Hot springs in Kazakhstan: how to choose between six thermal spas

Hot springs in Kazakhstan are spread across three regions: the mountains around Almaty and Zhetysu, the far south near Shymkent, and the Altai in the east. Most are working sanatoriums on radon or mineral water, not wild pools. If you have a single free day in Almaty, only Alma-Arasan fits. The rest need a weekend or a longer trip.

Six springs in three corners of the country

The six springs below differ more in access than in water. Four sit in the southeast within reach of Almaty or Taldykorgan. Saryagash is on the Uzbek border near Shymkent, and Rakhmanov Springs is deep in the East Kazakhstan Altai.

The table shows the main trade-off: the hottest water, up to 53 °C at Zharkent-Arasan, is a long trip from Almaty, while the easiest spring to reach, Alma-Arasan, has the coolest water of the group, starting at 20.5 °C.

Alma-Arasan is the only one that works as a day trip from Almaty

If you search for hot springs in Almaty itself, this is the one that fits: of the six places here, only Alma-Arasan works as a day trip from the city. Alma-Arasan lies in Prokhodnaya gorge about 16 km from Almaty, and city bus 28 runs to the Olen stop. Its thermal radon and sulphur springs are at roughly 1,780–1,830 m, so the setting is alpine, not steppe. A spa has stood here since 1931.

In 2025 the city started rebuilding the trail from the car park to the spring. We could not confirm whether the work is finished, so expect some extra walking. Water ranges from 20.5 to 39.7 °C depending on the outlet, which means not every pool will feel hot.

Do not confuse it with Arasan Spa in central Almaty, a bath complex with a similar name.

So when you look for hot springs in Almaty, the choice comes down to how far you will travel for hotter water.

Around Chundzha, separate resorts run their own pools on their own terms. We do not list names or prices because they change each season, so check the entry and overnight cost with the resort, and navigate to that resort and not to the village.

Southeast of Almaty: open pools at Chundzha, sanatoriums in Zhetysu

Chundzha is the one to pick for a road trip, not a clinic stay. The village is 240–250 km from Almaty, about four hours, and Charyn Canyon lies on the same road at around 195 km. The springs themselves are not in the village but 50–60 km further east along the road to Kolzhat, with about 140 outlets and pools at 35–50 °C. Budget for that extra distance beyond the village when you plan the drive.

Zharkent-Arasan and Kapal-Arasan are sanatorium villages in the Zhetysu (Dzungarian) Alatau foothills. Zharkent-Arasan sits at about 1,100 m, roughly 40 km from Zharkent, on radon water first brought up in 1952; its clinic opened in 1967. Kapal-Arasan is at 975 m in the village of Arasan on the left bank of the Biyen river, about 100 km from Taldykorgan. By Wikipedia it is the oldest resort institution in Kazakhstan, with a history reaching back to the mid-19th century and a sanatorium opened in 1886. It takes patients all year.

Saryagash: a spa area in the south, near Shymkent

Saryagash suits travellers already heading to Shymkent. Its hot mineral water, at 37–50 °C from a well about 1,400 m deep, was struck in 1946 by geologists who were looking for oil. The town sits on the Uzbek border.

Most sanatoriums are not in Saryagash town but in the village of Kokterek, 14–16 km away and roughly 127–130 km from Shymkent. Book or plan transport to Kokterek, not to the town, or you will end up in the wrong place. Spring and autumn are the peak seasons here; July and August are rated only as possible.

Rakhmanov Springs: radon pools at the end of an Altai road

Rakhmanov Springs is the most remote spring in this list and the most scenic trip. The radon water, at 32–42 °C, rises by Rakhmanov Lake inside Katon-Karagay National Park, 111 km beyond Katon-Karagay village, under the Belukha massif at 4,506 m. The final 13 km of mountain road was rebuilt.

The area is a border district. We could not confirm what permits a foreign visitor needs, so check before you set off. The window is short: June to August is the peak, and outside May to September the trip is rated only as possible.

Which spring to choose by month

Seasons pull these springs in opposite directions, so the month you travel largely decides the choice.

For a winter visit, Chundzha is the only spring rated at its peak in that season. In midsummer it drops to possible, as does Saryagash, while Alma-Arasan and Rakhmanov Springs reach their peak. Kapal-Arasan is rated good in every month, so it is the safe fallback when dates are fixed.

What is hard without a car or Russian

Bus 28 to Alma-Arasan is the only public transport we could confirm for any spring on this list. For the others we could not confirm buses, transfers or road times beyond the four-hour drive to Chundzha village. Five of the six are working sanatoriums, and we could not confirm whether they accept day visitors or only guests on treatment programmes. Plan on a hired car or driver for everything except Alma-Arasan, and confirm terms with the sanatorium before travelling.