๐จ10 Things you must know for planning a trip to KAZAKHSTAN ๐ฐ๐ฟ A beautiful, affordable and underrated gem of Central Asia ๐
This Guide has everything from FOREX to VISA to BUDGET and will help plan your trip better๐ฐ
So let's delve in, shall we๐ค
This Guide has everything from FOREX to VISA to BUDGET and will help plan your trip better๐ฐ
So let's delve in, shall we๐ค
1) Flightsโ๏ธ
Almaty is just a 3 hour direct flight from Delhi with Indigo and Air Astana. FlyArystan has direct flights from Mum.
Flights to ๐ฐ๐ฟ are no longer very cheap as it was last year and shd be around INR 25-35k RT now as an estimate,+/- will be there
*Image from Google๐*
Almaty is just a 3 hour direct flight from Delhi with Indigo and Air Astana. FlyArystan has direct flights from Mum.
Flights to ๐ฐ๐ฟ are no longer very cheap as it was last year and shd be around INR 25-35k RT now as an estimate,+/- will be there
*Image from Google๐*
2) Visa ๐
Indians are offered a Free 14 day Visa on Arrival .
Whilst we weren't asked any questions by the Immigration officer, but remember to carry your return tickets, hotel bookings etc as proof if asked ๐
Indians are offered a Free 14 day Visa on Arrival .
Whilst we weren't asked any questions by the Immigration officer, but remember to carry your return tickets, hotel bookings etc as proof if asked ๐
3) SIM Card ๐ฑ
Upon arrival, you can buy a local SIM card at the airport or within the city as well. Popular providers include Beeline, Kcell, and Tele2.
We opted for Tele 2 and paid ~INR 1000 for a 35GB pack for 30 days which also allowed unlimited data for social media apps
Upon arrival, you can buy a local SIM card at the airport or within the city as well. Popular providers include Beeline, Kcell, and Tele2.
We opted for Tele 2 and paid ~INR 1000 for a 35GB pack for 30 days which also allowed unlimited data for social media apps
4) Forex ๐ฑ
๐ฐ๐ฟ uses Kazakhstani Tenge (KZT) The current Exchange rate is around 5.3 Tenge for 1 INR
Most places accept Cash only so you'll definitely require a lot of ๐ต
Best is to get USD from ๐ฎ๐ณand get it exchanged at the airport for Tenge (rates offered are good !)
๐ฐ๐ฟ uses Kazakhstani Tenge (KZT) The current Exchange rate is around 5.3 Tenge for 1 INR
Most places accept Cash only so you'll definitely require a lot of ๐ต
Best is to get USD from ๐ฎ๐ณand get it exchanged at the airport for Tenge (rates offered are good !)
You can also use Forex Debit Cards like Go Niyo/FI etc but from my experience the charges of withdrawal/ATM were quite high !
Wherever Card was accepted, we preferred to use our credit card ๐ณ but mostly it was only Hotels/Restaurants.
Wherever Card was accepted, we preferred to use our credit card ๐ณ but mostly it was only Hotels/Restaurants.
5) Food ๐ฝ๏ธ๐ฒ
Kazakh cuisine features meat-based dishes, dairy products and breads. Popular dishes include Beshbarmak (boiled meat with noodles) and Kazy (horse meat sausage).
Video and pics below from food cooked by our host at Saty Village
That noodle soup is meat based.
Kazakh cuisine features meat-based dishes, dairy products and breads. Popular dishes include Beshbarmak (boiled meat with noodles) and Kazy (horse meat sausage).
Video and pics below from food cooked by our host at Saty Village
That noodle soup is meat based.
Vegetarians and vegans may find fewer options, but there dishes always available to try from the local cuisine itself ! You just need to be open to try them :)
Moreover - there are many cafes and restaurants(incl Indian) so you'll not have much issue!
Fruits here are so good๐ค
Moreover - there are many cafes and restaurants(incl Indian) so you'll not have much issue!
Fruits here are so good๐ค
6) Travelling ๐
Travelling within Kazakhastan is quite seamless.
They have a good network of public transport like trains and buses, however within Almaty, Cabs are conveniently available and quite affordable. Download apps like Yandex (similar to Uber) & you're good to go ๐
Travelling within Kazakhastan is quite seamless.
They have a good network of public transport like trains and buses, however within Almaty, Cabs are conveniently available and quite affordable. Download apps like Yandex (similar to Uber) & you're good to go ๐
For travelling to the countryside within ๐ฐ๐ฟ to explore the lakes, Canyons and National Parks, you can either self drive using Car Rental(IDP required) or go for guided tours offering multiple options incl. 2 day trips.
Recommended operators are Banana, KK Tours & Steppe Spirit.
Recommended operators are Banana, KK Tours & Steppe Spirit.
You can also travel to other stan countries like Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan. There are direct flights, trains and even buses that will make this Inter Country Travel quite affordable and seamless.
For example - Uzbekistan is a 16 hour ๐ away from Almaty for just 3/4k INR !
For example - Uzbekistan is a 16 hour ๐ away from Almaty for just 3/4k INR !
7) Minimum No of Days for sightseeing ๐๏ธ๐
It's always subjective on what your interests are but min 4/5 days can give you a good glimpse of this beautiful country. This includes 2 days of Almaty and remaining to explore Kaindy Lake, Kolsai Lake and the beautiful canyons.
It's always subjective on what your interests are but min 4/5 days can give you a good glimpse of this beautiful country. This includes 2 days of Almaty and remaining to explore Kaindy Lake, Kolsai Lake and the beautiful canyons.
8. Best Time to Visit โ
Every season here has different things to offer ๐ค
Whilst Winter(Dec-Feb) turns it into a Snowy Paradiseโ๏ธ, the summer months (May/June) are great for hikes and to witness Turquoise blue lakes โ๏ธ
Fall months (Sep/Oct) are equally popular for views ๐๐
Every season here has different things to offer ๐ค
Whilst Winter(Dec-Feb) turns it into a Snowy Paradiseโ๏ธ, the summer months (May/June) are great for hikes and to witness Turquoise blue lakes โ๏ธ
Fall months (Sep/Oct) are equally popular for views ๐๐
9) Budget ๐ฐ
One of the MOST AFFORDABLE countries ๐
From Transport to Tours to Stays- everything was quite affordable.
Good hotels are available from 3/5k INR onwards, and budget is even lower.
Tour prices are also quite affordable ranging from 3-6k pp for 1 or 2 day tours.
One of the MOST AFFORDABLE countries ๐
From Transport to Tours to Stays- everything was quite affordable.
Good hotels are available from 3/5k INR onwards, and budget is even lower.
Tour prices are also quite affordable ranging from 3-6k pp for 1 or 2 day tours.
Budget is a very subjective term. I've seen folks do a backpack Trip here for as low as INR 40k pp and that's completely doable too ๐
Depends on your travel style.
We are mid range travellers who like to have a few luxury experiences and still found everything very affordable.
Depends on your travel style.
We are mid range travellers who like to have a few luxury experiences and still found everything very affordable.
10) Is it Safe/Worth visiting ?
YES ๐ฏ
๐ฐ๐ฟ is quite underrated. Offers stunning landscapes and city life at almost 1/2 the price of the popular destinations.
It's safe, clean and very tourist friendly.
Launguage is a bit of a barrier but can be easily managed with G Translate๐
YES ๐ฏ
๐ฐ๐ฟ is quite underrated. Offers stunning landscapes and city life at almost 1/2 the price of the popular destinations.
It's safe, clean and very tourist friendly.
Launguage is a bit of a barrier but can be easily managed with G Translate๐
Final thoughts -
Hope these details help and convince you to plan a trip to ๐ฐ๐ฟ soon ๐
You can club it with Uzbekistan(like we did) and also add Kyrgyzstan to your itinerary if you are keen.
Given these countries are very closely located, it's easy to travel between them ๐
Hope these details help and convince you to plan a trip to ๐ฐ๐ฟ soon ๐
You can club it with Uzbekistan(like we did) and also add Kyrgyzstan to your itinerary if you are keen.
Given these countries are very closely located, it's easy to travel between them ๐
By considering these points, you can ensure a smooth and enjoyable trip to ๐ฐ๐ฟ from India ๐ฎ๐ณ
Writing these ๐งตtake a lot of time and effort, so ๐ฉท Bookmark๐ & Repost ๐ if you found useful ๐
& Follow our journey on Insta for more such details ๐
instagram.com
Writing these ๐งตtake a lot of time and effort, so ๐ฉท Bookmark๐ & Repost ๐ if you found useful ๐
& Follow our journey on Insta for more such details ๐
instagram.com
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