Some of the links on this website are sponsored or affiliate links which help to financially support this site. Always try to have exact amount of money in cash (the price which you negotiated with a taxi driver), since usually they will not give you change. Have your place of residence written on a card and get a cab if you get lost (you might be somewhat overcharged by the cab, but it is better than being lost). The public water in Kazakhstan is not usually considered safe to drink. In 2011, Air Astana stopped flying to and from Dubai, but now flies to and from Abu Dhabi. Also, the average hotel price in Kazakhstan for a couple is KZT5,686 ($13). Traditional Uighur dish. A little like an unsweetened doughnut. Since independence from the Soviet Union in 1991, the Kazakh government has allowed foreign investment to flow into the country. Renting a car is rather costly compared to other means of transport. Freighters travel regularly between Baku and Aktau, and it is possible to hitch a ride. Many sex workers in Kazakhstan are in fact from neighbouring, less economically developed states such as Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan. As you can see - a stay for a few days in Kazakhstan can cost 81 USD (35,000 KZT) or 573 USD (246,000 KZT), depending on whether you are a frugal tourist or you are planning to spend a luxurious holiday in Kazakhstan. Etihad Airways also services the Almaty and Nur-Sultan to and from Abu Dhabi routes. All of these Kazakhstan prices are calculated from the budgets of real travelers. The rolling stock, train classes, ticket and reservation system was inherited from former Soviet Railways, so they are very similar to the Russian system, see Russian train travel article. More than 90% of Kazakh citizens speak Russian, while less than 50% speak Kazakh, and roughly half of those who speak Kazakh speak it as their native language. It is fairly easy to travel from Ürümqi to Almaty via sleeper bus, especially if you aren't in a hurry and don't mind living on a bus for a good 24 to 36 hours. The flag carrier is now Air Astana which flies to Almaty, Nur-Sultan, Aktau, Aktobe, Atyrau, Abu Dhabi, Uralsk, Kyzylorda, Moscow, Delhi, Beijing, Istanbul, Bangkok, Hannover, London, Amsterdam, Baku, Kuala Lumpur, Frankfurt, Seoul, Ho Chi Minh City, and Hong Kong. A note of warning, getting to the Almaty airport can be expensive. It's very common for the authorities to put visitors under surveillance in their hotel rooms, such as tapping telephones to going through your belongings. You can make purchases with credit cards (Visa and MasterCard preferred) at a fair number of shops, restaurants, hotels and travel agencies. Even some small Kazakh eateries will prepare vegetarian meals for you if you make it very clear to them (e.g. Kazakh. It will be many travellers' first port of call on their Central Asian adventure, and there is much for the intrepid traveller to enjoy. No part of this site may be reproduced without our written permission. With plenty of corporate business centers and multi-storey buildings around, the architecture of this city will mesmerize you for sure, making it a brilliant location for Kazakhstan sightseeing. Plov - wonderful dish of fried rice, meat, carrots, and sometimes other bits such as raisins or tomatoes. Popular routes include Almaty to/from Moscow (77 hours), Novosibirsk (35 hours) and Ürümqi, China (34 hours). By signing up for our email newsletter, you will receive occasional updates with coupons and discounts, plus travel tips and advice from experienced budget travelers! All of these average travel prices have been collected from other travelers to help you plan your own travel budget. Exchange offices (marked ‘Obmen Valyuty’) are common on city streets. From astounding cathedrals to breathtaking landscapes, Kazakhstan is often overlooked by many tourists. Troublingly, the police are generally not to be trusted. Text is available under [http://wikitravel.org/shared/Copyleft Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0] images are available under [http://wikitravel.org/shared/How_to_re-use_Wikitravel_guides various licenses], see each image for details. The fee is approximately US$80, and travellers must hold an invitation letter and obtain an approval from the Kazakh Ministry of Foreign Affairs. About | This includes fees paid for admission tickets to museums and attractions, day tours, and other sightseeing expenses. Transportation. Any foreigner will be quoted a very high rate but usually cabs will come down once they see they aren't going to be able to get that much. If your Russian is poor or non-existent, you will be charged a lot more than locals; to avoid this, try to use public buses as much as you can and don't hesitate to tell the driver how much you are ready to pay (do this before he tells you how much he wants!). So, a trip to Kazakhstan for two people costs around KZT111,806 for one week. Situations of unlicensed taxi drivers demanding additional fees before releasing luggage from their trunk, or driving off and stealing luggage are more common than would be expected in western cities with a well-regulated taxi industry. The legacy of Korean resettlement in Kazakhstan means that Korean dishes, particularly salads, are very common. You will be amazed with the taste and availability of fresh organic veggies at low price! Be prepared for the worst and coming up against an official who might flat out refuse to give you a visa without a LOI. Any time of the day, just wave your hand and someone will stop. It is somewhat cheaper and even faster than hitch-hike waiting. They will wrap you up any number of delicious, often spicy and garlicky salads to take away in plastic bags. Taraz, Balkhash, Shymkent, Taldykorgan, Uralsk, Semey and Ust-Kamenogorsk, going out at night should not present a significant risk, though infrequent muggings do occur; and (iii) all smaller towns such as Shar, Stepnogorsk, and Temirtau may present a higher risk of mugging and violent crime). Airbaltic also flies to Almaty (no direct flight); if you reserve tickets in advance, you can go there for €130 (from Riga). Having parties (birthdays, New Year, etc) in saunas is a normal practice. 23-22, building #3, Nur-Sultan 010010, Kosmonavtov street 62, Renco building 3rd floor, Microdistrict Chubary, 010000 Nur-Sultan, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Kazakhstan, https://wikitravel.org/wiki/en/index.php?title=Kazakhstan&oldid=2651314, Pages linked to a data item for a disambiguation, Muslim 67%, Russian Orthodox 24%, Protestant 2%, other 7%, Beshbarmak - a horse meat and pasta dish with potato and onion. © 2020 Lonely Planet. Visitors will experience hospitality and warmth in this lovely country. A rumble of shock as a single horse-and-jockey fall to the back of a…. Native Kazakhs are a Turkic ethnic group. Citizens of Russia may enter Kazakhstan with an internal passport in lieu of a regular passport, and citizens of Kyrgyzstan may enter using a national ID card. Citizens of China (PRC) and India do not require a visa for a 72-hour stay, provided that they enter through Astana or Almaty International Airports, travel on a Kazakh airline and hold valid onward tickets. Due to its cold and windy weather conditions, visiting saunas with friends is very popular in Kazakhstan. Kazakhstan is the richest country in Central Asia, due to its large oil and natural gas reserves. If you are a resident of another country or region, please select the appropriate version of Tripadvisor for your country or region in the drop-down menu. You can pick up your Kazakhstan visa at the consulate in Urumqi as well, but be prepared to chill for at least a week waiting, and be sure to get a copy of your passport before handing it over. Bargaining is sensible in markets and when agreeing on taxi prices. Public transportation in big cities is rather popular. The State Theatre of Opera and Ballet Astana Opera, Private 2 days tour around the youngest capital in the world - Nur-Sultan city, City tour: Astana is the symbiosis of past and future in present, Sightseeing tour: Nur-Sultan is a New Lease of Life, Pedestrian tour: The Soared Symbol of Independence, Museum of Folk Music Instruments named after Yihlasa, The Museum of Arts of the Republic of Kazakhstan, KarLag / Museum of Political Repression Victims’ Memory of the Dolinka Settlement. A Central Asian country located in close proximity to Russia, Kazakhstan reveals an enticing culture to its travellers through the contrasting ways of life in the city and countryside.Apart from being the largest … As the cosmodrome area (6000km²) is rented by Russia, no Kazakh visa is needed if you fly in directly from Moscow. For more information you should contact a Kazakhstan diplomatic mission in your area or Kazakhstan MFA's website Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Kazakhstan. The national currency is the tenge (T). Tenge (T) notes come in denominations of 200, 500, 1000, 2000, 5000, 10,000 and 20,000T. Unlike certain European countries still recovering from recession, Kazakhstan abounds in employment or business opportunities. Eating out is relatively cheap; you basically order the meat dish and then add rice, potatoes, etc. It is advisable to go out as a group, or even better, with locals. After your first registration you must register in each destination if you stay more than 72 hours (see each destination for further details). Additionally, travellers must enter Kazakhstan through Aktau, Almaty, Nur-Sultan, Atyrau or Oral Ak Zhol airports. This is an issue at the Kazakhstan Embassy in Moscow (Australian Passports). (For example, Australian and NZ citizens need to post their applications to Singapore), book your return courier before you send off your application. It should be less than USD10, although it can never be guaranteed that a foreigner will get that price. Various marinates can be used, and different ways to cook it, open fire or other. You wouldn't find the cheapest ones on the web; the only way to book them is to call directly, but in that case you'll have to speak Russian at the least. Cell phones work most places and should be used to call a local-language speaking friend. There is also non-stop connection twice a week from Prague, operated by Czech airlines. Entertainment and activities in Kazakhstan typically cost an average of KZT1,032 per person, per day. However, since the restaurant service charge doesn't go to the waiter, a tip is always appreciated. However, your personal safety may vary from very safe to relatively unsafe depending on the location, time of the day, circumstances, and your personal behaviour. Transportation between cities and towns in Kazakhstan costs an average of KZT19,878. In most cities, using local taxis may present a higher risk than official public transportation due to many taxis operating unlicensed with incompetent drivers. On average, past travelers have spent KZT276 per person, per day, on local transportation in Kazakhstan. Late at night, people speaking foreign languages may receive extra attention from local police, who have been known to falsely accuse a person with petty crimes, make an arrest, and attempt to obtain a KZT1,000-5,000 cash payment "fine".