Kazakhstan Travel Journal

Road E40 from Europe to Central Asia in 8000km

The European Road E40 is the biggest road in Europe with 8000km connecting not only some European countries but also some of Central Asia. These countries are France, Belgium, Germany, Poland, Ukraine, Russia, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Kyrgyzstan and again until it finishes in Ridder in Kazakhstan on the border with China. I did a part [...]

About Almaty in Kazakhstan

Almaty was a city I knew nothing about when I got there. Actually, I knew nothing about Kazakhstan as I decided to buy an air ticket to this unknown place just like that. I spent 1 month in Almaty and I enjoyed my experience there very much as it was indeed very fulfilling and very [...]

Living 1 month in Almaty Kazakhstan

I stayed one month in this city since I began teaching painting and drawing workshops for children at an association called Concordia Lutheran. It was a very interesting experience not by the contact with a religious group, but because I was really well received being a person outside the association and the church itself. I [...]

My trip to Kazakhstan in 2004

My decision to go to Kazakhstan was not a long time preparation travel, I really did not think much about it before i actually put myself on the airplane. Why? Well, Kazakhstan was not  in my travel plans – I just decided to go there a week before. What happened was that I end up [...]

Prices in Almaty, Cost of Living in Almaty Kazakhstan

There are plenty of shopping options in Almaty, the city has several large hypermarkets, supermarkets and neighborhood grocery stores. Also very good for shopping are the markets called bazaars (Bazaar) around the city. Prices on this page are of June / July 2004 when $50 US dollars were 6765 KZT (Kazakhstan Tenge). Here is a [...]

Google Map of Kazakhstan

Photos of Bazar Zelyony – Green Bazaar in Almaty Kazakhstan

Off-road 4X4 weekend in Ile-Alatau National Park in Kazakhstan

Off-road is always a nice activity as you are able to explore certain region in total autonomy. During my stay in Kazakhstan I went camping in the le-Alatau National Park mountains with these friends I made in Almaty. We went out to the wild on two 4WD and had lots of fun. Passing rivers, going [...]

Photos of Shymkent central market in Kazakhstan

Visa to Kazakhstan, Kazakhstan Visa

Getting a Kakhstan visa can be difficult, but you can find on the internet companies that provide paper and help for this process. Usually you can only make a visa to Kazakhstan in the embassy of your country of residence expect if you don’t not have Kazakh embassy in your country. Nationals of the following [...]

Photos of Almaty in south Kazakhstan

Nomads in the mountains living in Yurt tents in Kazakhstan

Meeting nomads wherever in the world is always a cultural rich experience as you interact with people on a completely different cultural and living basis. I stayed with some Kazakh nomads on the mountains inside the Ile-Alatau National Park. This is the best way to experience Kazakh nomad way of life. After i arrived and [...]

Govindas Krishna Restaurant in Almaty Kazakhstan

This was the best restaurant i found in Kazakhstan and in all central Asia. This very nice and relaxed Krishna restaurant with very beautiful girls as waitresses, serves very tasty food. the dishes come in this fancy look with the enough quantity of food you need to feel alright with yourself not to feel full [...]

Pollution in Almaty, Kazakhstan

Almaty in the last 30 years has become increasingly polluted. The increase and growth of industry and the volume of cars has made this city struggle with serious environmental problems. One of the major concerns are water reserves and their consumption and therefore with the heating temperature in the area due to excessive pollution over [...]

Ile-Alatau National Park in Kazakhstan

During my stay in Kazakhstan, one of best things I was able to visit and to experience was the Ile-Alatau National Park, a magnificent wildlife and nature sanctuary located at Karasai District just about 60km of Almaty in southeast Kazakhstan. Ile-Alatau National Park is located on the northern slopes of the Trans-Ili Alatau Mountains from [...]

Passing the border to Uzbekistan coming from Kazakhstan

My border crossing from Uzbekistan to Kazakhstan began at Ghisht Koprik. North port normally used by workers, traders and also by some smugglers to illegal trade with Kazakhstan. After coming from the Kazakh city of Shymkent, I got transportation to the border and it only took a few hours on a local minibus. The whole [...]

Turgen Gorges and Bear Waterfalls in Kazakhstan

Inside Ile-Alatau National Park there is a fascinating place called Turgen Gorges aka Turgen Canyons with amazing mountain / forest landscapes and some 30 meters waterfalls inside the national park spreading 44 km to the Assy plateau. The Turgen Gorges are located around 90 kilometers from Almaty and can be done on daily trip getting [...]

Photos of Medeu way to Shymbulak, Tian Shan Mountain Range in Kazakhstan