Keruen Saray, Turkistan: the modern canal complex by the Yasawi mausoleum

Keruen Saray is a modern tourist complex in Turkistan, opened in April 2021 on 20.5 hectares directly opposite the Mausoleum of Khoja Ahmed Yasawi. Think canals with boats, a bazaar, shops, restaurants and shows in a Silk Road design. The name means caravanserai, but nothing here is older than 2019.

What is inside

This list reflects descriptions from the 2021 opening, so treat it as a guide and confirm what still runs.

• Boat canals link all the buildings and host a “Parade of Boats” show.
• A street of traders and craftsmen recreates a Silk Road market.
• The Flying Theatre is a panoramic ride.
• An amphitheatre was built for horse shows, and a fountain show was also announced.
• A bazaar, shops, a cinema and a family entertainment centre fill most of the remaining space, alongside two hotels, restaurants and a spa.

Forbes.kz gives the building area as 74,000 m². The government press office called it the largest such complex in Central Asia when it opened.

Scale and what stands next door

Forbes.kz reported forecasts of 200,000–300,000 guests a year when the complex opened. We found no later attendance figures. Half of the retail space had been let at opening, so ask locally which shops are trading now. Next door stands the Kazakh Music and Drama Theatre of Turkistan, a building of over 11,000 m² with a 510-seat hall. We could not confirm its programme, and it is worth checking one if you stay the evening.

How it fits into a Turkistan day

The complex sits within Turkistan, in the buffer zone of the Azret Sultan reserve, so it needs no separate trip.

1. Reach Turkistan by train or bus.
2. Spend the morning at the mausoleum, which requires ID and a ticket at its own entrance.
3. Cross to Keruen Saray in the afternoon. We would allow two to three hours for a walk and the canals.
4. Check times for boats and shows on arrival, as we found no current schedule.

Search for “Keruen Saray Turkistan” in map apps, because the same name is searched in other cities too. For real medieval architecture, the mausoleum and our list of mausoleums are what you want.

When to go

Summer is hard going, with July days averaging 36.9 °C. These are computed normals for a point at 216 m.

April to May and September to October are far more pleasant, at 20–29 °C by day. Winter is another matter. From November to March days reach only 2–14 °C, and we could not confirm that boats run at all during those months. In summer go towards evening and read our note on the heat.