Your Perfect Week in Kazakhstan: A Detailed Itinerary

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1 Week in Kazakhstan | Almaty Sightseeing | Do it Yourself | The Perfect Itinerary

Kazakhstan, specifically Almaty, is near and dear to my heart since a lot of my extended family lives there and I spent a lot of my childhood summers at my grandparent’s dacha (a second home in the country). So, when I decided to travel to Asia, it was an obvious time to visit.

My friends and I visited Kazakstan in late May and the weather was absolutely perfect. Temperatures stayed between 50 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit, and it did rain a couple of the days, but that didn’t stop us from exploring.

Kazakhstan 7 Day Trip Itinerary

Here is a placeholder itinerary for your 1 week Kazakhstan adventure.

• Day 1: Land in Almaty (Stay: AirBnb)
• Day 2: Almaty Sightseeing (Stay: AirBnb)
• Day 3: Tau Spa Center Day Trip (Stay: AirBnb)
• Day 4: Cheryn Canyon (Stay: AirBnb, A-Frame Kolsai)
• Day 5: Kolsai and Kaindy Lakes (Stay: AirBnb, A-Frame Kolsai)
• Day 6: Free Day (Stay: AirBnb)
• Day 7: Fly out of Almaty (Stay: AirBnb)

I will go into more detailed descriptions for each of the days below.

What to Know Before You Go to Kazakhstan for Tourism

Is Kazakhstan expensive?

At the time of writing this, 500 Kazakhstani Tenge was equivalent to 1.05 USD. I would say that Almaty is not cheap, but also not wildly expensive.

I am traveling with 3 other people, so that helps with housing costs, but when calculated, each of us spent about 240 USD on housing for a week in Kazakstan. That number also includes our double booked housing night; when we went to the Charyn Canyon and the lakes we decided to keep the same Airbnb in Almaty for convenience. That comes out to be about 34 USD per person, per day to stay in Kazakstan for 1 week.

Apps and Websites

Download these apps before your trip to Kazakhstan

1. Google Translate – helpful to download the Russian and Kazakh language libraries, so you can translate offline
2. Yandex Go – taxi app similar to Uber, make sure your credit card works, otherwise you can pay with cash
3. Yandex Maps – navigation app similar to Google Maps
4. Airalo – an app where you can get an esim before your trip
5. GPSmyCity – an app where you can download an offline, self guided city tour

Check out these websites to help you plan your trip to Kazakhstan

1. Visit Almaty
2. Caravanistan
3. Get Your Guide

Sim Cards

eSim Route

Since we were getting to Almaty super late at night, we wanted to minimize our stress and things we had to do at the airport when we landed. We also were not sure that a physical sim card kiosk would be open. So, we opted to purchase a 5 GB eSim through Airalo for 10 USD operated by Beeline (it was originally 13 USD, but we used someone else’s 3 USD off coupon).

I wish we installed the eSim before our travel day though, because there was no good public WiFi (there was public WiFi, but you had to have a local phone number to connect). Thankfully, one of my friends was able to turn on his data and we were able to install our esims and order a taxi through Yandex Taxi. If you use my link or referral code (TATIAN0340) for Airalo, you will get 3 USD off of your first purchase and I will get a 3 USD credit for my future eSims:)

Physical Sim Card Route

In reality, I was surprised to see that there was a lot of activity at the Almaty airport, even so late at night (we landed around 1 AM). So, if you do not want to download an eSim app or figure out how to install it, you can probably, pretty easily, go to one of the open sim card kiosks at the airport and they will set everything up for you. You might even get a better deal.

Key Facts about Kazakhstan

Central Asia’s Largest Country

Kazakhstan is a vast country in Central Asia, bordered by Russia to the north and northwest, China to the east, and Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan to the south. It ranks as the largest country in Central Asia and the ninth largest globally. The capital was formerly Astana but is now known as Nur-Sultan.

Kazakhstan’s Independence

Kazakhstan gained independence from the Soviet Union in 1991, forging its identity despite historical ties that once excluded it from Central Asia. The country shares significant cultural and geographical similarities with its neighboring nations. It’s diverse geography encompasses mountains, forests, rivers, lakes, deserts, and expansive steppes.

Kazakhstan’s Historical Legacy and Cultural Evolution

Historically, Kazakhstan was inhabited by nomadic tribes before becoming part of the Mongol Empire and later falling under Russian rule. The Soviet era marked profound changes, including the settlement of nomads and the influx of diverse Soviet populations. Today, Kazakhstan is home to approximately 18 million people. Islam is the predominant religion, though cultural expressions vary. Kazakh and Russian are the official languages, reflecting the country’s multicultural heritage.

Fun fact, Almaty’s former name, Alma-Ata, translates from Kazakh to “father of apples.” According to Atlas Obscura, this is because,

when modern genome sequencing projects affirmatively linked domestic apples to Malus sieversii, Almaty and its surrounding land were officially recognized as the origin of all apples.

Atlas Obscura

Detailed Itinerary

Day 1: Land in Almaty (Stay: AirBnb)

This was a resting day during our trip. We took a red eye flight with IndiGo Airlines and did not get much sleep at all. If you do have some energy, I recommend going to the Arasan bathhouse for some much needed relaxation. In terms of food, I highly recommend Lepim I Varim Panfilova, a pelmeni (Russian dumpling) restaurant located on a nice walking street.

Day 2: Almaty Sightseeing (Stay: AirBnb)

Check out these must sees in Almaty, Kazakhstan below:

1. Ascension Cathedral
2. 28 Panfilov Guardsmen Park
3. Green Bazaar
4. Arbat Shopping Street

I like to use GPSmyCity when visiting a new country. It is a great app to use if you want to download an offline self-guided tour of the area.

Day 3: Tau Spa Center Day Trip (Stay: AirBnb)

For the next three days, we were able to borrow my uncle’s 4-wheel-drive car and drive around the area more freely. I would highly recommend renting a car during your visit. If you do not feel comfortable driving in another country, that is totally understandable, too. Taxis and tours are pretty easy to book in the area.

The Tau Spa Center is located less than an hour away from Almaty’s city-center. We chose to go here instead of the Arasan bathhouse because it’s facilities are mostly outdoors, surrounded by nature. When we went, the weather was pretty rainy and gloomy. Honestly though, that was perfect for this attraction. Just imagine, you’re sitting in an outdoor heated pool or hot tub, looking out onto the snow covered mountainside.

Important things to note about the Spa Center:

• you will have to pay a ~ 5 USD per car fee to enter the mountain area, ensure you receive a receipt of purchase;, corruption is a problem, attendants may pocket your entrance fee payment
• towels are not free, you must pay a small fee to acquire towels
• water shoes or sandals are required to go into the facility; you can also pay a small fee to acquire those
• we spent about 6 hours on this activity altogether; 1 hour driving there, 4 hours at the spa, and 1 hour driving back
• try to avoid driving during rush hours, as they can be intense in the city
• you can pay by card here

The Tau Spa Center was a highlight of our trip and should not be missed!

Day 4: Cheryn Canyon (Stay: AirBnb, A-Frame Kolsai)

Like I said previously, my friends and I had access to a car while we were exploring Kazakhstan. This was so helpful in setting our own pace for the trip and taking as much or as little time at each destination as we wanted. If you decide to go the set tour route, no biggie, there are plenty of well organized group and private tours available online.

Our day looked as follows:

7AM – rise and shine!

8AM – quick breakfast at the Airbnb, then get on the road for a ~3 hour drive to the Cheryn Canyon

11AM – bathroom and shashlik to refuel (shashlik is a traditional Kazakh food; grilled meat, usually lamb, on a skewer)

11:30AM – Arrive in Cheryn Canyon, use the very nice facilities and walk out onto the upper viewpoint; we did not find many souvenir shops, the one at this Welcome Center was the best one in my opinion, pretty expensive though:/

12:30PM – Walk back to the main building and get lunch at the Tary Restaurant that is in the Cheryn Canyon Welcome Center (not the best restaurant, but pretty much the only one in the area

2PM – Walk down the stairs leading into the canyon by the Welcome Center. You can either walk 1.5 miles downhill through the Canyon or, you can pay about $1 USD (one way) to take a bus; we chose to walk down (to take pictures and look at the canyon at a slower pace) and take the bus on the way back

5PM – Get on the road to drive about 30 minutes to the Black Canyon for some pictures

6PM – Get on the road to drive about 30 minutes to a small village for dinner

7PM – Dinner; we got dinner at this place (pictures below), because it at least had some reviews and you got to eat in a Yurt haha

8PM – drive about 30 minutes to get to your Saty Village accommodation (we stayed here)

Should I stay in Saty, Kazakhstan?

Short answer is, yes! This is where I stayed: AFrame_Kolsai

There are not too many places to stay where you can book online in the Kolsai and Kaindy Lakes area, especially not for 5 people traveling together. At first, I was looking into staying someplace with a view of the lake, but I am glad I decided against it.

A lot of accommodation options that I have found that are either close to the lakes or have a view of the lakes are a mess to get to and you have to travel for a while on roads that do not connect to the main road. Meaning you have to backtrack to get to the main road and find yourself in the central area of the park.

I recommend staying in Saty, Kazakstan because there are more accommodation options with better reviews and prices.

What are the best reviewed home stays in Saty, Kazakhstan?

These are the best reviewed home stays in Saty, Kazakhstan for a more authentic experience:

• Gostevoy Dom Kamay
• Gostevoy Dom Malik-Aygul’
• Gostevoy Dom Temirkhana Umbetaliyeva
• KOLSAY_KAZAKH_VILLAGE

FYI “Gostevoy Dom” translates to “Guest House”.

I will say, however, that these will be more difficult to book without speaking Russian, as you will probably have to call or WhatsApp message the hosts to reserve your date(s).

If you’re feeling a simpler accommodation booking experience, that is totally understandable. There are some accommodation options available on sites like Booking and Agoda. If you don’t pay the full amount online though, make sure you bring enough cash to cover the stay. I booked the a-frames through Booking, fully expecting them to just charge my card on file, but they told me I had to pay in cash. Thankfully we had enough cash between us, but don’t make the same mistake as me.

Day 5: Kolsai and Kaindy Lakes (Stay: AirBnb, A-Frame Kolsai)

7AM – rise and shine!

7:45AM – breakfast at the a-frames, pick up snacks at a convenience store, then get on the road for a ~30 minute drive to Kolsai Lake (they have pretty nice restroom facilities for a small fee, I think about 20 US cents)

8:30AM – start your walk down to the lake, the area is very well maintained and developed; we chose to walk on the left side of the lake, it was very nice; at the end of the left trail is an awesome photo spot, and since you’re theoretically there so early, you may have it to yourself:) FYI, sadly, you cannot swim in this spot

10AM – Get back to the parking lot and drive about 1 hour to Kaindy Lake (I would only attempt this in a 4 wheel drive SUV, the road is terrible at some points, I am sure it gets even worse after it rains, and you have to cross at least two small creeks. I do think they have little busses parked at the entrance of the crappy road, so you could just pay one of them to take you)

11PM – arrive at Kaindy Lake, (they have pretty nice restroom facilities for a small fee, I think about 20 US cents) decide whether you would like to walk 30 minutes to 1 hour uphill to the actual lake, pay about $10 for a semi-sketchy, but picturesque horseback ride, or pay less than 5 USD for a bus ride; we opted for the horseback ride

11:30PM – Enjoy Kaindy Lake, eat your previously purchased snacks, as there are not many food options available

12PM – Walk up the Kaindy Lake trail, past the water level viewpoint, up the hill to the left for an aerial view of the water (there is a bench here). After, go back down that hill and walk uphill though the forest. Even though this way back is a 15-30 minutes longer than the other way back, it is much more shaded and very pretty. Also, there are 2 more small lakes up there, and if you get tired of walking, there are busses available to take you the rest of the way back for a small fee.

1PM – hop in the car and drive about 1 hour back to the same village you stopped in for dinner in a yurt yesterday to have a late lunch at today; we ate here: Donerka

3PM – hop in the car after lunch to start the ~ 3 hour drive back to Almaty

6PM – dinner in Almaty at Хачапури Хинкальевич, a delicious Georgian restaurant

Day 6: Free Day (Stay: AirBnb)

Since weather is often unpredictable, you can use this day as a catch all for anything that you may have missed and had not had the chance to see. If you need some inspiration, here is a list of activities that you can partake in on this day:

• Take cablecars or hike to the Shymbulak Ski Resort
• Visit the Kok Tobe Mountain Park near Almaty
• Book a tour or drive to the Asy-Turgen Observatory
• Visit the Arasan Bathhouse in Almaty
• Book a tour to the Tian Shan mountain range to see wild apple orchards

Day 7: Fly Out of Almaty (Stay: AirBnb)

Time to pack your bags and fly home! I hope you enjoy your trip to Kazakhstan as much as my friends and I did. From vibrant markets and delicious local cuisine to breathtaking landscapes and rich history, I think Kazakhstan has something for everyone. Whether you’re exploring Almaty’s bustling streets, hiking in the stunning mountains, or diving into the unique cultural heritage, safe travels and happy exploring!