Kazakhstan Holidays

Kazakhstan Tours

It’s probably the biggest country in the world that people know almost nothing about. Much of Kazakhstan is covered in wide open steppes, where the odd run-down town serves the gas and oil industry and a rocket launch-site for the Russian space agency.

In the south, however, in areas bordering Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan tours will reveal a very different landscape. Mountains rise up with green pastures and flower meadows, gorges and lakes. This region also encompasses one of the branches of the historic Silk Road across Asia, while the country’s biggest city, Almaty, is more akin to its European counterparts than Asian ones thanks to leafy boulevards and a café culture. Holidays to Kazakhstan definitely offer the curious traveller a lot more than Borat would have us believe.

Kazakhstan Holidays

23 Days from £ 6199 £ 5739

Guided Group (Excl. Flights)

Culture

16 Days from £ 3149 £ 2919

Guided Group (Excl. Flights)

Culture

23 Days from £ 6099 £ 5909

Guided Group (Excl. Flights)

Culture

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There was a lot of bus/ travel time on this journey. Given that, I felt that some days were very poorly planned.
Examples:
One day all we did was cross the border to Turkmenistan. We started at 1:pm and it took 2 hours. The next day there was a six hour excursion to a UNESCO site. Then back to the city for lunch. Then another 5.5 hour drive out to the gas crater. Obviously the UNESCO excursion could have been done the previous afternoon if we would have crossed the border in the morning. Then we would have arrived for sunset at the camp. Instead we were driving in the dark on a very poor and dangerous road, arriving stressed. As an aside, some passengers got bed bug bites at the camp.

The day we arrived in Uzbekistan we had been travelling for 9 hours. All we wanted was our hotel, a drink and some food. Sergi proceeded to say we had to go to the summer palace and a silk factory that night. The whole group was fed up and we did not enjoy either one. These activities were scheduled for the next day.

Anyway there were many days like this; it was agreed by all that we would prefer to get to our hotel in the late afternoon in order to unwind and perhaps explore on our own. There was no need for so many late check ins.

Most hotels were adequate. I did not have high expectations. Rooms were clean and comfortable. However, the breakfasts were horrendous. Cold food, empty buffet trays, very little offered.

Nickey Knight The Five Stans of the Silk Road – Almaty to Ashgabat

I’m writing this two months after coming back. I’ve just finished my photobook of the trip and completing this made me realise how much fantastic stuff we saw. And how it’s like two trips in one. Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan are based on mountains, open spaces and some walks. Uzbekistan is cultural, four interesting cities and fantastic Islamic architecture. It’s great to have experienced both and enjoyed three new countries in one adventure.

Nigel Turner The Silk Road

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