{"id":1783,"date":"2015-09-29T18:34:00","date_gmt":"2015-09-29T18:34:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/mircorp.com\/?p=1783"},"modified":"2024-12-03T13:54:43","modified_gmt":"2024-12-03T13:54:43","slug":"what-to-know-before-you-go-kazakhstan","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.mircorp.com\/what-to-know-before-you-go-kazakhstan\/","title":{"rendered":"What To Know Before You Go: Kazakhstan"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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MIR founder and president Douglas Grimes shares a collection of his insider\u2019s tips on what to see, do, and eat in Kazakhstan.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The mammoth white Khazret Sultan Mosque in Kazakhstan\u2019s modern capital, Nur-Sultan<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Kazakhstan<\/a>: You may have heard of it from comedian Sacha Baron Cohen\u2019s 2006 mockumentary Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan. <\/em>But this vast country is nothing like its on-screen portrayal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Once entirely a nation of nomads, Kazakhstan is now Central Asia\u2019s<\/a> most economically successful country, thriving on the considerable riches it\u2019s gained from the oil and gas industries.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Nearly five times the size of France, surprising Kazakhstan lays claim to soaring mountains, boundless steppe, and abundant natural wildlife \u2013 attracting attention from adventure-seekers and European elite (like Prince Harry) looking for an off-the-beaten-path destination.<\/strong> Travelers are just beginning to discover its miles of rivers for whitewater rafting, challenging peaks to scale, and endless opportunities for desert and mountain horse treks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Travelers celebrate at Yuri Gagarin\u2019s statue in Baikonur, Kazakhstan. Photo credit: Christoper Prentiss Michel<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

And though Nur-Sultan and Almaty are being transformed into cosmopolitan business centers, some people still cling to nomadic ways by living off the land in yurts and revitalizing the age-old tradition of hunting with falcons. Add bazaars as old as the Silk Road, friendly locals, and the modern wonders of space travel to the mix and you have a fascinatingly diverse and welcoming climate.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

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About Our Kazakhstan Travel Expert: Douglas Grimes<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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MIR founder and president Douglas Grimes<\/strong> made his first foray into Kazakhstan <\/a>in 1987, when it was still a Soviet Republic. \u201cI was checking out climbing camps around the Soviet Union, and [the trip] included a stop in Almaty and driving up to Medeo to see the skiing area there.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Doug was immediately hooked by the country\u2019s expansive beauty and ancient culture. He and his hand-picked team of specialists at MIR design and support imaginative small group tours and independent travel not only to Kazakhstan, but along the rest of the Silk Road in Central Asia<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

MIR makes it simple to travel to challenging places like this.  With an affiliated office in nearby Uzbekistan<\/a>, MIR has a roster of contacts throughout the region that can take you to places that you didn\u2019t even know you wanted to go.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Kazakhstan: Where to Go and What to Do<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Kazakhstan\u2019s modern capital, Nur-Sultan. Photo credit: Igor Strebkov<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Essential<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Be sure to take a day or two to visit Nur-Sultan, Kazakhstan\u2019s futuristic capital.<\/strong> Since President Nursultan Nazurbaev moved the capital there from Almaty in 1997, the city has undergone a massive transformation from sparsely populated steppe to ultramodern metropolis. The architecture is unusual, maybe even a little bizarre, but it\u2019s an excellent opportunity to see a modern city come to life before your eyes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Nur-Sultan, the Kazakh capital, boasts architecture by world-renowned architectural firms. Photo credit: Jamshid Fayzullaev<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Also, take a quick trip to Turkistan<\/strong>, one of Kazakhstan\u2019s oldest cities (its 1,500th anniversary was celebrated in 2000). The medieval buildings and ruins you can still find here are worth the visit alone, but the big draw is the Mausoleum of Sufi mystic Khoja Akhmed Yasavi, the first Turkic Muslim holy man. He was influential in spreading Islam across Central Asia and helped make Turkistan an important center of learning and pilgrimage. In the late 14th century, Tamerlane, the famous conqueror and founder of the Timurid dynasty, commissioned a massive mazar<\/em>, or tomb, to be built over Yasavi\u2019s grave. Today, the complex has the largest existing dome in Central Asia and is Kazakhstan\u2019s first UNESCO World Heritage Site.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Adventurous<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Kazakhstan is a nature-lovers paradise, with some of the most beautiful mountains, amazing waterfalls and lakes, pristine meadows ,and jaw-dropping scenery in the world<\/strong>. Horseback riding, skiing, hiking, bird watching, and falcon-hunting are just a few of the adventurous activities we love to arrange for our travelers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The National Parks around here are incredible, with beautiful trails and a chance to see the traditional homes and lifestyles of the Kazakhs. One of the best is Altyn Emel State National Park<\/strong>, about a two-hour drive from Almaty. It\u2019s a great place to spot native Central Asian wildlife like the red wolf, the berkut<\/em> (or golden eagle) and the kulan<\/em> (a wild ass). You\u2019ll also find some of the most stunning sights in Kazakhstan here \u2013 caves, waterfalls, an ancient Scythian necropolis and a natural phenomenon known as the Singing Dunes, large sand dunes that hum and vibrate during dry weather.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Charyn Canyon in Kazakhstan. Photo credit: Ana Filonov.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Some of our favorite things to organize are rafting and kayaking excursions<\/strong>. Charyn Canyon and the Ili River are the most popular spots and the easiest for beginners, since the rapids here are not very dangerous, but more experienced rafters and kayakers can find options in the Altai Range. Charyn Canyon also makes for a great day trip for photographers<\/strong>, even if you\u2019re not into rafting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bragworthy<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

If you\u2019ve ever dreamed of space travel, there\u2019s no better way to get up close and personal with it than to visit the Baikonur Cosmodrome, Russia\u2019s space launch facility on the remote steppe of Kazakhstan. (Russia leases the sparsely-populated steppe land from Kazakhstan to run their space program.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Douglas Grimes and a new cosmonaut friend in Baikonaur. Photo credit: Christopher Prentiss Michel<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

I\u2019ve been fortunate enough to have visited it several times as Tour Leader on our Inside the Russian Space Program<\/a> tour<\/strong>, which guides travelers through the once highly classified world of Russian space travel. We\u2019ve arranged meet-and-greets with Russian cosmonauts, behind-the-scenes tours of Star City (the premier Russian training center near Moscow) and exclusive access to briefing sessions and press conferences. The highlight, of course, is watching the Soyuz rollout and the thrilling manned launch of the Russian Soyuz spacecraft from a special VIP viewing area in Baikonur. It\u2019s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Local Color<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Almaty and Nur-Sultan are cities full of beautiful parks and fountains<\/strong> \u2013 perfect for a lazy Sunday. In Almaty, there are several great places to sit by the water, cool off and people-watch: in front of Republic Square, near the Central State Museum and Kasteyev Art Museum, and at Panfilov Park. The surrounding parks around Baiterek and the Presidential Palace in Nur-Sultan are also great places for a quiet afternoon stroll.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Fields of flowers front the Presidential Palace in Nur-Sultan, Kazakhstan. Photo credit: Igor Strebkov<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n
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Kazakhstan: The Inside Scoop<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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The blue-domed Central State Museum in Almaty, Kazakhstan. Photo credit: Jamshid Fayzullaev<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

To Everything There Is A Season: When To Go \u00ad<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Travel to Kazakhstan in the spring months of April-May or the fall months of September-October<\/strong>. The weather is not too hot at that time of year, with daytime temperatures only reaching the low 60s and 70s.<\/p>\n\n\n

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