We reached Istanbul late the previous night after travelling on the speed train from Ankara. Parth was still operating at India time and we were up at 3 am entertaining him. We were all drifting off to sleep when we woke up to the sound of knocking at around 4 am. I went to check if someone was at the door and saw that it was not the main door – it was the wardrobe door opening and shutting. And it kept swinging back and forth. We also realised that our bed and the entire building was swinging like a pendulum. It was an earthquake! And we were stuck on the 20th floor of the hotel! I opened the main door and checked if people were evacuating – but everyone seemed to be fast asleep! I went to the window to check the status outside, but no one was coming out on the streets. Digging back memories of what to do in such a situation, we found the strongest table in the room and hid under it – hoping that the building was strong enough to hold together. The rocking motion continued for at least 5 more minutes – what felt like an eternity! The weird part was that it was not a simple vibration – everything was swinging back and forth (with significant “amplitude”).
When everything came to a standstill, in our heads, we could still feel the rocking motion – similar to how you feel the swinging motion of a train after having travelled for a day or two in one. We wondered if it was in our heads or actual aftershocks. We couldn’t go back to sleep – so we got ready for the day. I kept checking the news and saw that there was a strong earthquake with its epicenter midway between Ankara and Istanbul (where we were the previous day). Over 2500 buildings were damaged but luckily, there was no direct loss of life. It was a terrifying experience, to say the least!
Our trip began in Istanbul, the historic city which resides on the border between Europe and Asia and the perfect place to experience Turkish food! We reached our hotel in Beyoğlu – very close to the Galata Tower by 4:30pm. This was on the European side. In fact, most of the monuments are also on the European side. Since it was mid-November, we did not have a lot of daylight left. I had put together a very ambitious itinerary for the roughly 1.5 days that we had here before the rest of the group arrived – and we were raring to go. In fact, Parth was super energetic and kept jumping on the hotel bed!
We walked out onto Istiklal street – a famous walking street. Just 2 days before, there was a horrific bomb blast on this very street which took the lives of some people. Due to this, there was extra security positioned all along the street. We weren’t planning to walk down Istiklal right away, we were keen on going to the Asian side of Istanbul! Before we head further, a disclaimer – this is going to be a food blog!
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One morning, my mother called and said they were going through some travel websites and came across an itinerary for Turkey. She wanted me to go through it and suggest if it was worth it. I did some quick research and concluded that it was good to go. Later in the day, Nam and I were discussing it in detail and a question popped into our heads – if the itinerary is good, then why aren’t we going? After all, we hadn’t travelled anywhere in the last 2 years due to Covid (the last trip was Seychelles in 2020). And now, we had baby P as well – he had just turned 1 year old – having the grandparents around would be a good way to test out our first big trip with him. So, the very next day, we called them back and said we’re joining them too! Super excited for Parth’s very first international trip!
Central Asia is a fascinating part of the world and is picking up fast in terms of tourism. My first exposure to this part of the world was in school geography where we learnt about the Steppes – vast empty grasslands that spread across the continent. I had also learnt that the USSR used to occupy most of this region until it collapsed – giving way to new countries. There was a mystery associated with these new countries – the “Stans”. The largest of them is Kazakhstan.
Kazakhstan is the ninth largest country in the world. As we went about planning our Central Asia itinerary, we knew it would be tough to cover the entirety of Kazakhstan – most of the country was covered by desert or steppes. Which meant a lot of travel between places. So, we did our research and picked the Almaty region – a region that is often compared to Switzerland in terms of its natural beauty.
You can find some of the most striking landscapes imaginable, really amazing hiking options and even skiing in the winters!
Kazakhstan has borders with Russia, China, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan. It is the largest landlocked country in the world (poor Caspian Sea is not considered a “real sea”).
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Best Time to Visit
July and August are the peak season months in the mountain regions as everyone heads out here to avoid the heat. November to March plunges the temperature to sub-zero (Astana, the capital of Kazakhstan is the second coldest capital in the world after Ulaanbaatar in Mongolia). So, the perfect time to travel is April to June and September-October. If you are travelling specifically to ski, then you have to hit the December-February window. We travelled in mid-June and the weather was perfect. We could see the crowds swelling up in the mountains and it wasn’t even peak season yet!
Getting Around Kazakhstan, Visa and Currency
Almaty is the biggest hub in Kazakhstan and is most likely where you would fly into the country. It is also placed very close to the other Stans making it an attractive choice as the point of entry (check the map above). Indigo now has direct flights to Almaty from Delhi – which is a huge plus! The Almaty airport has beautiful views of the Tian Shan mountains – keep an eye out for it!
Snowy peaks visible from the plane right after we landed
Once you’re in the country, there are plenty of domestic airlines including Air Astana, FlyArystan, Qazaq Air and SCAT. If you’re in the mood for adventure, you can travel by road. But be prepared for days of travel through a desolate landscape which will never seem to end. Since we were just going around the Almaty region, we hired a car to take us around. Kazakhstan also has a high speed rail network which you can consider.
The main carrier of Kazakhstan – Air Astana
For Indians, there is no Visa required for travelling up to 14 days (Yaaaay!!). There are very few such countries in the world where Indians can travel without a grueling Visa process and I was super grateful that Kazakhstan was one of them! It wasn’t always the case – the new rules came into effect recently after the country decided to open up for tourism.
The Kazakh currency is the Kazakhstani Tenge. It is without doubt, the most beautiful currency I’ve seen so far. The notes have rich colors with detailed images – some of them printed vertically! A quick Google search told me that the Tenge has won several awards for having the most beautiful banknotes! In terms of conversion rate, we were still in the territory where the INR was stronger – 1 INR gave us 5.5 Tenge. 1 USD was 458 Tenge at the time of our travel.
The beautiful Kazakh Tenge notes
How many days to spend in Kazakhstan?
My favorite controversial question of them all! A good benchmark would be 7 days – you can cover a lot of national parks and get a taste of the culture and varied landscapes while you’re here. Stick to the Almaty region as it will offer you the best variety. You can take a flight to Astana if you’d like to see the capital. If you have fewer days, you can follow what we did. Keep reading!
Our Itinerary
Day 1: Arrive at Almaty airport in the morning flight. Meet the driver who is waiting to take you to the Kolsai lakes. Visit the Black Canyon on the way to the Kolsai lakes. Reach the beautiful Kolsai lake, take a hike along the shores. Taste some local fermented mare’s milk. Stay at a local farmhouse in Saty village for the night.
Kolsai Lakes
Kumis – prepare for the most pungent taste ever!
Day 2: Take a 4×4 ride to the Kaindy lake – the one with the dead trees sticking out. Leave for Charyn Canyon after lunch. Visit the Canyon and get back to Almaty city. Go for an authentic Georgian dinner.
Kaindy LakeCharyn CanyonTraditional Georgian khachapuri
Day 3: Explore Almaty city – Panfilov Park, Green Bazaar, Lotte Rakhat factory, the Almaty metro, Kok Tobe and the Republic Square.
The beautiful Panfilov parkThe eclectic Zenkov cathedralPanoramic view of Almaty from Kok Tobe
Day 4: Fly out
Some edits to this that we recommend: Spend more time in Almaty if possible. For example, you don’t need to leave for Kolsai straight from the airport – we had to do it because of time constraints. Spend the day in Almaty soaking in the vibe of the city. Walk around, sit in the cafes and just have a good time! There are plenty of good restaurants and cafes – you can spend a leisurely 2-3 days just in Almaty.
Hope this post helps you kick off your trip to Kazakhstan. Here is a list of the other blogs to get all the details:
Almaty – The Origin Of Apples And An Amazing City!
If you have any questions on how to plan your trip, leave a comment below and we’ll be happy to help. Do subscribe to the blog if you like the content. You can also share it with fellow travel enthusiasts.
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Frequently asked questions (FAQs):
Is Kazakhstan safe for tourists? Are there any specific safety considerations or precautions that travelers should be aware of when exploring Kazakhstan, especially in remote areas or during outdoor activities like hiking and skiing? Yes, Kazakhstan is generally very safe for tourists and is among the best cities you can visit in Central Asia. It combines the cultural diversity of Asia with the modernity of Europe in most parts. Safety considerations would be the same as it is in most places in the world – avoid stepping out in lonely areas at night, inform your hotel/homestay before going for a hike or skiing, take a local guide or driver if possible.
Are there any potential language barriers or language tips for travelers who don’t speak Kazakh or Russian while exploring Kazakhstan, especially in remote areas outside of Almaty? Google translate is the best option. Download the Russian dictionary and keep it ready for offline access and use it to communicate with the locals. It would help to have a local guide if possible.
How much should I budget for a trip to Kazakhstan, including expenses for accommodations, transportation, meals, and activities? This would totally depend on the kind of accommodation you choose – basic, mid-range or luxury. If you go for a mid-range, you would end up spending roughly 80-100 USD per day including food, accommodation and activities.
Are there any specific cultural or historical landmarks in the Almaty region that were not mentioned in the itinerary but are worth visiting? There are a couple of other national parks that are worth visiting. You can also visit the cultural museum and local theatres for getting a feel of the local history and culture. If you have enough time, you should definitely plan a couple of those.
As we set about planning our trip to Central Asia, I wondered what I knew about Kazakhstan. I knew it was a huge country – it is the ninth largest in the world and the largest landlocked country by area. I remembered from school geography that the Steppes were somewhere there. And I knew the entertaining tennis player, Alexander Bublik. Here are some things I did not know – Kazakhstan is largely empty – one of the emptiest in the world in terms of population density. The country is largely covered in the vast grasslands known as the Steppes. Its capital Astana is the second coldest capital city in the world (after Mongolia’s Ulaanbaatar). And its mountains and lakes are out of this world in terms of natural beauty – rivalling even Switzerland.
Let’s dive right into the trip – we start off from Uzbekistan’s Tashkent international airport. We’ll put up the itinerary and planning blog right after these (just as we had done for Uzbekistan) – so, sit tight and enjoy this journey of Kazakhstan!
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Day 1
We started early in the morning from Tashkent. Our flight was a Boeing 767-300 ER (there aren’t any of these in India as far as I know) on Uzbekistan Airways from Tashkent to Almaty in south-eastern Kazakhstan. There were plenty of vacant seats and we moved to window seats after boarding was completed.
As we took off, the landscape of the city quickly change to desert and sand dunes. It changed soon to grasslands and lakes. And by the time we reached our destination, it was completely different! The flight time was less than an hour. But Kazakhstan was 1 hour ahead of Uzbekistan and we had to adjust our watches accordingly.
As we touched down at Almaty airport, we could see huge mountains on our right side with snow capped peaks. Yes, snow! Those who have been on the Uzbek journey with us (check out those blogs after this one) know that we had just come from places that were getting baked at 38-40 degrees. So, this was a much welcome change!
Snow capped peaks welcome us at Almaty
There were some new airlines (SCAT, Arystan Air) and some familiar ones (Air Cairo). We also saw Russian-made planes – the ones which had wings on top of the fuselage!
Funny looking old Russian planes!
Immigration took some time as the queue was long. They scrutinized our passports for a long time and let us through. We collected our bags and met our tour guide outside at the arrival gate. We quickly exchanged currency (1 USD converted to 441 Tenge during our trip).
A cloudy day at Almaty
Our car for the trip was a Mitsubishi Delica. It looked like a double evolved Pokemon version of an Omni.
Our captain loading up the van with our luggage
Looking at our driver, one would think that he could be an Indian – from the north-east or Ladakh. Only when he opened his mouth and Russian came flowing out would we realize that he is a local here. This is something interesting we observed. As we got closer to China, the ethnicity of people was also changing. The existence of ancient trades routes and frequent invasions made sure that different tribes moved around and mixed, giving a very diverse set of cultures and features to the people of this region. Central Asia is indeed at the crossroads and a melting pot of cultures – forming a unique culture of its own.
Once the luggage was loaded, we started on our drive towards the Kolsai Lakes. The first thing we noticed was that our car had a right-hand drive similar to India. But the vehicles were driving on the right side of the road like in the western countries. When we looked at other cars, we found a mix. Most were left-hand drive while a few were like ours with a right-hand drive!
We stopped to get something to eat – a cheese samsa and some sausage rolls and fruits for Parth (we were too hungry and forgot to take pics!). The highway was very good and we were cruising at 110kmph. On both sides of the road we could see farms. On the right side, the mountains stood tall – the same ones we had seen after landing at the airport. There were dark clouds looming in the distance indicating that we might get rain. But the way ahead of us was sunny and we hoped it would remain that way.
After about an hour of driving at around 12:30pm, we got off the highway and stopped at a restaurant for lunch. The menu had a lot of lagman (noodles) options. The taste was really different from the one we had in Uzbekistan. The Uzbek one was more mild and was mainly tomato sauce. This one had a lot more garlic, had a dark sauce and was spicier. Very similar to the Chinese food we get in India. The khachapuri was also like a pizza instead of the puff pastry we got in Uzbekistan.
It’s always Lagman time in Central Asia
Parth had a fun time playing with an “akka” he met there. He was running all over the place and playing hide and seek with her. It’s really amazing how kids have the same language all over the world.
Making friends in a remote part of Kazakhstan
We continued our drive and the landscape changed drastically. The farmlands gave way to open fields. The fields were barren with only some grass and they lay as far as the eye could see. There were absolutely no trees at all. We were driving through the Steppes! We spotted wild horses running through the fields – this was a bucket list item for Nam! No words or photos can describe the vast emptiness that we were passing through – the only thing for miles miles was the road we were on and a few wild horses running into the distance!
Pictures cannot do justice to the vastness of the Steppes
The roads were as straight as could be – we’d seen similar roads in Egypt and Jordan – both running through deserts where there was no need to build curves around obstacles. The hills were also as barren as the rest of the landscape and we felt like we were in the middle of nowhere! Soon, we took another turn and the landscape changed again. This time, it was absolutely barren – similar to Leh in India – no vegetation at all. The road curved around deep gorges and we stopped at our first sightseeing spot – the Black Canyon.
We could see the Charyn river flowing in the depth of the canyon and a line of trees on the banks of the river. That was the only green stretch for miles! The canyon was so named because of the dark colour of the rocks. It wasn’t as jet black as we expected but it was definitely blacker than the rocks around. We clicked some photos and moved on towards Kolsai.
The Black Canyon
The landscape changed rapidly and the barren, rugged terrain now gave way to green hills and soon, we started seeing trees. There were streams flowing down the hills and some of the hills even had thick woods. We passed by a few villages – the first ones after over a hundred kilometres it seemed like. We crossed Saty village, the one where were staying that night. The picturesque landscape reminded us of Kashmir and Switzerland. There were plenty of yurts (the nomadic tents which are common in Central Asia) which acted as camps for tourists. Soon, we reached the parking area of the Kolsai Lakes.
We were going to visit the first Kolsai lake only. The second one was an 8km trek away. The third one was another 5-6km away and almost at the Kyrgyzstan border. In my head, it felt like a wonderful idea to go on that adventure – but I guess that ship has sailed for now and I’ll need to wait a bit for it to return.
It was cold and damp when we arrived – there was light rain and a strong breeze was blowing. The temperature was around 15 degrees – a huge departure from the 38 degrees we were experiencing just a day back. We walked into the view of the lake – it was beautiful! It looked as pristine as some of the lakes we had visited in Austria. We climbed down to reach the level of the lake and walked along the banks towards the starting point of the boats. The path was narrow, there were steps built into the path for the first half of it and the rest was just mud and roots. It was a challenge carrying Parth all the way but we managed it.
The entry point to the trail along the lake
Panoramic view of Kolsai lake
The place was way too crowded for somewhere so remote. We hardly saw any people and few vehicles on the way but this place was jam packed with tourists. There were a lot of locals too as it was a Saturday and people were enjoying their weekend. There was loud music playing at the boating area and suddenly from Austria and Switzerland, we were transported to Ooty and Kodaikanal. We didn’t spend much time here and walked back. The initial viewpoint was a lot more serene and beautiful. We clicked a lot of pics before heading back.
We reached our guesthouse – Algados. It was close to the arch which marked the beginning of Saty village. Our hosts welcomed us with a huge mug of kumis – fermented mare’s milk. I was looking forward to having this but not in a mug so big! As you would have guessed (seeing the word “fermented”), it was extremely sour and there was no way we finished the whole thing.
Kumis – fermented horse milk
We had an early dinner. The table was covered with food – donuts, a pastry with sugar dusted on top, cheese, fresh butter, jam, biscuits, a brown powdery thing (tasted like the powder used to make laddus) and some other smaller items like chocolates.
It looked like a royal spread!
The actual main course was a soup with lentils, meat and vegetables.
The main course was this soup with meat, veggies and pasta
It was a simple meal and very light on the stomach – something that we all appreciated after a week of heavy food in Uzbekistan. We slept early and got more than 9 hours of sleep!
Day 2
Breakfast was at 8am – the breads, butter, cheese, jam and biscuits stayed on the table. The main course was a couple of fried eggs. It was a recurring theme – the table was full of biscuits and wafers etc and the main course was really light.
We finished breakfast, packed our bags and got ready to leave for the Kaindy lake. The road to the lake started just outside Saty village near the huge cemetery. The road was basically a dirt path and only 4×4 vehicles and local buses could make the journey. It was a bumpy ride but our driver expertly navigated our way. We crossed a couple of streams which ran across the road. The water had a strong flow but our car was upto the task.
Funky looking buses crossing the river
The mountains were covered with a thick cover of coniferous trees – the view was out of this world! The mountains were getting closer to each other and we were right in the middle of them. Once again, we felt photos and words could not describe these incredible landscapes!
The mountains were covered in the thickest woods we’d ever seen!
We reached the parking where our horses were waiting. Our guide, Aida asked whether we wanted our horses to be tied to each other – the answer was, of course, yes! We didn’t want our horse running off crazy on the side of the mountain! The initial path was a gentle upward slope which kept going for about 10 minutes. The last 6-7 mins was a steep descent and we got our first view of the lake. The horses dropped us at the end of the trail and we walked the last stretch for about 8-10 mins. There is also a walking path which is slightly longer – takes about 20-25 mins to get to the lake.
The path got narrower and steeper as we went along but these horses were experts!
We had got perfect weather for today – the lake was an amazing shade of blue and there were many dead trees sticking out of the lake. Dead trees? Let’s quickly have a look at the story of this lake – Kaindy is a very young lake – it was formed as an aftermath of the devasting earthquake of 1911. An entire side of the mountain collapsed and brought down with it all the trees which now stood silently in the middle of the lake. The lake isn’t exactly dead – there is a lot of algae growing under the water and we could see ducks wading around.
We clicked a lot of pics. We also spent some time standing at the viewpoint and enjoying the remoteness and silence of the place. Such pristine beauty was best enjoyed in this kind of an environment. Aida told us that we got to enjoy this because we came early. By evening, even Kaindy would be full of tourists! During winters, the lake would be completely frozen and the mountains covered in snow.
The eerie trees in Kaindy lakeGroup pic timePanoramic view (notice the beach on the opposite side?)
We made our way back on the horses and reached the parking. My parents and Parth were waiting for us. Parth wasn’t too thrilled to see us on horses and when Nam tried holding him, he quickly wanted to get down. We were glad we didn’t take him. On the way back to the guest house, we saw many many mashrutkas (local taxis) full of tourists making their way to the lake. We stopped near the point where the stream crossed the road and clicked some pics. The water was not too cold.
Proper group pic time
We reached the guest house by 12, had lunch (plov and lentil soup in addition to the breads etc and a new pastry coated with condensed milk) and then started on our way back.
The landscape changed again in reverse – thick woods gave way to green hills which gave way to barren craggy mountains. We made our way to Charyn Canyon – it was a narrow road and it felt like we were going into the middle of nowhere. The entire setting was very similar to the road leading to the Wadi Rum desert in Jordan. We were cruising at about 100kmph and suddenly the car got caught in the wind! The driver immediately slowed down as the car was swaying from side to side. We saw a board that warned travelers about natural calamities and one was the wind!
We entered the parking area to be greeted by many tour buses – these would be the day tours starting from Almaty. We walked along the path towards the “valley of castles” and to our surprise, there was no river! The bottom of the canyon was dry and there were vehicles running there and people walking! We had seen the river flowing through the Black Canyon but it seems to have diverted once it reached here. The canyon looked quite impressive but the heat was scorching.
Charyn CanyonIf not for the scorching heat, it is a nice walk along the valley of castles!
We took refuge under umbrellas and clicked pics. The walk back seemed longer than the way towards the canyon as we just wanted to get out of the sun.
We headed back to Almaty, only stopping for some coffee at a petrol station. Parth had some apple juice there and was jumping up and down for the rest of the ride thanks to the sugar high. Our driver and guide dropped us at our hotel, D’Rami. We checked into our room – it was a very nice hotel. The only issue was that it was on the 3rd floor with no elevator. But the room made up for it and it was a good upgrade from our guesthouse stays! Time to take some rest and continue our trip!
The Kazakh series is here:
The Kazakh Itinerary – the perfect short and sweet itinerary through the Steppes
Almaty – The Origin Of Apples And An Amazing City!
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Uzbekistan is easily the most beautiful country on the ancient Silk Road with the major cities still housing monuments and bazaars from that era. This blog details our Uzbek itinerary and will help you plan your perfect trip!
Uzbekistan is one of the only two double-landlocked countries in the world. A country is called double-landlocked when all of its neighbours are also landlocked – so you will need to cross at least two borders reach the nearest sea/ocean. The only other double-landlocked country in the world is Liechtenstein in Europe.
The capital of Uzbekistan and the largest city in Central Asia, Tashkent literally translates to “Stone City”. It is very close to the Kazakhstan border. As with most cities in the region, it was completely destroyed by Genghis Khan only to be revived and restored to glory by Amir Timur. It was built as a modern Soviet city after the 1966 earthquake – including the iconic metro which continues to operate to this day!
Our journey started at Tashkent and we were now back after an amazing journey covering Khiva, Bukhara and Samarkand. When we left off in our last blog, we had enjoyed visits to the iconic monuments of Samarkand and boarded the Afrosiyob high speed train to Tashkent. Let’s dive right into Day 6 of the trip!
Dating back to the 7th century BC, Samarkand (Samarqand in Uzbek) is one of the oldest cities of Central Asia (alongside Bukhara). It lies very close to the Tajikistan border and was also an important city in the Persian empire. Alexander the Great captured the city in the days when it was called Maracanda. It then passed to the Persians, Turkics and Mongols (as it is the case with most cities, Genghis Khan came and destroyed the entire place). The city gained its peak during Amir Timur’s time – becoming a cultural and religious centre. In fact, Ibn Battuta (the inventor of #wanderlust) called Samarkand “one of the greatest and finest of cities, and most perfect of them in beauty“. Today, we dive right into this beautiful Silk Road city!
After an 8 hour train journey, we arrived at Bukhara. As detailed in the previous blog, most of it was through the desert (as you can see in the map below). The train journey was hot and tiring but we were really looking forward to our stay at Bukhara.
Bukhara has been a center for trade and culture for over 5000 years and a key city of the Persian empire. It is considered one of the oldest cities in Central Asia itself and the old part of it has been recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Under the rule of Amir Timur, it became a major religious center. Spelled Buxoro in Uzbek, it is today the seventh-largest city of Uzbekistan in terms of population. There are many monuments in Bukhara which stand testimony to the cultural behemoth that the city used to be. And in this blog, we will be exploring this beautiful city. We continue our journey on Day 3 from the Khiva blog.
A trip to Central Asia was part of our plan for 2020. The itinerary included Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. It was a 15-16 day plan (like our usual summer breaks) with a lot of travel to remote and local places. Little did we know that our lives would change completely before we actually ended up making the trip.
For starters, the world shut down for almost 2 years due to the pandemic. While we could never have guessed that it would take so long for the world to return to normalcy, we did figure out that travel would be impacted for atleast 6-7 months. So, we squeezed in a tiny vacation to Seychelles and got back just 8 days before India announced its lockdown. The more important change was that we had a new travel companion – our baby P! He would turn two in July 2023. This would be his second international trip (we had visited Turkey when he was 1 year and 4 months old).
