Kazakhstan

Kazakhstan is huge — the ninth-largest country in the world — so a good plan makes all the difference. Most travellers start in Almaty, the leafy former capital near the Tien Shan mountains, or Astana (Nur-Sultan), a futuristic city of bold architecture on the steppe. With distances so vast, it’s smart to focus on one region per trip: for example, Almaty with Charyn Canyon, Kolsai Lakes, and Kaindy Lake, or Astana combined with nearby steppe and lake landscapes.

Use Hello’s trip planning to map out internal flights, train legs, and day trips into a single itinerary so you can see travel times at a glance. Overnight trains are a classic way to cover long distances while saving on accommodation, and domestic flights link major cities efficiently. Spring and autumn are ideal for milder temperatures; summers can be hot on the steppe but perfect in the mountains. In winter, expect serious cold but magical snow scenes.

Book at least your first few nights in advance in larger cities, then leave space in your schedule for spontaneous detours to small towns or national parks that locals recommend along the way.

Kazakhstan uses the Kazakhstani tenge (KZT), and many everyday costs are pleasantly affordable. Simple local meals can be found from around KZT 1,500–2,500 (roughly US$3–5), metro rides in Almaty are inexpensive, and intercity trains are often cheaper than flying. Cash is handy for markets, marshrutkas, and rural guesthouses, while cards are widely accepted in cities.

To avoid surprise roaming bills, set up a Hello eSIM before you land so your data works as soon as the plane’s doors open. Reliable connectivity is especially useful for rideshare apps, translating menus, and navigating when street signs switch from Cyrillic to Latin script. Use Hello’s budget tracking to log spending in KZT, helping you see how much you’re burning through on coffee, taxis, or that daily lagman habit.

If you’re travelling with friends, meals often come as shared plates, and group tours or private drivers are common. Split costs easily using Hello’s expense splitting tool instead of passing cash around or trying to remember who paid for the last marshrutka.

Kazakh cuisine is hearty, meaty, and perfect after a long day on the road. Start with beshbarmak, the national dish of boiled meat and noodles, or try plov (rice with meat and carrots), and lagman, a rich noodle soup with a hint of spice. In Almaty, head to the Green Bazaar to snack your way through dried fruits, nuts, baursak (fried dough), and local cheeses. In many towns you’ll also find Georgian cafés, Uzbek canteens, and modern coffee shops.

Vegetarians will need to look a bit harder, but it’s getting easier: search for cafés serving pilaf with vegetables, hummus, salads, and baked goods. Save favourites in your Hello trip planning so you can find them again across cities.

Expect a casual dining culture: tea is poured endlessly, and sharing plates is normal. Tipping around 5–10% is appreciated in sit-down restaurants but not usually expected in canteens. Street food and market stalls are often cash-only, so keep small notes handy and use Hello’s budget tracking to see just how much of your daily spend is going on samsas and coffee.

In cities like Almaty and Astana, getting around is straightforward. Almaty has a small but useful metro, plus buses and trolleybuses; you can tap transport cards or pay with contactless in many places. Ride-hailing apps are widely used and inexpensive for crossing town or reaching trailheads near the city. Having mobile data via a Hello eSIM makes ordering rides and translating addresses much easier.

Beyond the cities, distances stretch out. Marshrutkas (minibuses) connect towns and villages on fixed routes; they’re cheap and sociable but can be cramped. Trains are comfortable for long hauls across the steppe, and booking a sleeper berth turns the journey itself into part of the experience. Where public transport thins out — for example, around Charyn Canyon, Kolsai Lakes, or remote steppe areas — consider hiring a car or arranging a private driver through a local agency or your guesthouse.

Road conditions range from excellent highways to patchy rural roads. Avoid night driving when possible due to potholes and stray livestock. Keep offline maps ready, and pin fuel stations and cafés in your Hello trip planning so you’re not caught short in the middle of a very empty landscape.