charyn.kz an independent guide to wild Kazakhstan

Kazakhstan tourist attractions: 50 places to visit

A list built on two tests: people search for the place, and you can get there without an expedition or a pre-agreed route. Filter it by type, season and region.

  • 50 places on the list
  1. 01 The Aral Sea in Kazakhstan A dam holds the northern part; the rest of the seabed is now the Aralkum desert. Kyzylorda is 463 km away in a straight line. May, Sep 3+ days
  2. 02 Shymbulak Base at 2,260 m, top at Talgar Pass, 3,200 m, with a 4.5 km gondola from Medeu. The road is closed to private cars until 30 November 2026. Jan–Mar, Jul–Aug day trip
  3. 03 Kok-Tobe A 1,130 m hill on Almaty's edge, about 6 minutes up by cable car from Dostyk Avenue. The zoo has been closed since 25 September 2025. May–Oct day trip
  4. 04 Charyn Canyon A 154 km canyon about 195 km from Almaty, with walls of 150–300 m. Entry is 0.2 MCI a person. Apr–May, Sep–Oct day trip
  5. 05 Big Almaty Lake A lake at 2,511 m. No cars since 2020, about 15 km on foot each way, and swimming is banned. Jul–Aug day trip
  6. 06 Alakol A 2,696 km² lake. People swim at the Akshi, Koktuma and Kabanbay beaches; the reserve itself needs prior approval. Jun–Aug 3+ days
  7. 07 Kaindy Lake Spruce trunks have stood in the water since the 1911 earthquake. It is 284 km from Almaty, and the 9.9 km gorge road has been under repair since October 2025. Jun–Sep weekend
  8. 08 Medeu The 1,691 m rink is closed for rebuilding until the end of 2028. The 150 m dam with its 842 steps and the gorge remain, on bus 12. Jun–Oct day trip
  9. 09 Burabay Granite of Okzhetpes and Zhumbaktas above Lake Borovoe, about 257 km and three hours by car from Astana. Jun–Aug weekend
  10. 10 Kolsai Lakes Three lakes between 1,818 m and 2,900 m, with 7.35–7.8 km on foot to the middle one. Almaty is 280–320 km away. Jul–Sep weekend
  11. 11 Lake Balkhash in Kazakhstan A lake about 600 km long, nearly fresh in the west and brackish in the east. Swim in June–August; ice from November to early April. Jun–Aug weekend
  12. 12 Almaty Main Botanical Garden A 103.6-hectare garden inside Almaty, laid out in 1932. Paid entry, with tulips, cherry blossom and lilac in spring. Apr–May day trip
  13. 13 Altyn-Emel The Singing Dune and the striped Aktau hills in the Ili valley. It is 250 km to Basshi, and a permit covers one route for one day. Apr–Jun, Aug–Oct weekend
  14. 14 Issyk Lake (Esik) A mountain lake about 40 km from Almaty at around 1,714 m, nearly emptied by a mudflow on 7 July 1963. Jun–Sep day trip
  15. 15 Khan Shatyr, Astana's giant tent with a beach inside A 150 m tent with its spire, holding an indoor beach and shops. It is a shopping centre that offers warmth and light in Astana's winter. Jan–Feb, Nov–Dec day trip
  16. 16 Green Bazaar Almaty A covered market in central Almaty, with trade on this spot since 1868: spices, food, antiques. May, Sep–Oct day trip
  17. 17 Bayanaul The country's first national park, from 1985: granite hills in the Pavlodar steppe and four freshwater lakes. Jun–Aug weekend
  18. 18 Otrar, the Silk Road city in southern Kazakhstan that fell to Genghis Khan A mound up to 18 m high on the site of the city the Mongols took in 1219, about 50 km from Turkistan. Apr, Oct day trip
  19. 19 Chundzha (Shonzhy) Springs lie 50–60 km from the village, which is 243 km from Almaty. Pool water runs at 35–50 °C. Jan–Mar, Nov–Dec weekend
  20. 20 The Palace of Peace and Reconciliation in Astana Foster's 62 m pyramid in Astana's Presidential Park, opened in 2006. May–Jun, Aug–Sep day trip
  21. 21 Alma-Arasan A trailside spring 16 km from Almaty, water at 20.5–39.7 °C, on bus 28. Repairs can close the trail. May–Oct day trip
  22. 22 Turkestan The late 14th-century Mausoleum of Khoja Ahmed Yasawi, on the UNESCO list since 2003, 160 km from Shymkent. Apr–May, Oct day trip
  23. 23 Bozzhyra and the wild landscapes of Mangystau Chalk fangs of Bozzhyra, 298–300 km from Aktau. 4x4 only, and a car pays 0.7 MCI. May, Sep 3+ days
  24. 24 Oi-Qaragai A year-round resort at 2,140 m, about 40 minutes from Almaty. A gondola has served the Aqtas area since 2025. Jan–Feb, Jun–Aug day trip
  25. 25 Kok-Zhailau A plateau about 10 km from Almaty: three hours up from the Ak-Bulak stop, or a 14 km traverse with 1,020 m of climbing. Jun–Oct day trip
  26. 26 Beket-Ata underground mosque at Oglandy An underground mosque cut into a chalk cliff, 280–285 km and 4–5 hours from Aktau. On the UNESCO list since 2026. Apr–May, Sep 3+ days
  27. 27 Assy Plateau Pasture at 2,200–2,750 m about 75 km from Almaty, 2–2.5 hours each way. You need a 4x4 or a crossover. Jun–Aug weekend
  28. 28 Bayterek Tower in Astana A 105 m monument on Nurjol Boulevard in Astana, with a viewing deck inside its 22 m sphere. Jun–Aug day trip
  29. 29 Sauran, the abandoned walled city on the Syr Darya steppe An oval of walls 800 by 550 m and karez wells on the steppe, 46 km in a straight line from Turkistan. Apr, Sep–Oct weekend
  30. 30 Arystan Bab Mausoleum, the pilgrim stop before Turkistan Tomb of Yasawi's teacher in a 1909 building, 50 km in a straight line from Turkistan. Pilgrims traditionally come here first. Apr–May, Sep–Oct day trip
  31. 31 Ile-Alatau A park in a 120 km strip above Almaty, from 600 m to 4,540 m. Swimming and fishing are banned. Aug–Oct day trip
  32. 32 Rakhmanov Springs Radon water at +32–42 °C, 111 km beyond Katon-Karagay. The sanatorium is closed and this is a border district. Jun–Aug 3+ days
  33. 33 Lake Zerenda, a pine-ringed freshwater lake in northern Kazakhstan A freshwater lake in pine-covered hills, 44 km in a straight line from Kokshetau. Swim in June–August. Jun–Aug weekend
  34. 34 Lake Zhasybay A lake inside Bayanaul, up to 14.7 m deep with rocky shores. Swim in June–August. Jun–Aug weekend
  35. 35 Bukhtarma Reservoir The country's largest reservoir: 5,490 km² and 425 km long, 146 km from Oskemen. Jun–Aug day trip
  36. 36 Furmanov Peak A 3,053 m summit from Medeu: 14–15 km round trip, about 1,360 m of ascent, 7–8 hours. Jun–Sep day trip
  37. 37 Visiting the Aisha Bibi Mausoleum, a carved terracotta tomb outside Taraz An 11th–12th-century tomb in carved terracotta, 15 km in a straight line from Taraz. Only part of the medieval building survives. May, Sep day trip
  38. 38 Visiting the Karlag Museum in Dolinka, at the former centre of a Gulag camp A Gulag camp museum in Dolinka, open since 2001, 34 km in a straight line from Karaganda. Check its hours first. May–Jun, Sep day trip
  39. 39 Altai Alps A ski base 22–40 km from Oskemen with five lifts and a season from November to mid-April. Jan–Feb day trip
  40. 40 First President Park in Almaty A city park of about 73 ha in southern Almaty, with a 30 m fountain. May–Jun, Sep day trip
  41. 41 Visiting the National Museum of Kazakhstan in Astana Seven blocks and 74,000 m² on Independence Square in Astana, home to the Golden Man. An indoor visit in any season. May–Sep day trip
  42. 42 Fort Shevchenko, the old Caspian fort town on the Mangystau coast An 1846 fort on the Caspian where Taras Shevchenko served his exile, 121 km in a straight line from Aktau. May–Jun, Sep day trip
  43. 43 Butakovka waterfall and gorge A 15–30 m waterfall in a gorge above Almaty, 2.5–3 hours each way from Medeu over a pass. Jun–Oct day trip
  44. 44 Korkyt Ata Memorial, a wind-played monument on the Syr Darya steppe A 1980 kobyz-shaped monument that sounds in the wind, beside the highway, about 200 km from Kyzylorda. 3+ days
  45. 45 Visiting the ALZHIR Memorial, the former Gulag camp for wives near Astana A museum on the site of the 1938–1953 women's camp, about 38 km in a straight line from Astana. May–Jun, Aug–Sep day trip
  46. 46 Ascension Cathedral and Panfilov Park in central Almaty A wooden cathedral from 1907 in central Almaty that came through the 1910 earthquake almost undamaged. May, Sep day trip
  47. 47 Saraishyk, the Golden Horde city on the Ural River near Atyrau A Golden Horde city of the 13th–16th centuries with a Pantheon of Khans, 47 km in a straight line from Atyrau. May, Sep 3+ days
  48. 48 Tamgaly Tas petroglyphs Buddhas and Tibetan texts from the 17th–18th centuries on rocks by the Ili, 92 km in a straight line from Almaty. Apr–May, Sep day trip
  49. 49 Turgen gorge waterfalls Seven waterfalls in one gorge, 70–90 km and about 1.5 hours from Almaty. A short trail reaches Bear Waterfall. May–Aug day trip
  50. 50 Big Almaty Peak A 3,680 m pyramid above Big Almaty Lake: 12–15 hours from the lower checkpoint and over 1.6 km of ascent, the longest walking day here. Sep day trip

The number on each card shows the order by search demand and says nothing about how much you will enjoy the place. The filter matters more: set a season and a region and these Kazakhstan travel places shrink to what fits your trip. Labels such as “day” or “weekend” count from the nearest big city, which may not be yours.

How we picked these 50 Kazakhstan tourism places

We started from the two columns of our ranking of 200 places: Russian-language searches in Kazakhstan and Latin-script searches worldwide. We added them, dropped terms that also mean something else, removed places with no clear access, and kept the top 50.

  • All 148 places in our catalogue have guides in three languages, so nothing fell out at that step.
  • A name shared with a town, club or brand loses that column. Bayterek keeps its 4,400 foreign searches and loses 22,200 domestic ones, because a holding company has the same name.
  • Six places went for access reasons and two overview pages had no single location, which left 140 rows.
  • The cut-off fell at 1,590 searches a month.
First 10 places on the list: counted searches per month
  1. Aral Sea 116,600
  2. Shymbulak 52,600
  3. Kok-Tobe 37,000
  4. Charyn Canyon 32,100
  5. Big Almaty Lake 25,800
  6. Alakol 20,000
  7. Kaindy Lake 20,000
  8. Medeu 19,800
  9. Burabay 17,700
  10. Kolsai Lakes 16,700

Ubersuggest, 28.10.2026 and 04.11.2026: Russian-language searches in Kazakhstan plus Latin-script searches worldwide, ambiguous terms removed

Adding the two columns is rough, since they measure different audiences. Use the sum for the order, and the full ranking for exact figures.

Engraving: fifty small painted landscape miniatures in a grid on a wall, lakes, canyons, dunes, peaks, mausoleums and steppes
Illustration Engraving: fifty small painted landscape miniatures in a grid on a wall, lakes, canyons, dunes, peaks, mausoleums and steppes

Places to visit in Almaty dominate the list

Almaty and Almaty Region hold 23 of the 50 places and 50.9% of the list’s counted demand. Astana and Akmola Region have 7, Turkestan Region 4, and Mangystau and East Kazakhstan 3 each.

That reflects who searches and tells you little about what the regions offer. The Aral Sea alone takes 21.6% of the demand, and 110,000 of its 116,600 searches come from abroad, which makes it the clearest gap between foreign curiosity and local interest. If you are not flying into Almaty, use the region filter and see the regions index.

Famous places that did not make the list

A strict rule leaves out some famous places to visit in Kazakhstan. There are three reasons: unclear access, a name shared with something else, or demand just under the line.

PlaceCounted demandWhy it is out
Baikonur35,200visitor entry rules unconfirmed
Khan Tengri12,100for mountaineers with high-altitude experience
Belukha4,300border zone, long preparation
Aksu-Zhabagly2,380strict reserve, prior approval only
Markakol2,040strict reserve, prior approval only
Narynkol1,900permit beyond the village unconfirmed
Katon-Karagay1,300 of 19,400shares a name with a village
Ulytau0 of 6,600shares a name with a region and a district
Karkaraly140 of 3,740shares a name with a town
Singing Dune1,300 of 11,200the term also covers dunes in other countries
Bektau-Ata1,440first place below the line

The rule is plainly too harsh on Katon-Karagay and Ulytau, since some of those searches must be from travellers, but we cannot separate them out. Treat both as equals of the list. For a list chosen by landscape variety, see top 10 places in nature.

Top things to do in Kazakhstan, by type

History and mountains lead: 24 of the 50 places carry a history tag and 21 a mountain tag, and many have more than one. Lakes follow with 14. Only 3 carry the canyon tag, 3 the hot-springs tag and 1 the wildlife tag, which is a measure of search interest and not of what the country has.

So the things to do in Kazakhstan that people look for most are walking in the mountains above Almaty, seeing Silk Road and Soviet-era sites, and swimming in summer lakes. If you came for wildlife, this list will not serve you: go to our wildlife guide.

How many days to allow

Most places fit into one day from the nearest big city: 32 by our catalogue, with 11 more for a weekend and 7 for three days or longer.

FormatPlacesExamples
Day32Kok-Tobe, Charyn, Turkestan, Bayterek
Weekend11Kaindy, Kolsai, Burabay, Altyn-Emel
Three days or more7Aral Sea, Alakol, Mangystau, Rakhmanov Springs

A “day” for Turkestan counts from Shymkent. From Almaty it is a different trip altogether, and distance rules out more plans here than weather does. See trips from Almaty, from Astana and without a car.

Check these before you set off

Several places near the top of the list operate with restrictions that demand figures do not show.

  • At Medeu the rink is closed, with completion promised by the end of 2028.
  • At Shymbulak no date had been announced for the 2026/27 season on 5 November, and the road is closed to private cars until 30 November.
  • Big Almaty Lake is on foot only, with no swimming.
  • We could not confirm that the road repair to Kaindy has finished.
  • Before a trip to a border district, read about the border zone permit.
  • For paid parks, the fee calculator converts fees for the current year.

What these numbers cannot tell you

Demand counts Google searches, not trips or how good a visit was. For visits, see the visitor statistics. Twelve places have no counted foreign demand and three have no counted domestic demand, so their rank rests on one column.

Access was checked against our own guides, because we hold no road or transport data for all 148 places. Trip format in the catalogue is an editorial estimate, not a measurement.

Frequently asked questions

What are the top places to visit in Kazakhstan?
By search demand on this list: the Aral Sea (116,600 searches a month), Shymbulak (52,600), Kok-Tobe (37,000), Charyn Canyon (32,100) and Big Almaty Lake (25,800). That ranks interest, not quality.
What to do in Kazakhstan if I only have a few days?
Base yourself in Almaty: 23 of the 50 places are in the city or its region. Our catalogue rates 32 of the 50 as day trips from the nearest big city.
Why is Baikonur not on the list?
On demand alone it would be fourth, at 35,200 searches. We could not confirm the entry procedure and rules for visitors, and this list requires clear access.
What are the places to visit in Almaty?
In the city: Kok-Tobe, the Green Bazaar, the Botanical Garden and the cathedral in Panfilov Park. Going uphill: Medeu, Shymbulak and Kok-Zhailau.
Do these places need a permit?
It varies, so check each guide. Altyn-Emel permits cover one route for one day, and Rakhmanov Springs lies in a border district, though Decree No. 356 exempts Big Rakhmanov Lake for foreigners.

Sources