Kazakhstan

1 Aksu-Zhabagly — a nature reserve

2 Altai Mountains

3 Baikonur — site of the spaceport

4 Karkaraly National Park

5 Talgar — a town nearby the Talgar Mountains

6 Zailiysky Alatau (Trans-Ili Alatau) — a 200 km long mountain range

Entering Kazakhstan is no longer the hassle it used to be. The Kazakh government is keen on opening up Kazakhstan to the rest of the world, and most people can enter the country without a visa.

You can travel within the country using taxis, buses, trains and planes, it depends on your budget and demands.

Kazakh and Russian are the two official languages of Kazakhstan. Of the two, Russian is the more useful language.

Kazakh is a Turkic language and shares a high degree of mutual intelligibility with Kyrgyz.

Kazakhs are very proud of their native language; demonstrating interest in or speaking a few words of Kazakh will be met with jovial, delighted reactions!

Many people under age 25 will know some English, as will many customs officials and airport staff.

It is difficult to get around the country without some Russian or Kazakh language skills; though, within the more modernized cities, it is easier. Have your place of residence written on a card and get a taxi if you get lost (you might be somewhat overcharged by the taxi, but it is better than being lost).

As the Kazakhs were traditionally nomads who lived on horseback, Kazakhstan for the most part lacks the monumental Islamic architecture of neighboring Uzbekistan. However, Kazakhstan makes up for this with its wealth of natural beauty, which can be seen in the wide open spaces between its cities.

Visitors wanting to experience the traditional Kazakh nomadic lifestyle will likely be disappointed. Under Stalin's collectivization policy during the period of Soviet rule, the Kazakhs were forced to sedentarize and become farmers, all but wiping out the nomadic tradition within the borders of modern Kazakhstan. There are opportunities for tourists to stay in Kazakh yurts, but these were re-created in the post-Soviet era as tourist attractions, and are not an authentic part of the daily lives of regular Kazakh people. Nevertheless, traditional Kazakh clothing still reflects that nomadic heritage and traditional life on horseback, the horse remains an important part of Kazakh culture, which visitors can see on display in its full glory during major traditional festivals. Perhaps ironically, the traditional Kazakh nomadic lifestyle is better preserved among the ethnic Kazakh minorities in Western Mongolia and China's Xinjiang province than in Kazakhstan, making those better destinations if that is what you are looking to experience.

Various tour companies operate in Almaty and Astana year-round, shuttling tourists to nature and scenic destinations outside of urban centres. These companies primarily cater to Indian and Mainland Chinese tourists, and their styles of travel, which involve many short photo stops and short visits to as many destinations as possible. Private tours are frequently just private taxi transfers to the entrances of attractions with little to no English commentary.

Baikonur – The famous cosmodrome site for the launch of the first manned orbital flight by Yuri Gagarin. The modern town of Baikonur was built near the existing village of Tyuratam. As the cosmodrome area (6,000 km2) is rented by Russia, no Kazakh visa is needed if you fly in directly from Moscow. Tours can be organised but reportedly these take weeks to be approved by Russian authorities.

Köl-Say Lakes

The modern buildings of Astana – A contrast to most of the rest of Kazakhstan

Endless desert and steppe in much of the country

The Altai mountains in eastern Kazakhstan, and other mountain chains along the southern border.

Many attractions in Kazakhstan are closed on Monday as a "sanitary day", so that uninterrupted cleaning and maintenance can occur.

Saunas: Because of its cold and windy weather, visiting saunas with friends is very popular in Kazakhstan. Saunas (Russian banyas or Finnish steam rooms) are an excellent place to discuss business issues or just socialize with friends. Having parties (birthdays, New Year, etc.) in saunas is a normal practice. In fact many modern sauna complexes in Almaty and Astana are usually fully equipped with karaoke, billiards, swimming pools, relax rooms, massage rooms, etc. Some saunas are a cover for sex services, and many will include a "happy end" option when taking a massage.

Football: Kazakhstan is about as central in Asia as you can get, but does have some territory west of the Ural River (considered to be the continental border between Europe and Asia) and chooses to affiliate to UEFA. That means its national and leading club soccer teams are often involved in tournaments with better-known western teams, involving a very long journey. The domestic playing season is March-Nov to escape the rigours of the steppes winter. The men's national team usually play in Astana. The domestic top tier is the Premier League with 14 clubs, two in Astana and one in Almaty.

Meat, potatoes, rice and pasta. And lots of it. If you're vegetarian be wary, because if it doesn't have meat in it, it will be almost certainly cooked in meat stock.

Some recommended dishes:

Beshbarmak - "five fingers", a horse meat and pasta dish with potato and onion. The national traditional dish of Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan most often served for special occasions. Can also be made with beef or lamb. Most restaurants that serve it will present a portion enough for two or three people.

Kazy - handmade horse meat sausage, could be cooked and served with Beshbarmak, but not at the restaurants, unless you ask to do so when preorder menu. If you did not, it would be served as cold meat appetizer with other types of cold meat appetizers (Zhaya, Basturma, Shyzhyk). And separate price would be charged. Kazakh dish.

Laghman - a thick noodle dish with meat, carrot and onion, usually served as a soup.Some other veggies could be added too.

Manty - large steamed dumplings full of meat and onions. Sometimes made with onions or pumpkin. Traditional Uighur dish.

Plov - wonderful dish of fried rice, meat, carrots, and sometimes other bits such as raisins or tomatoes. Traditional Uzbek dish.

Shashlyk or Shish Kebab - skewered, roasted chunks of marinated meat, served with some sort of flatbread (usually lavash) and onions. Various marinates can be used, and different ways to cook it, open fire or other.

Baursaky - bread best served piping hot. A little like an unsweetened doughnut. Kazakh.

Pelmeni - boiled dumplings made from different kinds of meat or potato. Russian.

If you're a vegetarian, you're probably thinking there's nothing for you in Kazakhstan. And you're right, if you eat out. But if you're cooking your own food, you'll be more than satisfied. Kazakhstan has some excellent products available at little markets everywhere. You will be amazed at the taste and availability of fresh organic veggies at low price! For a treat in Almaty, try Govinda's, a delicious vegetarian Hare Krishna restaurant. Malls have food courts with some vegetarian options too. Even some small Kazakh eateries will prepare vegetarian meals for you if you make it very clear to them (e.g. "byez myasa" (without meat), "ya vegeterianetz" (I [male] am a vegetarian), "ya vegetarianka" (I [female] am a vegetarian) in Russian). At some places (e.g. smak) you can even find vegetarian manty made with pumpkin.

The legacy of Korean resettlement in Kazakhstan means that Korean dishes, particularly salads, are very common. At the country's many bazaars (independent food and goods markets), look for the Korean ladies selling these. They will wrap you up any number of delicious, often spicy and garlicky salads to take away in plastic bags. If you are vegetarian, this may be the only decent thing you get to eat while you're in the country.

On the other hand, in Kazakhstan you can find any dishes you want, but Chinese and Japanese dishes are very expensive.

The most delicious is caviar, which is very cheap, you can buy 1 kilo of caviar for less than US$300 in Almaty Zyeloniy Bazaar, but you can't export or take it with you home; you will be stopped at the airport and pay high fines.

Eating out is relatively cheap; you basically order the meat dish and then add rice, potatoes, etc. Each element is priced individually, so you can order for instance only meat or only rice. Prices are relatively cheap, count 500 tenge for chicken, 1,000 tenge for beef, and up to 1,500 tenge for horse, a local delicacy. Of course, the fancier the restaurant, the higher the price. If you don't speak Russian, things are relatively hard as the majority of restaurants don't have English menus (with the exception of some hyped places in Almaty).

While Kazakhs are not very religious, most do not eat pork. Be aware of this if you are dining out with Kazakhs. Also many dishes that are made elsewhere with pork (such as dumplings or sausage) are made with beef or mutton.

Traditional beverages include:

Kumiss - fermented mare's milk, up to 6% alcohol content. Imagine tart lemonade, mixed with semi-sour milk.

Kumyran (Shubat)- fermented camel's milk

Kvas - described as similar to root beer it can be bought in a bottle in a store, or by the cup from people with giant yellowish tanks of it on the street.

Tan. Fizzy beverage made of mare's milk.

Cheap alcoholic drinks can be found at every little corner shop (called the astanovka). These places are open 24/7, just knock on their door if the shopkeeper is asleep. Kazakhstan's speciality is cognac, though stores still sell vodka cheaper than bottled water at times. However, some of these astanovka sometimes sell alcohol of dubious origin; for the sake of your stomach you may want to buy your beverage in a supermarket, although the price will definitely be higher.

Several brands of beer, of good quality and flavor, are made in Karaganda. Becker, Staut, Tian-Shan, Derbes, Irbis, Alma-Ata. Local brands brewed in Almaty are pretty good.

Juices, in cartons, are common and delicious, especially peach juice.

Tea is widely available, mostly very good and often quite strong. If you are on a budget this is the thing to order with your food. Tea is culturally important in Kazakhstan - "shai" time is one of the most important things a visitor can engage in to learn about the culture.

Coffee. Modern coffee houses and western-style cafés are appearing. They serve good coffee. Coffeedelia (Kabanbai batyr and Furmanov) is popular with expats and does OK coffee. One of the best coffee in Almaty can be found at 4A Coffee where they roast their own daily. Gloria Jeans and Marone Rosso also can be found.

Wine. Try the local variety. A good one can be had for less than US$4 a bottle. "Bibigul" is perhaps the most consistently good wine, and it comes in a semi-dry red or semi-dry white. Avoid drinking wine in restaurants. It's usually very expensive.

Vodka. Good vodka at US$8–10 per bottle. In restaurants that do not usually cater to foreigners you get 20(!) cl if you order a vodka, smaller servings not available. Buy a bottle of "Kazakhstan" vodka to take back. It is in a pretty bottle with a picture of Kazakh hunting with a falcon seen through a "window". Try Edil vodka, which is made with the pantacrene of local deer antlers.

There are numerous hotels, from very cheap ones (€10 per night) to the luxurious ones. You wouldn't find the cheapest ones on the web; the only way to book them is to call directly, but in that case you'll have to speak Russian at the least.

There are almost no camping sites except in Burabay/Borovoe in Kazakhstan. You can, however, camp almost anywhere due to the huge uninhabited spots. The scenery is beautiful but because of the very hot weather: don't forget to take plenty of water with you as you can very easily spend many of days without seeing anybody. If you camp near a nomadic tribe, ask for the permission to stay near; it will not be refused.

Unlike certain European countries still recovering from recession, Kazakhstan abounds in employment or business opportunities. Skilled professionals may be able to find a job in the energy or educational sector. Salaries tend to decrease as the country is working towards ensuring equal pay for locals and expatriate staff. Expatriate candidates must obtain a work permit. It is difficult to get a work permit.

Generally, Kazakh cities are safe during the day, but certain parts of major cities should be avoided at night to reduce risk, namely, all parts of Almaty below Rayimbek Batyr (previously Tashkentskaya street) and all microdistrict areas within these zones, certain other remote microdistricts, and areas with high concentrations of shabby private houses (such as Shanyrak) and all smaller towns such as Shar, Stepnogorsk, and Temirtau may present a higher risk of mugging and violent crime.

In smaller towns, e.g. Taraz, Balkhash, Shymkent, Taldykorgan, Uralsk, Semey and Ust-Kamenogorsk, going out at night should not present a significant risk, though infrequent muggings do occur.

Keep your passport (or a certified copy of your passport and visa) with you at all times. While the situation has improved lately, police might still try to extort money from foreigners, especially on trains and long-distance buses. Unless the officers involved are drunk, it is possible to avoid paying them by pretending not to understand, or by claiming poverty.

The risk of violent crime is comparable with Eastern European countries and rougher parts of major US cities. An ordinary tourist should not experience any violent crime and is unlikely to be a target of minor crimes, if their behaviour stays within generally accepted norms in public places.

Excessive consumption of alcohol and visiting a nightclub will always present a higher risk, especially if a person goes out alone. It is advisable to go out as a group, or even better, with locals. Late at night, people speaking foreign languages may receive extra attention from local police, who have been known to falsely accuse a person of petty crimes, make an arrest, and attempt to obtain a 1,000-5,000 tenge cash payment "fine". Mobile phones work in most places and should be used to call a local-language speaking friend.

A foreign man soliciting a local woman on the streets or in a nightclub may draw unwanted attention from locals, or might result in arguments. Normal Western attention and respect for women and children, including a smile or kind greeting, can be taken by a local husband or father as threatening or offensive.

Carrying expensive phones, watches and jewellery; or otherwise demonstrating wealth in public may result in closer attention from pickpockets and potential criminals. Outside Almaty and Astana, this should be avoided.

There is zero tolerance for any drugs, and trace amounts may result in criminal investigation, prosecution and a prison sentence. Prisons are known to be dangerous and often inhumane.

Careless and drunk driving is a problem. It is always advisable to obey traffic rules and wear seat belts. In most cities, using local taxis may present a higher risk than official public transportation due to many taxis operating unlicensed with incompetent drivers. Situations of unlicensed taxi drivers demanding additional fees before releasing luggage from their boot, or driving off and stealing luggage are more common than would be expected in Western cities with a well-regulated taxi industry. It's advisable to keep your valuables and passport in your pockets and your most valuable bag on your lap. Public transportation and taxis are much less expensive than in Western cities.

Major criminal organisations are active in the Shu valley, between Taraz and Almaty. Locals widely report a heavy police presence, and that corrupt police are known to plant drugs on both local and foreign visitors.

Watch out for food poisoning from shady vendors in smaller towns. In Astana, completely legitimate cafes may include milder drugs in their drinks menu. A misunderstanding can get the unwary traveler lots more than he bargained for.

There have been cases of violence against foreign workers in West Kazakhstan. A housing camp of Turkish workers was destroyed, with many workers assaulted, due to anger about foreigners taking local jobs and an alleged rape of a local woman.

In general, the level of health care and hygiene is not up to Western standards. When travelling to smaller places, it is a good idea to bring your own medical supplies. There may also be a shortage of medicines.

In an emergency, call an ambulance at the general hospital on duty on 103. However, you should consider using local hospitals.

When travelling to forested and mountainous areas, especially in the early summer months, tick-borne encephalitis should be taken into account. Tuberculosis and HIV are also present in the country. There have been a few cases of Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever in South Kazakhstan and cases of Lyme disease in rural areas.

In order to avoid stomach infections and food poisoning, particular attention should be paid to hygiene when preparing food and drinks, especially during the summer months. The municipal water is more or less drinkable, with no real nasties, but try to boil it if possible. Bottled water is cheap and easily available. When at restaurants, ask specifically for Asu, Borjomi, Sary-Agash or Tassay mineral waters. Many other widely-known water brands can be found in restaurants and supermarkets. If you have to use tap water, it is advisable to boil the water before using it.

Travellers should have comprehensive travel insurance, including cover for aircraft evacuation in the event of serious illness or accident. Many hospitals either do not accept international travel insurance at all or only accept it from certain insurance companies. Payment by international credit card is not possible in all hospitals, so payment must be made in local cash (tenge). Before you travel, check with your insurance company which clinic in Kazakhstan you should contact in case of an emergency.

Kazakh people have more pride than most Westerners would expect. Therefore, insulting or negative comments about Kazakhstan or local Kazakh people will often result in arguments and possible threats of physical violence. It is not recommended to get into an argument with locals, as Kazakhstan is a nation where physical power is part of the local culture, and can occasionally lead to a fatal last argument. Likewise, Kazakhstan is also a muslim country, so it is best to not insult or make jokes about religion.

Do not associate the country with Borat. Kazakhs believe the films misrepresents and defames the country, and are quite tired of hearing Borat jokes and comments. That aside, the catchphrase "Very nice" was used in its tourism promotion campaign.

The land border can be crossed to Russia, China, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan. Check the requirements for crossing the border to Turkmenistan. There is a ferry to Azerbaijan.