Tips for traveling in Kazakhstan in 2024

Kazakhstan is the 9th largest country in the world and the most modern of all the Stans.

Yet, very little is known about this fascinating country.

After more than a few visits, I compiled this guide with all relevant travel tips for Kazakhstan, from visas to how to get in, money, and everything needed to plan your trip.

For places to visit, don’t forget to check our Kazakhstan Itinerary

🇰🇿 Introduction: what is it like to travel in Kazakhstan

Kazakhstan is, by far, one of the strangest countries I have ever been to, along with Haiti and Eritrea.

On the one hand, it is a surprisingly developed country, home to the most Westernized city in Central Asia, Almaty, whose inhabitants are very European-minded, as well as some striking mountains. 

On the other hand, this gas-rich, barely populated country is also the 9th largest in the world and it is also home to some of the most bizarre places on Earth, like an old nuclear testing town, a drought sea, the Russian Cosmodrome and an extremely vast steppe with the occasional 2-humped hairy camel.

Kazakhstan has two faces and, for this reason, it can have a place in everybody’s heart, both the traveler who likes to explore a cosmopolitan city and beautiful mountains and the avid backpacker who likes to get deep into obscure places off the beaten track.

After traveling in Kazakhstan for a month, I have compiled this guide with all the travel tips you need to know.

🪪 Visa requirements for traveling to Kazakhstan

Citizens from the following countries can get a free visa on arrival (VOA) in Kazakhstan.

All EU and Schengen countries, Argentina, Australia, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Iceland, Indonesia, Israel, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Oman, Philippines, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Serbia, Singapore, South Korea, Thailand, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, United States, Vietnam

This is…