Karaganda.

Kazakhstani Altai:

Ridder, about 160 km to the north from Ust-Kamenogorsk in taiga mountain; in summer flourishing meadows, snow in the winter, and it also has wooden villas

and genuine Russian bath in the forest.

Katon-Karagai, about 250 km to the east from Ust-Kamenogorsk in the valley of the Bukhtarma River, not for from the legendary Mount Belukha and

picturesque high-mountain lake of Markakol, in Katon-Karagai national park; this place is ideal for trekking and horseback riding.

* Photos by Herman Vendhuizen, Aleksander Yermolyonok, Dagmar Schreiber

ZHETISU THE LAND OF RIVERS AND A HUNDRED MOUNTAINS

For centuries the south-eastern part of present-day Kazakhstan has been known as Zhetysu, which means 'seven rivers' in Kazakh (the Russian name, a literal
translation, is Semirechye). The reason for the name is - surprise surprise - the numerous rivers large and small that stream down the slopes of the Tien Shan and the
Jungar Alatau mountains.
The fertile river valleys of Semirechye have been inhabited for millennia, which explains the huge number of sites of archaeological importance dating from - among
others - the Sak epoch (which include the Issyk burial mound and the Bes-Shatyr barrows). The Turkic period is also well represented: in the heyday of the Silk Roads
Kazakhstan branch, a number of Semirechye cities were highly developed. It was in these lands that the Kazakh Khanate arose.
Semirechye is richly endowed with natural attractions, some of which are afforded state protection in national parks at Ile-Alatau, Sharyn, and Altyn-Emel, and in nature
preserves at Alakol and Almaty. Geology and climate are varied, with the snow-covered mountains of the Tien Shan and the Jungar Alatau descending into the hot and
arid expanses of the Saryyesik-Atyrau, Moyinkum and Taukum deserts. The highest peak in Kazakhstan, Khan-Tengri (6995 meters) is located in Semirechye.
Administratively, the lands of Zhetysu constitute Almaty oblast and the city of Almaty, the latter the largest city in the region and the former capital of Kazakhstan.
Because of its national prominence the city is administratively independent of the oblast of the same name, whose capital is the city of Taldykorgan.
*Photo by Michael Camp

ALONG THE ROAD TO SHARYN

Canyon of the Sharyn River: local residents are very fond of comparing it with the Grand Canyon in the USA. This unique natural sanctuary, stretching for 154 km at a
depth of 350 m, with its sculptures of sandstone, represents yet another facet of the diverse landscape around Almaty and it is a must see site on the route of every
person travelling in Kazakhstan.
The best way to descend into the canyon is through one side of the plain, bearing picturesque name of Valley of castles. Due to dust and pebble-stone on slopes, the
ground is very slippery in places. Therefore, wearing shoes with sound soles is a good idea. In summer, it is particularly hot at the canyon. Prickly shrub and scarce
desert vegetation mostly wizened under scorching sun, engulfs the road. Often it is possible to see lizards, basking in the sunshine on hot stones. Small snakes hide in
tall bushes, as well as scorpions, or even poisonous spiders inhabit this area. Its true to say that a vigilant person has nothing to fear.
You can replenish your stock of water at any time of day in the lonely yurt (nomads tent). Needless to say, the water in the river is also very clean. And next to the yurt
there is an open-air wooden pavilion.
Standing on the edge of the canyon you may enjoy the fantastic view of the abyss, the depth of which is 100 meters. Massive overhangs make it possible to come very
near to the steep slopes: there are neither guarding rails nor warning signs. The Sharyn glistens afar. Especially in the evening hours, the sun and colourful sand slopes
form the very symbiosis, which saturates the whole surrounding with intensive colouring. It is high time to enjoy the silence and solitude, before you dive again into the
noisy and busy city of Almaty.
*Photo by Michael Camp

SOUTH KAZAKHSTAN - WHERE ANTIQUITY MEETS THE SPACE-AGE

Southern Kazakhstan occupies the territory from the Aral Sea in the west to the Chu valley in the east and from the Betpak-Dala desert in the north to the
Shardarinskaya steppe in the south. The region is divided into three oblasts: Kyzylorda oblast, with its capital at Kyzylorda; South Kazakhstan oblast, with its capital at
Shymkent; and Zhambyl oblast, whose capital is Taraz.
The region is mainly flat, much of it desert or arid steppe as in the Moyinkum, Betpak-Dala, Kyzylkum and Priaralskiye Karakums areas. However, there are numerous
rivers, the most important being the Syrdarya, which flows north-west to the Aral Sea; the Talas and the Chu. In the south-east the land is hilly and mountainous, with
four spurs from the western Tien Shan - the Karatau, Talas Alatau, Karzhantau and Ugam ranges - projecting into it from Kyrgyzstan. The highest mountain is Sairam, its
summit at an elevation of 4,238 meters. The diversity of the mountain ecology contrasts starkly with the barrenness of the desert steppe that prevails throughout the
remainder of the region.
The culture of the region stretches back thousands of years, but is in essence a combination of traditions, the heritage of the steppe nomads, whose main occupation
was livestock breeding, mingling with that of the settled farmers inhabiting the numerous settlements of the Syrdarya, Talas and Chu river valleys.

KHODJA AKHMED YASAVI AND TURKESTAN. Of the many places in southern Kazakhstan that have been the object of pilgrimage for Muslims over the centuries,
probably the most revered is the mausoleum of Khodja Akhmed Yasavi, the poet, thinker, preacher and head of the Yasaviya sufi order, and the khanaka, or gathering
place for members of the order, on the same site. UNESCO has acknowledged the importance of the place: in 2004 the site joined UNESCOs list of world heritage sites.
But the man, Akhmed Yasavi, has been revered for centuries: his name is rarely used without its customary honorific, Khazret-Sultan, meaning Sultan of Saints. It and he
are known throughout the Muslim world.
THE STORY OF ANCIENT OTRAR. The ancient settlement at Otrar was first excavated in 1969. Remains were found of a number of brick structures, including a palace,
mosques, a bath-house and ovens. The settlement dates back to the first century AD. It is believed that for a while it formed part of the Kangyui state, when it was
called Tarban, or Turaband. First mention of Otrar or Farab (the latter name etymologically Arabic) occurs at the beginning of the ninth century, when the settlement
belonged to the town of Ispijab and the Samanid state. There was a mint there.
One of the residents of Otrar at that time was the philosopher Abu Nasr al Farabi. A man of encyclopaedic breadth of interest - he was a philosopher, poet, composer,
linguist, mathematician, doctor, agronomist and botanist - he was referred to by his students as the second teacher - meaning second only to Aristotle.
TOPOGRAPHY AND PLACES OF INTEREST. Otrars citadel and town - or shakhristan - were built on a roughly pentagonal hill called Otrar-tobe whose flat top, about
18 meters higher than the surrounding plain, measures 20 hectares in area. The citadel was an approximately triangular structure somewhere near the middle of the
shakhristan, whose exact location is however unknown. The entire hill was surrounded by walls which still lean between 10 and 20 degrees out of true. Turrets on the
walls have been reduced by time to rounded lumps. There were three gates: one at the mid-point of the west wall and the other two opposite each other in the southand north-eastern walls. A central street divided the settlement into eastern and western halves, linking the southern and northern entrances. The adjoining 150-hectare
rabad was fortified as well, although much of the wall has disappeared.

*Photos by Vitaliy Shuptar,

CENTRAL KAZAKHSTAN - THE STEPPE KINGDOM

Central Kazakhstan, or Karaganda oblast, comprises the immense central highlands of the Kazakh Melkosopochnik, whose more traditional name is Sary-Arka. It
stretches from the Turgai hollow and the Priaralskiye Karakums in the west to the Khanshyngys and Akshatau mountain ranges in the east, and from Lake Balkhash and
the Betpak-Dala desert in the south to Lake Tengiz and the Yereymentau mountains in the north.
The terrain is largely steppe alternating with low mountain massifs, of which the largest are called Karkaraly, Kent, Kyzylarai and Ulytau. The highest mountain is
Aksoran, whose summit is at an elevation of 1,565 meters above sea level. The mountains are popular tourist destinations.
The region is dry, with only one major river, the Nura. In order to improve the supply of fresh water, the Irtysh-Karaganda canal was constructed in the 1970s. Other
water resources include the northern shore of Lake Balkhash, Kazakhstans biggest lake, half salty and half fresh. The region is dry, with only one major river, the Nura.
In order to improve the supply of fresh water, the Irtysh-Karaganda canal was constructed in the 1970s. Other water resources include the northern shore of Lake
Balkhash, Kazakhstans biggest lake, half salty and half fresh.
The oblast capital is Karaganda. Other important cities include Temirtau nearby, Zhezkazgan in the west and Balkhash in the south-east. All the regions cities owe their
development almost exclusively to 20th-century industrialization, based mainly on coal and ferrous and non-ferrous metallurgy. Sadly, this was the cause also of major
environmental disfigurement.
*Photo by Til Dieterich

WEST KAZAKHSTAN - BETWEEN EUROPE AND ASIA

West Kazakhstan lies in the borderlands between Europe and Asia. The Silk Road passed through the region, which was also the site of the first contacts between
Russians and Kazakhs. This is a region of contrasts - vast deserts extending all the way to the sea.
Much of the regions more recent history revolves around the interaction between Kazakh nomads and the Russian settlers that arrived in the steppe during the period
of Russian expansion, when many of the cities founded there around this time served as outposts from which to extend Russian conquest of Central Asia, and the
region itself was a buffer zone at the intersection of Asian and European trade routes. United by this historical common factor, most of the regions cities share a more
modern characteristic - rapid development financed by exploitation of rich deposits of oil and gas. Only Aktau, founded in Soviet times, lacks the older link with other
cities in the region - although it too is heavily dependent for its development on fossil fuels.
But despite its severe climate, the region has been one of surprising vitality for centuries. Settlement was especially vigorous in the Middle Ages; ancient settlements at
Saraichik and Kyzyl-Kala, along with the underground mosques of Mangystau and numerous mausoleums, all testify to this.
West Kazakhstan consists of four oblasts: Atyrau Oblast, with its capital at Atyrau; West Kazakhstan Oblast, with its capital at Uralsk; Aktobe Oblast, with its capital at
Aktobe; and Mangystau Oblast with its capital at Aktau. Besides these four main cities, there are a number of smaller and not especially remarkable ones including
Aksai, Kandyagash, Makat, Kulsary, and Zhanaozen. One more, Fort Shevchenko is worth a visit: founded in 1846 it boasts a number of museums and other sites of
interest.

NORTH KAZAKHSTAN - THE LAKE COUNTRY

North Kazakhstan is a vast territory, probably best known for its myriad lakes and a number of mountain resorts, has been a popular tourist destination both for
Kazakhstanis and for Russians for many years. It occupies all the lands from the Transuralian and Turgaiskoye plateaus in the west to the Kulundinskaya plain and the
central tributary of the River Irtysh in the east. It is bounded by the northern fringes of the Sary-Arka steppe in the south and the southern areas of the west Siberian
plain in the north. The region comprises four oblasts: North Kazakhstan oblast, with its capital at Petropavlovsk; Kostanai oblast, with its capital at Kostanai; Pavlodar
oblast, with its capital at Pavlodar; and Akmola oblast, with its capital at Kokshetau. The capital of Kazakhstan, Astana, is located in the south-east of Akmola oblast but
is administratively independent of it.
The regions three major rivers are the Irtysh (Yertis in Kazakh), the Ishim (Yesil) and the Tobol. All flow north. The region abounds in lakes, the largest ones being
Tengiz, Siletitengiz, Kushmurun and Sarykopa.
*Photos by Vitaliy Shuptar

EAST KAZAKHSTAN - CRADLE OF THE TURKIC NATIONS

East Kazakhstan lies at the very heart of Eurasia, bounded by the southern edge of the Kulundinskaya plain and the Rudniy Altai mountains in the north, the Alakol
depression and the Tarbagatai range in the south, the eastern fringes of the Kazakh Melkosopochnik in the west, and the southern Altai and the Saur range in the east.
Its capital is Ust-Kamenogorsk, rivalled only by the city of Semey, a major economic and cultural centre once the capital of the then Semipalatinsk oblast.
There are three notable features in the relief of East Kazakhstan: the Zaisan depression, the Kalbinskiy Range, and of course the Altai. In general the region is hilly
towards the east and more mountainous towards the west. The highest mountain is the 4,506-meter Mount Belukha.
*Photo from Avalon Eco-cultural association archive

KAZAKHSTAN CUISINE

The main thing about food in Kazakhstan is that Kazakhstan is a multicultural country, and that its cooking is too. Most Kazakhstani families, regardless of ethnicity, will
have heard of dishes from a wide range of ethnic backgrounds, even if they cant cook all of them - indeed its quite possible that they wont have tried them all either.
But nevertheless, the food cooked in Kazakhstan hails from a wide variety of culinary traditions, the main ones being Kazakh, Russian, Korean, Ukrainian, Uzbek, Uighur
and German.
Sorpa is the principal soup, and very easy to make. Boil your meat, usually mutton or, preferably, horse, over a low heat for a long time - between three and three and
a half hours - and thats more or less it. The broth should be skimmed periodically, and some salt added, but theres really very little more to it than that. The slow
cooking allows more of the fat to melt into the broth, so although this is a clear soup, it can be quite rich.
Aside from bread, the most typical dough-based food are baursaks, which consist of unleavened or sour dough formed usually into small balls a centimetre or two in
diameter and then deep fried. Hollow in the middle, theyre delicious when hot but frequently eaten cold too.
The main dish, in the fullest sense of the word, is besbarmak. Based on sorpa, its not much more complicated to make. While the sorpa is cooking, make some pasta
dough, using flour, water, salt, and an optional egg. Roll it out thin and then cut it up into squares or lozenges two or three centimetres long. When the meat in the
sorpa has boiled long enough, take it out of the broth and boil the pasta with some chopped onion in some of the broth. While the pasta is boiling, shred the meat
quite finely. When the pasta is cooked, which takes between five and ten minutes, remove it from the broth and arrange it on a large plate or tray. Put the shredded
meat on top of it, and pour the broth with boiled onion over the meat and the pasta. If you have the head of the animal that donated its body to make the besbarmak,
it should be boiled with the rest of the meat and, since it is a delicacy, shared out among the diners by the host.
*Photos by Aleksander Yermolyonok, Aleksander Petrov

USEFUL INFORMATION
HOW TO GET TO KAZAKHSTAN
Air. Kazakhstan has steadily improved air connections with the outside world.
The two biggest and busiest airports are at Almaty and Astana. Almaty has
direct international flights to at least 25 cities in Europe andAsia, on airlines
including KLM, British Airways, Lufthansa, Turkish Airlines, China Southern,
Transaero and the Kazakh-and-British-owned Air Astana. Astana has direct
flights to Amsterdam, Frankfurt, Hanover, Istanbul, Kiev, Moscow and St
Petersburg. Uralsk, Atyrau and Karaganda also have direct flights to Western
Europe. Aktau is the main hub for trans-Caspian flights; Ust-Kamenogorsk has
flights to Bayan-lgii (Mongolia). All these cities, plus Shymkent and Kyzylorda,
have flights to Moscow and often other CIS cities too.
For other Central Asian cities, Almaty has flights to Tashkent daily by Uzbekistan
Airlines, and Dushanbe five times weekly by Tajik Air, Somon Air, Air Astana or
SCAT. From Astana, Uzbekistan Airlines flies weekly to Tashkent.
Train. There are two railway stations, Almaty-1 and Almaty-2. Almaty-2 is
located in the city centre; Almaty-1 is around 4 km from the centre. Most trains
end at Almaty-2, but some lower-class trains end at Almaty-1.
Get around. Remember that the mountains outside of town are critical to
direction. When someone tells you to head "up," they are telling you to head
towards the mountains. When someone tells you to head "down," they are
telling you to head away from the mountains. It is very easy to get around
Almaty, since most of the roads are either parallel or orthogonal to each other.
The destinations are usually determined by intersections like in New York.
Therefore, for instance, if you know that Kazakhstan Hotel is located in
intersection of Abaya Street and Dostyk street, local people will be able to help
you out with ease.

WHEN TO GO
The climate of Kazakhstan for tourism diversity is very favourable. If you are an
extreme traveller, you can visit Kazakhstan any time of year with the right gear
and preparation, of course, but the most comfortable months for most
travellers are late April to late October.
If you are planning to travel to the central and remote parts of Kazakhstan, I
assume you are very well informed and prepared for any weather conditions.
Mother Nature can be unpredictable at times, you know Don't mess around
with the Kazakhstan climate.
You can always find things to do, as long as you are an adventurous person.
You can go skiing, skating, snowboarding in winter. You can go hiking,
mountain biking, hunting or fishing, backpacking, offroading, rafting, and
swimming, oh, it can go on and on. Just make your mind up on which part of
Kazakhstan you will be visiting and then you can check the what to do
CURRENCY

Currency information: Kazakh Tenge (KZT; symbol). Notes are in denominations

of 10,000, 5,000, 2,000, 1,000, 500 and 200. Coins are in denominations of 100,
50, 20, 10, 5, 2 and 1.
Credit cards: Major European and international credit cards, including Diners
Club and Visa, are accepted in the larger hotels in Almaty and in major shops
and restaurants. Facilities exist for credit card cash withdrawals in Kazakhstan.
Travellers cheques: To avoid additional exchange rate charges, travellers are
advised to take traveller's cheques in US Dollars.

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