Backpacking Kazakhstan: 10 best places to visit
The most rewarding stops for backpackers in Kazakhstan, ranked and mapped — and real routes through them, written by travellers who went.
Read Kazakhstan stories1
Almaty
Almaty
Mountain-backed leafy metropolis.
2
Charyn Canyon
Almaty Region
Central Asia's Grand Canyon.
3
Kolsai Lakes
Almaty Region
Alpine lakes in spruce forest.
4
Astana
Astana
Futuristic steppe capital.
5
Big Almaty Lake
Almaty Region
Turquoise lake above the city.
6
Kaindy Lake
Almaty Region
Sunken forest underwater.
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Mangystau
Mangystau
Otherworldly desert formations.
8
Turkistan
Turkistan
Great Silk Road mausoleum.
9
Shymbulak
Almaty Region
Ski resort above Almaty.
10
Altyn-Emel National Park
Almaty Region
Singing dunes and steppe.
Backpacking routes through Kazakhstan
Real trips through Kazakhstan, drawn on maps by the people who took them.
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