Entry requirements | Organizing your trip | Visiting | Eating | Paying | Speaking |

Entry requirements

Passport and visa service

Information on visas from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Diplomatic representations

The list of Kazakhstan embassies is available on the website of GoAbroad.com

For more information

Diplomatic mission of Kazakhstan in Greece
122, Imittou
15669 Papagou
Phone: 2106515643, 2106547765
Fax: 2106516362
dpmath@otenet.gr

Organizing your trip

Means of transport recommended in town

Recommendation

In the new capital Astana, the public transport network consists of buses and trolley buses. 14 taxi companies also operate. For further details, refer to the website Mayor of Astana which consists of a transport section. Taxis are plenty in Astana even if few are official (often there are individuals who rent their vehicle). Hiring of vehicles is possible (with or without chauffeur).

In Almaty, 49 companies transport passengers by bus and 63 private taxi companies are active. For further details, refer to website Mayor of Almaty which consists of a transport section. A metro line is currently under construction. Whether private or not, taxis are also numerous in Almaty. Hiring of a vehicle is also possible.

Maps of urban networks

Maporama
UT Library on line
Mapblast
Map of future metro in Almaty
Road network map of Astana

Means of transport recommended in the rest of the country

Recommendation

About ten companies serve the airport of the capital Astana. The list of these companies is available on the website Mayor of Astana. The schedules of trains which connect Astana with other cities of Kazakhstan and neighbouring countries is available on the website Mayor of Astana.

A list of aviation, railways and river transport companies is available on the website Ministry of Transport and Communications.

Rail companies

Website of the company Kazakhstan Temir Zholy (consultable in English)

Flight from Greece

No aircraft company operates direct flight from Athens to Almaty. To find out air connections from Greece to Kazakhstan click here

Traveling by yourself

Recommendation

Roads are maintained moderately, general authorised speed is 120 km/h on highways, 70 km/h on rural roads. Follow the speed limit signboards which correspond to actual danger (dangerous deformations of the road, potholes). Move preferably in a convoy (at least 2 vehicles in good condition) well equipped with reserves of fuel, oil, water, etc. Insure the vehicle from a local insurer. On the highway, as in the city, sometimes unscrupulous police require motorists to pay excessive fines for their benefit which (in theory) must not be paid.

Road maps

Find an itinerary

Visiting

Different forms of tourism

Historical

In Almaty : Zenkov Cathedral surrounded by the Panfilov park, Saint Nicolas Cathedral, Arasan Baths, the Petroglyphs of Tamgaly, 170 km North-west of Almaty.

Astana is largely a new city, thus has even lesser number of "historical" monuments. The Seifullin museum, house of the Kazakh poet and writer born in 1894, and the monument for the Russian victims of the Gulag in Kazakhstan are to be seen.

Cultural

In Almaty : Museum of Musical Instruments, Central National Museum where animal art masterpieces of the steppes are found : Golden Man; Museum of Fine Arts, Museum of Repression.

Nature

There is the picturesque valley of Medeo, just fifteen kilometers north of Almaty. Always in the neighbourhood of Almaty: Mount Talgar and its natural reserve. 200 km from Almaty: Charyne Canyons, Keguen region (string of three lakes at Kolsay), Kaptchagai region: Altyn Emel regional park.

Kazakhstan boasts of other natural sites: Tamgaly (red rock), marble wall, Aqsu-Djabaghly natural reserve in the south of the country and its lakes: Lake Boshoe Almatinskoe in Shymbulaq region ; Lake Issyk-Kul ; Lake Balkhach (400 km north of Almaty)

150 km south west of Astana: the Kourgaldjno reserve. 200 km farther to the south: "Little Switzerland of Lake Bourabai" (or Borovoye) where swimming, fishing and hiking are popular.

Religious

In Almaty: Saint Nicolas Cathedral, Zenkov Cathedral, Grand mosque (constructed in 1999). In Astana: Mosque of Baiterek locality. In Turkestan: Mausoleum of Ahmed Yasawi and Mosques including a XIIth century underground mosque.

Thermal

Beach

Aktau Station on the Caspian Sea : fully developed port.

Lakes of the "Little Switzerland of Bourabai" (or Borovoye).

Winter sports

Tchimboulak Ski Resort in the Zailiiskii Alataou Mountains, in the neighbourhood of Alamaty. Rink of Medeo.

Outdoor activities

Shopping

In Almaty: Zelionyi Bazar, Meloman chain of shopping centres, Silk Way ; Akademkniga library.

In Astana : handicrafts in Talisman store ; Meloman shopping centre.

Tourism organizations

Ministry of Tourism
List of 84 organisations on the website of Mayor of Astana
List of more than 400 organisations on the website of Mayor of Almaty

Eating

Food specialties

Besparman (meat, paste and grilled onions)
Plov (meat, rice, carrots and garlic)
Pelmeni (ravioli)
Oriental candies

Drinks

Koumys (fermented mare's milk)

Dietary restrictions

There is no ban on pork or alcoholic beverages even though a large majority of the population is Muslim.

Paying

Domestic currency

Kazakhstan Tenge

ISO Code

KZT

To obtain domestic currency

The national currency is Tengue or KZT.

Possible means of payment

In Astana, there are several exchange bureaus. ATMs accept foreign cards are located in the bank offices and large shopping malls. Most of the banks of the city exchange travellers cheques (for a commission).

In Almaty, numerous ATMs are available and most accept foreign card. The exchange bureaus are also many in number. Those in popular tourist areas offer less attractive rates.

Exchange rate on

Automatic Teller Machines (ATM)

To find out the locations of ATMs in in Kazakhstan, click on the link to your credit card: Visa, Mastercard or American Express

Speaking

Official language

Kazakh is the State language and Russian is the language for intercommunity communication.

Other languages spoken

English is still rather less spoken.

Business language

Russian

Getting some knowledge

To have some idea about Russian: http://masterrussian.com/

Free translation tools

Tranexp -
Ectaco -
hexagone - Not Free Greek-Russian-Greek translator
Ferdosi - Not Free Greek-Russian-Greek translator

We can translate your foreign-language documents.

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Last updates: May 2012