Nur-Sultan Extension

Fly from Almaty, Kazakhstan’s former capital, to Nur-Sultan, its new capital. Upon arrival, we transfer to the hotel and check-in. This afternoon we head out on a guided city tour (the tour lasts approx. 3 hours) taking in some of the most interesting and fascinating buildings.

Our city tour starts with a visit to Constitution Square where President N.A.Nazarbayev announced the transferring of the capital of Kazakhstan from Almaty to Astana. From here visit the Presidential Centre of Culture of the Republic of Kazakhstan, a museum which features various works including a large collection of artefacts including the 4^th century ‘Golden Man’ reputed throughout Central Asia.

Following the exploration of Kazakh history, we delve into modern Kazakh culture. We visit one of its many impressive buildings, the Khan Shatyr shopping centre. We continue to the Astana Baiterek and take the lift up to the top. From here we get panoramic views of the city.

Later, we cross the Ishym River to Kazakh Eli Square. Here we can admire the pyramidal Palace of Peace and Accord and the beautiful Khazret Sultan Mosque. Our last stop is the Palace of Independence where you can get a glimpse of what the future holds for the city with the far reaching plans for the development of Astana. In the hall, we find the “Layout of Astana Until 2030” completing our journey from the creation of the city to its future. 

Today is a free day to explore the city further at your own pace until it’s time to head to the airport for the flight home. Depending on your flights these are likely to depart late tonight. The hotel room is included for tonight as well. 

Please note that this free day usually falls on a Monday, when many sights and museums are closed. There is howveer, still plenty to see and do. It is possible to visit the Bayterek Monument and Observation Tower, which stands 97m tall and is immediately recognisable by the large glass ball at its top – the observation deck offers fine views across Nur-Sultan. The Atameken Ethno-Memorial Complex is also open on Mondays, and displays minatures depicting Kazakhstan. You may wish to visit the Hazret Sultan Mosque – the largest in Central Asia. The mosque dome is 51 meters in height and 28 meters in diameter. The main dome is surrounded by eight small ones, at the mosque corners there are four 77 meter-high minarets. Another bright attraction is the Khan Shatyr Entertainment Center, a transparent elliptical tent covering an area larger than ten football stadiums. Inside there are shops, entertainment venues, a boating river, minigolf and even an indoor beach resort!

Most flights leave in the very early hours of the morning. Otherwise you can store bags at the hotel until it’s time to be taken to the airport