Kazakhstan

Most travellers to Kazakhstan require a visa (either online or from a diplomatic mission) unless the traveller is from a visa-exempt country or a country where its passport holders are eligible for a visa-on-arrival (some visa-on-arrivals are only issued at Nursultan Nazarbayev International Airport or Almaty International Airport, depending what country a traveller is a citizen of. Some pre-arranged visa-on-arrivals are available as well for nationalities whose countries do not have a Kazakh diplomatic mission).

Typical visa lengths range from 14 days to 90 days.

The Visa Run

For visa-free visitors who want to stay longer in Kazakhstan than their allowed maximum length of stay, it is possible to leave Kazakhstan and re-enter again on the same day and be re-issued with a new visa at the Kazakh border (for example, exiting Kazakhstan via the Kyrgyzstan border town Korday (also spelled Kordai) and cross/re-enter Kazakhstan after leaving Kyrgyzstan with an exit stamp and Kyrgyzstan entry and exit stamps).

Note: If you do decide to do a visa run in one day at a border, you can be potentially be asked why you are only visiting the opposing country for a day or why you are coming back so soon so be prepared with answers. It would be recommended to stay a night in Bishkek to avoid such questioning.

UPDATE: Closed to foreigners

The Korday border-crossing is closed to foreigners due to construction and pandemic restrictions. It is possible to use the Ak-Tilek border crossing instead. Do note though if you are thinking of doing a visa run in one day, there is no widely available transport to take you back to Almaty from the border on the Kazakh side.

View visa policy of Kazakhstan

View visa requirements by nationality

Kazakhstan border crossings

Note: The above information is general visa advice and is subject to change. Please consult with your official government or foreign embassy for the latest professional visa information.

Avoid mentioning flights

Avoid mentioning that you have a flight to catch (if you do). A local medical student told me that sometimes a border official can purposely hold you at their office for a long time where you may need to “pay them off” in order for them to let you go to catch your flight! I am not sure how true this is, or even prevalent, but it’s interesting to note.

It is highly recommended that you:

• Download the 2GIS app for offline map navigation. But don’t just download the app – download the Kazakhstan map as well!
• Make sure to have some foreign currency (such as US dollars) that you can exchange for Kazakh Tenge currency at your destination port. Not many countries have Kazakh Tenge currency for foreign exchange.

I would recommend:

Exchanging your foreign currency to Kazakh currency (if you could not in the previous destination)

There are multiple foreign exchange facilities, either at a bus station or airport.

There are also ATMs widely available, especially inside supermarkets and malls, some of which can also dispense USD currency. Note some ATMs may not accept certain cards (such as Visa or Mastercard).

Getting a bus card

Depending on which city you arrive in, having a bus card is great for using cheap public bus transport and is much cheaper than using cash to pay for a bus fare (up to 40-50%).

Getting a local SIM card

Mobile data is affordable here and having a sim card with mobile data available can be life-saving, especially if you are visiting rural areas or hiking in the wilderness. You will need your passport as part of the registration process.

Main mobile service carriers include:

• Beeline
• Kcell (English website available)
• Tele2

How to top up mobile data

To top up mobile data or continue a monthly prepaid plan, go to any multi-purpose information and payment display kiosk (widely available in supermarkets, malls, canteens and public space areas – however, not all have an English language option). Select your mobile service provider, enter your mobile phone and deposit cash notes or coins to top up. If you need help, you can visit a mobile store for their customer service.

There are multiple transport options within Kazakhstan but because the county is so vast, trains are the best option in terms of being both cost-effective and time-effective. There are many trains with sleeper carriages/cabins so you can sleep (as best you can!) as the train heads to your destination.

Type of information	Name	Additional information	Web/Download link
	Air Astana	Kazakhstan’s country’s flag air carrier.
	Aviata	Search for plane and train tickets within Kazakhstan.
	Chocotravel	Search for plane and train tickets within Kazakhstan.
	FlyArystan	A low-cost airline company based in Almaty, Kazakhstan.
	Qazaq Air	An air carrier focused on domestic flights within Kazakhstan.
	Rome2rio	View general transport options. View options as a general guide, not a 100% accurate representation of options and schedules.
	Railways KZ (Kazakhstan Temir Zholy)	See train schedules and book trains in Kazakhstan. English version of the website isn’t really that friendly but good enough to make sense of things.
	Russian Railways	See train schedules and book trains from Russia to Kazakhstan. Prices are higher than average. NOTE: Prices are in Russian Rubles.
	SCAT Airlines	This airline flies to major Kazakh cities and nearby international airports.
	tickets.kz	See train schedules and book trains in Kazakhstan HOWEVER depending on what credit card you have, you may not be able to. You may need to go to a train station to actually buy tickets.
	Tutu	See train schedules and book trains within Kazakhstan, along with from Russia. Prices here are significantly higher than normal. NOTE: Prices are in Russian Rubles, even if you’re on the Kazakh site. ADDITIONAL NOTE: Pay attention to warnings and notes. Some tickets may require physical pick up from a train station.

General:

• Steadily increasing, the amount of people who speak, read, and write Kazakh is around 60% but almost everyone (97%) speaks Russian as the lingua franca of Kazakhstan, as the common language used to communicate among different ethnic groups. Both are state languages. Russian is still highly regarded, stemming back to the Soviet era where well-paying jobs were given to people who spoke Russian.
• Islam is the predominant religion in Kazakhstan.
• Pork is not widely eaten by Kazakhs (due to Islamic traditions) but it is still available to be purchased and eaten.
• Similar to other surrounding countries and their nomadic past the yurt is a symbol of history and culture. The shanyrak (the central top of the yurt that stays intact whenever a yurt is disassembled) is the central piece of Kazakhstan’s national emblem.
• It is still a highly patriarchal society where the eldest man of the household solely makes decisions on behalf of the household.
• Getting married, especially when really young, is still a cultural and societal expectation as a symbol of success and stability. This has resulted people finding someone, not necessarily the right one, to marry in order to be able to buy a house and start a family. The divorce rate can be as high as 33%.
• Gifts and dowries are still expected, especially for the bride’s family.
• Guests are always held in high regard when invited for dinner parties where they are always served tea and bread.
• When served tea, your cup or bowl will typically be filled halfway (To fill the cup would mean that your host wanted you to leave!).
• Kazakhs consider bread to be sacred, so serving bread is a sign of respect.
• Often a male guest, often the eldest, is given the cooked meat’s head (for example, sheep’s head) as a sign of respect.
• Particular traditional Kazakh foods are often served only on special occasions such as parties, holidays, weddings, and funerals. This includes Beshbarmak – the national dish of Kazakhstan. Beshbarmak is boiled meat on the bone served over noodles and onions and covered in a meat broth called souppa.
• It is normal for people to eat with their hands, especially in rural villages (not so much in urban areas). The Kazakh national dish Beshbarmak means “five fingers” in Kazakh because in the past it was eaten using hands.
• Don’t expect many locals to smile at you in public! They tend to smile only at people they know. 

Do:

• Greet members of the same sex with a handshake, often done with both hands and a smile.
• If you are on public transport, kindly give up your seat for an elderly person, pregnant women, disabled people, and young mothers with infants.
• If you are invited to a local’s house as a guest, dress nicely as a sign of respect.
• Take off your shoes if you are visiting a local’s house.
• When invited to someone’s house for dinner, it is polite to bring something for the host such as cakes or pastries.
• Bread is sacred and it should never be placed on the ground or placed or left upside down.
• Eat with your right hand.
• Eat what you are served, even if you may not like it!
• Do not start eating the food until the host invites you to the table.
• Let the eldest or guest(s) of honour try the food first.
• When you don’t want any more tea, turn your cup or bowl upside-down as an indication.
• Leave some food on your plate when you have finished eating. This lets the host that you have had enough food. If you finish everything, it means you are still hungry and you will be given more food!

Do not:

• Shake hands with a women (due to religious grounds) unless she extends her hand out.
• Arrive more than 30 minutes late to an invited dinner party.
• Dress informally to a dinner party.

Learn more at: Every Culture and Commisceo Global.

Kazakhstan is a vast country with different temperatures and extremes in every part of it. The table below represents the average temperature in the capital city, Nur-Sultan.

Season	Average Max temp (°C)	Average Min temp (°C)	General clothing information
	26°C	15°C	The days and nights are hot so thin layers are important. Always take a jacket for those unexpected cooler nights.
	10°C	-1°C	The days and nights are much cooler, feeling more like winter. It’s best to dress (in layers) as if the frigid winter is already here.
	-12°C	-21°C	It is recommended to pack thick clothing and hooded jackets ( (puffer or insulated), along with warm gloves and thermal undergarments to handle the extreme coldness. Wear thick socks (or wear two pairs of socks) with shoes that are well insulated. A beanie and scarf should be part of your winter attire. It’s best avoid visiting the capital at this time.
	13°C	2°C	It is still cold. Layered clothing is ideal.

Learn more about the weather:
The best time to visit Kazakhstan

Dates of public holidays in Kazakhstan are subject to yearly changes.

Learn more:
English to Russian translation

English to Kazakh translation

Vaccinations in general take many weeks or months and multiple shots for full immunisation so it’s best to plan ahead before your travel date.

You should already have the standard vaccines that include:
Measles-mumps-rubella (MMR), Diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis, Varicella (chickenpox), and Polio vaccines.

Please note that all vaccination information is general advice.

It is highly recommended that you consult a registered GP or doctor for professional and specific medical advice regarding vaccinations for your travels.

Learn more:
Comprehensive health information for Kazakhstan

Be aware of ticks when hiking

You may encounter ticks while hiking and camping in the mountainous areas during late spring/early summer. It’s best to have and use some insect repellent. Should you have a nasty on your body, it’s important to remain calm and safely remove it fully and properly, along with seeking medical advice if you experience a rash or fever a few weeks later.

Learn more:
Tick removals

Kazakhstan is the most expensive country of Central Asia but it is still considered ‘affordable’ compared to many developed countries.

Learn more:
Cost of living in Kazakhstan

Daily costs per individual will always vary from traveller to traveller due to different styles of travelling and different interests with varying costs (Restaurant dining vs cooking food at your accommodation).

Typical costs include:

• Accommodation
• Transport
• Food
• Attractions such as museums and tours.

Like any budget, see the number as a limit and not as a target!

Below are average daily budget estimate costs for a single traveller for guideline use.

Learn more:
Kazakhstan Travel Budget

Exchange rates & converter

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Always be vigilant but not paranoid or naive regarding scams.

It is highly recommended you have travel insurance to cover any potential loss in your personal belongings and safety.

Learn more:
Scams in Kazakhstan