Bonjour a tous

Je projète de partir éventuellement au kasakhstan aux alentour du 20 mai(et pour 2 mois)pour rejoindre des amis.

J'ai cherché sur le forum et j'ai trouvé très peu d'informations concernant ce pays.Mon arrivée serait prévue à ALMATY.J'aurai aimé avoir plus d'infos sur ce pays car je connais très peu de personnes s'y étant rendues et le nombre de guides touristiques concernant ce pays que j'ai pu trouver avoisine le...0!!!

J'aurai voulu avoir des témoignages de voyageurs s'y étant rendus, ou pourquoi pas de personnes habitant sur place!je voudrais savoir quels sont les beaux endroits à visiter, monuments ou autres, savoir si le cout de la vie y est élevé, connaitre des itinéraires de promenades à travers le pays(en cheval pkoi pas, les kasakhs sont parait-il de tres bon cavaliers !!!), savoir si les habitant sont acceuillant et si la barrière de la langue n'est pas un gros handicap (je parle bien l'anglais...je doute que mon espagnol soit tres util, quand a ma connaissance du russe...je sais compter juska 3, ca ne va pas plus loin!), connaitre des petits endroits sympas ou loger et se restaurer(j'ai le souvenir d'un plat typiquement kasakh, le "ploof", je ne sais pas si l'orthographe est exacte mais mes papilles gustaives en ont gardées un souvenir très agréable!);connaitre les choses à ne pas dire et à ne pas faire, connaitre le prix des billets...

Je suis ouvert à toutes vos remarques et suggestions !!

encore merci à tous et à très bientôt !

Bonjour à tous,

Ayant l'opportunité de partir au kazakhstan et plus précisemment à Astana pour 2 ou 3 ans, je recherche toutes sortes d'infos sur ce pays et cette ville. En priorité, quelles sont les possibilités de scolarisation pour mes deux enfants de 3 et 7 ans.

Merci d'avance

bien amicalement

Bonjour à tous,

J'ai pu voir qu'il y avait quelques spécialistes du Kazakhstan sur ce forum, et c'est donc à eux en particulier que je m'adresse. Je suis actuellement en Master d'informatique à Rennes et j'aimerais partir à Astana pour mon stage de fin d'études (6 mois de mars à août 2010). J'aimerais donc savoir :si c'est possible "pratiquement", c'est à dire en terme de possibilité là-bas (entreprises, offres)si le fait d'effectuer un stage là-bas est plutôt un bon ou mauvais point dans un cvsi il faut absolument connaître le russe (je suis en train d'apprendre) sachant que j'ai un anglais courantsi les stages sont rémunéréssi possible quelques contacts ou liste d'entreprise.

Enfin, je précise que je me suis renseigné par le site de la chambre de commerce américaine de là-bas, et il semblerait que toutes les entreprises soient basées à Almaty.

Merci d'avance à tous !

On propose à mon mari un poste à Shymkent, les infos sur la vie là-bas sont difficiles à trouver.

existe-t-il un enseignement pour les expatriés (anglais, français ou allemand)?

Qu'appelle- t- on un bon salaire en euros (coût de la vie?)

les installations sanitaires sont-elles de qualité? nous venons avec un enfant en bas âge et compte tenu de la durée prévu du séjour j'aurai peut-être besoin d'une maternité.

Quelle est la présence française? je parle peu l'anglais et pas du tout le Russe.

Bonjour,

Je recherche des renseignement sur le Kazakhstan et plus particulièrement Almaty. En effet, mon employeur me propose une mission de 2 ans, départ début janvier 2007.

Je suis très motivé par cette mission mais que vais je découvrir à Almaty ? Avez-vous des addresses de sites à me conseiller ?

Sinon, pour vivre correctement à Almaty combien faut-il budgéter chaque mois en comptant location d'un meublé + véhicule + frais annexes pour tous les jours. La vie est-elle bon marché ? Rien qu'à voir le prix des hotels, ça fait peur !

Merci pour votre aide Pascal

Voila, après avoir finis mes études bac+3 , je travaille actuellement en intérim. Je suis fasciné depuis pas mal de temps par l'asie central, et j'aimerai bien profiter du fait que je sois encore jeune pour aller passer un an la bas et étudier les langues importantes. Mon choix se porte sur le Kazakhstan, le pays le plus stable et le plus riche en terme d'université. Je compte partir étudier la bas en aout pendant un an , et j'aurai besoin d'infos sur des personnes qui sont allé étudier la bas, quelle universités proposent des cours de russes et de Kazakhs, quelles sont les papiers demandés ect.....

Merci d'avance

Bonjour à tous

Je vais travailler quelques mois l'année prochaine au Kazakhstan pour l'Alliance française. Je pense y acheter une moto et prendre 2 ou 3 mois pour rentrer, visiter, rencontrer les autres Alliances françaises du coin, flâner...

Je n'aime pas avoir d'itinéraire pré-déterminé, je change beaucoup trop d'avis au gré des rencontres et des conseils pour ça. Mais quand même au moins des grandes lignes, c'est à dire dans quels pays je peux me rendre sans trop me prendre la tête. La moto étant kazakh je pense qu'il n'y a pas de problèmes pour se déplacer avec dans l'union douanière Russie-Biélorussie-Kazakhstan.

Si j'ai bien compris les quelques infos que j'ai trouvé ici il n'y a pas besoin de CDP pour les autres pays d'Asie centrale. L’Ouzbékistan et le Kirghizistan sont ceux qui m'intéressent le plus. Mais avez-vous des infos sur le Turkmenistan. Je sais qu'au mieux c'est un visa de transit de 5 jours, mais qu'en est-il d'un véhicule?

La Mongolie est-elle compliquée depuis la Russie? (Juste au cas où, car niveau paysages de steppes et rencontres de nomades le Kazakhstan c'est tout aussi bien, et c'est moins touristique.)

Et dernière question : on peux entrer dans Schengen avec un véhicule de pays tiers? (Bon, ça, je suis douanière en France, donc je devrais pouvoir trouver mes réponses avec des collègues, mais si vous avez des expériences ça m’intéresse). Par la Pologne à priori si je suis logique avec les pays où je peux circuler.

J'élimine certains pays qui m'auraient plut, mais qui me semblent compliqués administrativement. La Chine car le permis international n'y est pas valable. L'Iran a cause du CDP.

bonjour à tous,

nous comptons partir en couple la première quinzaine d'août pour le Kazakhstan ou le Kirghizistan. J'ai vu que juillet-août était la meilleure période pour aller randonner dans les montagnes. Je souhaiterais bénéficier de l'expérience de ceux d'entre vous qui ont voyagé dans ces pays pour me guider un peu dans l'organisation.

Sur le plan physique et expérience de la randonnée, sans être particulièrement chevronnés, nous sommes capables de faire un trek de quelques jours. Mais notre expérience se limite à des parcours sur sentiers balisés avec des topos précis (impossible de se perdre sauf brouillard exceptionnel sur le Tour du Mont-Blanc par exemple). J'imagine qu'un guide est indispensable...? ou est-il possible de se débrouiller avec une carte? Est-il possible de voir une fois sur place quel trek faire et trouver un guide ou mieux vaut-il organiser cela à l'avance?

Je suis un peu perdue. ça me stresse d'organiser ça mais j'aimerais éviter les circuits en groupe de terre d'av et autres... Je ne sais pas quels sont les coins à voir et j'ai du mal à trouver des infos utiles.

Merci pour toute info qui pourrait nous aider!

Sarah et Richard

Bonjour,

Mon mari va à une conférence à Almaty en novembre. Je voulais en profiter pour partir avec lui et mes 2 enfants (9 mois et 3 ans) pour visiter la ville et ses environs. Est-ce jouable ou n'importe est-ce une mauvaise idée (climat, activités à faire avec les enfants, balades...)? Autre question, est-ce facile de se débrouiller si on parle turc et anglais (pas russe)? Merci d'avance pour vos réponses!

Bonjour,

Je commence doucement à préparer mon prochain voyage à vélo en direction de l'Asie Centrale. Départ de France, cap au nord-est vers les Etats Baltes, un crochet par la Biélorussie puis traversée de la Russie Occidentale et du Kazakhstan. Je souhaiterais obtenir les visas pour ces 3 pays avant de partir pour minimiser mon temps d'attente si je les demande en route. Le visa de touriste classique d'un mois pour la Russie et les 30 jours offerts pour le Kazakhstan ne me seront pas suffisants. Idéalement j'aimerais disposer de 3 mois de séjour pour chacun de ces 2 pays afin d'avoir de la flexibilité ( visa de type business ? ). Je compte faire les démarches à Paris. Des conseils pour mes dossiers ? Puis-je faire ça en solo ou le recours à une agence spécialisée s'impose-t-il ?

L.

Bonjour ,

Quelle est le meilleur itineraire pour voyager de londres a Astana ? y a t'il necessairement une escale quelque part ou un trajet direct est possible ? Quelle est la durée de temps du trajet ? (j'imagine 6 heures grosso modo )

Merci pour ces renseignements .

Kiwi.

Bonjour, Je prépare un voyage moto pour l'année prochaine, mais les garanties de mon assurance moto s'arrêtent en Russie. Si je vais au Kazakstan par exemple, est ce que je dois prendre une assurance à la frontière? est ce obligatoire? recommandé? Ou bien y a t-il des assurances qui couvrent aussi l'Asie? Si vous avez des infos à ce sujet (coût, garanties etc) ... Merci d'avance, Virginie

Bonjour à tous,

Je sollicite votre aide encore une fois pour organiser mon weekend.

Je serai à Shymkent 2 semaines pour des raisons professionnelles et je risque de devoir passer le weekend seule, sauf si j'organise une visite sympa des alentours, auquel cas mon collègue m'accompagnera.... Je peine à trouver des infos sur internet. Si quelqu'un peut me conseiller sur les sites à visiter autour de shymkent (maxi 3/4h de route ou bus ou train, et on peut dormir vendredi et samedi hors de shymkent), sur la façon de s'y rendre, et si la sécurité est un problème pour 2 européens qui ne parlent que le francais l'italien et l'anglais (mais je ne pense pas que ce soit un pb?) ? De même peut-etre existe-t-il des organisations qui proposent des excursions pour 1 ou 2 journées de Shymkent? Je suis preneuse aussi d'adresses de restos et de sites internet pertinents...

Merci d'avance pour vos précieux conseils...

Bonjour à tous,

Je pars au Kazakhstan durant le mois d'aout prochain, et je voudrai évidement trouver le billet d'avion le moins cher possible... Etant voyageur débutant, je ne sais pas trop où chercher, et je me demandais si par hasard vous aviez des agences et sites à conseiller.

Sachant que je n'ai pas d'impératif au niveau des dates, je suis prêt à prendre le temps qu'il faut pour le transport : bus, train, ... mais je vise principalement le meilleur compromis facilité/prix.

Et s'il y a des voyageurs sur ce parcours autour de ces dates, on pourrai faire un bout de chemin ensemble!

Merci d'avance pour vos conseils et infos.

Nicolas.

Hello everyone!

I’m back from two weeks in southern Kazakhstan. I went with a friend, and we organized everything ourselves. We came back enchanted by this trip: stunning landscapes, lots of animals seen in the parks, and above all, top-notch hospitality and welcome... All of this makes me really want to go back and explore the other countries in the region. In the meantime, I’m sharing the story of these two weeks of travel... Don’t hesitate if you have any questions. And if you want more practical info and/or see more photos, you can check out my blog: https://smilingaroundtheworld.com/category/kazakhstan/

Day 1: First Kazakh steps in Shymkent

So here we are in Kazakhstan for two weeks. We had an excellent flight with Air Astana, which instantly made it into my top 3 best airlines! From the airport, the service was top-notch, with very friendly staff who went out of their way to ensure we both got vegetarian meals (my order hadn’t been taken into account when booking the tickets online). The flight to Nur-Sultan (the new name for the capital, formerly Astana, renamed last month in honor of the resigning president) was three-quarters empty, and we each got to stretch out over three seats. We were given an incredible travel kit, including a reversible sleep mask with phosphorescent writing: “Do not disturb” or “Wake me for meals.” Awesome! As for the lighting in the plane, I think the interior cycled through every color to simulate evening, early night, pitch-black night, and then dawn. It was even a bit surreal—those lights and everyone’s glowing masks ^^ The flight was a bit early and too short for us to sleep well, but it was still pleasant :-)

Upon arriving in Nur-Sultan, the atmosphere was a bit colder. There was staff everywhere, and we were under heavy surveillance. A camera even filmed us as we entered the terminal. We got our passports stamped and settled in to wait for our second flight. We eventually realized we were waiting in the wrong place... We were still in the international terminal, while our next flight was domestic. We finally found the right spot—saved! We started our trip in Shymkent, in the south of the country. We dropped our bags at the City Hostel, a super modern youth hostel offering double rooms. The decor is industrial-style, with very high ceilings—we loved it. When we arrived, it was too early for check-in, so we just left our luggage and went for a walk around the neighborhood. There was quite a bit of traffic, and the avenues were very wide. Despite that, there was also a lot of greenery and green spaces, which lightened things up a bit.

We had lunch (pizza + smoothie) on the top floor of a shopping mall, then headed to the pre-Russian quarter, a much quieter area with its little streets and individual houses.

Back at the hostel, after checking in, we treated ourselves to a two-hour nap—it felt great! In the late afternoon, we set out to find the Salman Bazaar. It wasn’t easy to organize—we realized Shymkent isn’t a very touristy destination—but we eventually managed with the help of the hostel receptionist, who called us a taxi. This bazaar is huge and has everything you could need for daily life: clothes, food, household products, toys... We did some shopping for dinner, then took another taxi to Independence Park, inaugurated in 2011 for the 20th anniversary of Kazakhstan’s independence. We really liked this park—it’s very wooded, and the late afternoon light was, as always, beautiful and pleasant... In the center, a large monument resembles the center of a yurt.

We then walked back to the hostel via Independence Square and several parks. We wanted to grab a drink along the way but didn’t find anything inspiring—oh well. We had dinner at the hostel and went straight to bed. Tomorrow, we’re getting up early... We’re heading out for two days to explore Aksou-Jabagly National Park. This park is famous for its landscapes at this time of year—it should be in full bloom, especially with tulips. We’ll see!

Days 2 & 3: Canyon, tulips, and wildlife in Aksou-Jabagly Park

Located two hours from Shymkent, Aksou-Jabagly Park is reputed to be one of the most beautiful in the region. We took a taxi from Shymkent, and upon arrival, we were warmly welcomed by Ruslan and his mother. They live at the entrance to the reserve, at the foot of the mountains, in a house surrounded by poplars. The setting is exceptional, and we immediately fell in love with the place. For our first day, we set off to explore the Aksou Canyon. Ruslan arranged a 4x4 with a driver and a ranger. The ranger speaks a few words of English, and with Coralie’s few words of Russian, we should manage! After a “viewpoint” stop, the road turns into a dirt track. It’s rained a lot lately, and the track is sometimes very muddy—at one point, we even had to cross a river. Four-wheel drive was definitely needed! The ranger pointed out some marmots by the side of the path—they were adorable.

We finally arrived at “Inspector’s House No. 1,” which overlooks the canyon. The view is magnificent, with high cliffs, wildflowers, conifers, and the Aksou River winding far below. While the driver chatted with the inspector, we descended to the bottom of the canyon with the ranger. The tulips I’d been hoping for were there—I was so happy! There were red, yellow, and even bicolor ones...

At the bottom of the canyon, we took a little break by the river. “Aksou” means “white waters” in Kazakh—the water does indeed have a very special color, a blue that’s both very light and very intense, like some South American lagoons. It bubbles around the rocks. The climb back up was easier than we feared. Once at the top, we continued along the canyon. The perspective changed as we progressed, and we never got tired of the view... Eagles circled above us.

After about 2 km, the driver picked us up, and we continued to a small kiosk at the foot of the mountains, where we had a picnic. Ruslan’s mother had prepared vegetarian “lunch boxes”—it was delicious and felt good to eat. However, it had gotten noticeably colder, so we put our jackets and scarves back on! After the meal, the driver walked off with a bucket—we figured he was going mushroom picking with Inspector No. 2, who had a house nearby.

We enjoyed the spot a bit longer while the driver gathered mushrooms, and then we headed back toward Ruslan’s place. Or so we thought... The return trip turned out to be quite long—the park wasn’t as deserted as it seemed, and the driver stopped every five minutes to chat with people we passed. At one point, we ran into Inspector No. 2 on horseback—it looked like there was a problem with a car further ahead... The driver and ranger bolted out of the car, headed toward the other vehicle, and we heard raised voices... When they came back, we tried to figure out what had happened, but no luck. We stopped again at Inspector No. 1’s house (are you following?), and they made us get out, telling us Inspector No. 2 needed the car for a few minutes... They left us stranded with Inspector No. 1, who went home, leaving us in the garden :-D We kept busy with the puppies, and I even took a little nap in the sun... Three-quarters of an hour later, we finally left—we didn’t fully understand what happened and never found out!

We got back (almost) without stopping to Ruslan’s house. Our room was ready, and we settled in quickly before dinner. It was already 6:30 PM, even though we were supposed to be back by 4 PM. Mushroom picking really slows things down ^^ Ruslan’s mother had prepared a delicious meal: vegetable soup, raw vegetable salad, and a mushroom, carrot, and potato stew. We loved it!

We spent the rest of the evening planning the rest of our trip while sipping tea. At one point, Ruslan and his mother signaled that there were wild boars right across from us—we could see them clearly! There were three adults and three piglets. We also took a little walk in the garden, watched the sunset, I did some blogging, and Coralie read... A lovely evening, and an equally lovely ten-hour night! The next morning, after a good breakfast, we set off on foot into the park. The trail starts right next to Ruslan’s house—so convenient! Today, we were with another ranger, two Germans (brother and sister), and their English-speaking guide (who didn’t guide much). We walked on a dirt road—there were even more tulips than yesterday, and the snow-capped mountains in the distance were stunning. After 5 km, we reached a small cabin, then continued another kilometer to Kishy Kaindy, a viewpoint overlooking the Jabagly River waterfalls (Jabagly means “year-old foal”). It was spectacular! We stayed a good while admiring this natural wonder. Like yesterday, the ranger didn’t rush us at all—it was really nice. We also saw eagles and an ibex perched on a ridge.

We had a picnic at the cabin before heading back the same way we came. This time, the snow-capped peaks were facing us—so beautiful! We picked up our bags and said goodbye to Ruslan’s mother. She was really happy today because her granddaughter was there. She told us she was a “babushka”—I understood that! Ruslan then drove us to Turar Ryskulov, where we took a shared taxi back to Shymkent.

In Shymkent, we struggled a bit with our Airbnb. We waited half an hour for the person who was supposed to let us in, then discovered the Wi-Fi wasn’t working—but we had a lot of bookings to make that evening. The lady finally lent us a Kazakh SIM card with data, which Coralie put in her phone in “hotspot” mode so I could get some internet too. All of that took nearly two hours. Phew! We then rushed to do some shopping at the supermarket. On the way back, some lights caught my eye—it was a pedestrian street all decorated with a funfair next to it. It was very lively, and we spent a good while strolling and people-watching! The rest of our evening was studious, between preparing dinner and booking our next stops.

Day 4: Turkestan, Yasawi Mausoleum, and Sauran ruins

This morning, after one last stroll in Shymkent, we headed to Turkestan. When we arrived at the bus station, we were told the next bus was in nearly three hours, but there were minibuses leaving when full. The system was well-oiled, and in just fifteen minutes, our minibus was ready to go. We each had a seat (and one for our luggage since there’s no trunk!), and the minibus was quite new—nothing like Madagascar ;-)

The trip went well despite a few driving scares—the driver was going a bit fast for my liking! Along the road, the fields were full of poppies—so pretty. When we arrived, we headed straight to the Edem hotel, where we wouldn’t be staying (we had a train to Almaty at midnight) but where we wanted to leave our luggage for the day. They agreed easily—great! Once we’d dropped off our bags and suitcases, we started our visits.

We began with the architectural gem and largest pilgrimage site in Kazakhstan: the mausoleum of Khodja Ahmad Yasawi, a great Sufi sage. Yasawi’s original tomb was already a pilgrimage site when Tamerlane ordered the construction of a larger mausoleum in 1390. It’s decorated with white and blue tiles and has a turquoise dome (currently under renovation). The main facade, unfinished at Tamerlane’s death, was left in earth with visible scaffolding. Impressive! The site is UNESCO-listed. Inside, the main hall displays a large cauldron, and other small rooms showcase plates, ancient coins, belts... Yasawi’s tomb is visible via two adjacent corridors.

We then strolled through the park, which includes many other mausoleums and tombs. We visited the old baths, the Friday Mosque, and then the history museum. The underground mosque, where Yasawi’s cell is located (where he retreated at the end of his life), was unfortunately closed for renovations.

We then went back to the Edem hotel to have them call us a taxi, and we set off to visit the ancient fortress of Sauran. This Silk Road city, once prosperous, is now reduced to ruins, with thousands of poppies blooming between them. High walls once surrounded a bustling and pleasant city. Many foundations remain visible. The place is vast, quiet, almost deserted, and imbued with a certain melancholy... The deep red poppies swayed in the wind, between the remnants of this city, reminding us how fleeting things are.

Back in Turkestan, we had dinner at the Edem hotel’s restaurant (we had to thank them somehow ;-)) and then rushed to the station to catch our train... 18 hours of travel awaited us to Almaty!

Day 5: From Turkestan to Almaty, 18 hours by train across the Kazakh steppe

We traveled from Turkestan to Almaty by train. We booked our tickets the day before departure, and only six seats were left: three in second class, not together at all, and three in first class, also not together but in the same carriage. We opted for first class! It was more expensive, but for such a long trip, a little comfort wouldn’t hurt... We wondered if we’d manage to switch cabins to be together, but it resolved itself: when we boarded, the conductor/carriage chief immediately noticed we weren’t together. He literally kicked a young man out of his berth so we could travel in the same cabin. We felt bad for the young man, even though he seemed to take it well... we thanked him with dried fruit (and I can confirm he took it well—the next day, he came to chat with us). In any case, we were really happy to have our own little cabin for this long journey, especially since we were the only foreigners and the only women in the carriage.

Eighteen hours by train might seem long, but these long trips while traveling aren’t wasted time—they’re the breathing space of the journey. They’re the essential moments for digesting what we’ve already experienced and preparing for future discoveries. They’re also privileged moments for reflection. Traveling slowly, to the rhythm of the train, means falling asleep in Turkestan’s outskirts, lulled by the train’s rocking and creaking, and waking up in the steppe. It’s feeling the train slow down and stop, stepping onto the platform for a moment, and watching the women sell food to passengers. It’s taking the time to write, read, think. It’s chatting with our neighbors and, despite the language barrier, managing to communicate a little. It’s picnicking at the little table in our cabin, with the landscape rolling by outside, and listening to music. It’s feeling privileged, imagining ourselves on the Orient Express or the Trans-Siberian. Reminding ourselves that one day, one day for real, we’ll take that Trans-Siberian. And smiling, thinking that in the meantime, in a few months, there’ll be the Trans-Canadian...

Days 6 & 7: Almaty, the “little apple”

The former capital of Kazakhstan, Almaty is known as the most Western and lively city in the country. At first, we had a bit of trouble identifying the city center—it’s more spread out and less dense than what we’re used to in Europe—but once we got our bearings, we really enjoyed strolling along the wide avenues lined with cafés and in the few pedestrian streets. The city’s emblem is the apple, which you’ll find in various forms around the city, from benches to statues to fountains. The original apple, from which all the apples we know today descend, is said to come from the mountains of Kazakhstan.

For nature, Almaty is a pretty green city. It has large parks, like Panfilov Park, which houses the Zenkov Cathedral. Some streets are also very tree-lined, so much so that they almost look like gardens. Often, high mountains peek out from behind the streets...

For shopping, traditional boutiques sit alongside big international brands. We really liked the Green Bazaar, a large market that sells everything. The food section was great, with stalls of pickled vegetables, dried fruits, and beautifully stacked fresh fruits... A feast for the eyes and lots of temptations for me!

For culture, Almaty has several museums. We visited two: the Fine Arts Museum and the National Museum. Both are housed in very Soviet-looking buildings on the outside, but the Fine Arts Museum turned out to be quite modern inside, with a pleasant museography. The National Museum, on the other hand, has stayed true to its roots ^^ Just walking through it was an experience in itself. And we did quite a bit of shopping there... The hall is a giant shop with lots of handicrafts—we treated ourselves.

The Arasan Baths are a must in Almaty. They’re said to be among the most beautiful baths in Central Asia... Architecturally, I didn’t find them amazing (nothing like Budapest’s, for example), but wow, did it feel good to relax there after a day of sightseeing! I happily moved between the sauna, hammam, and Russian sauna, with a preference for the latter—less dry than a traditional sauna and less humid than the hammam. You can buy bundles of leaves to slap yourself (or get slapped) with to boost circulation. The prices are very affordable too... On a weekday evening, we paid 1,800 tenge, or 4.5 euros, for an hour. Note that they add 20 minutes for changing, so you really get a full hour in the baths.

For restaurants, we didn’t try many because we preferred to limit our food budget by cooking ourselves. However, we did try and highly recommend Daredzhani, a great Georgian restaurant where we feasted. We didn’t know Georgian cuisine before, but we really liked it—vegetables cooked in various ways, cheese-filled breads, potato and/or egg-filled breads, and very thin fruit pastes made from grapes. We actually ate there twice because it was so good! We also loved Coffee Delia, where you can enjoy delicious pastries in a very cozy setting.

Besides being a pleasant place to live, Almaty is also a great base for exploring the surrounding area, and we were happy to stay eight days to discover more of the region!

Days 7, 8 & 9: Getting green around Almaty: Kok Tobe, Shymbulak, Medeo, and Big Almaty Lake

During our stay in Almaty, we used a rather unusual means of transport several times: the cable car! Here, it’s called a "gondola," and it allowed us to gain some altitude and breathe in the fresh mountain air surrounding Almaty ;-)

First cable car ride: Kok Tobe. The cable car starts in the city center and takes you to the top of a hill overlooking Almaty. At the top, it’s fairground vibes with an upside-down house, a Ferris wheel, rides, and the inevitable eagle trainer... There’s even a little corner dedicated to the Beatles, complete with music and a statue!

Second ride: Shymbulak. This time, you take a bus to Medeo, then three cable cars to the top of the mountain, at 3,200 meters altitude. Shymbulak is the largest ski resort in Central Asia. We went there to hike, but there was still snow and skiers, so we settled for admiring the view... With the blue sky and sun we had, it was gorgeous! We then treated ourselves to tea on the terrace—chalet vibes... At Paul’s, we weren’t completely out of place ;-)

Before taking the bus back, we stopped by Medeo, where there’s a large ice rink. With 10,000 m², it can host a thousand skaters in winter! This season, it’s closed; part of it is used as a go-kart track, and the other as a landing strip for paragliders.

Located an hour’s drive from the city center, Big Almaty Lake reveals itself at the last moment, around a bend, nestled in a setting of mountains and greenery. With the recent cold snap, it’s frozen, and the edges are snowy—a beautiful winter atmosphere! The ice was starting to melt, though—we could hear the water moving underneath, and when Coralie tried to walk on the ice, it collapsed under her feet. Unfortunately, it’s impossible to walk around it—a ranger keeps an eye out and blocks the adventurous (including us ;-)).

Days 10 & 11: Excursions around Almaty: Charyn Canyon, Issyk, and Turgen

Almaty’s tourism office is very active and organizes outings on weekends and holidays. We went to Charyn Canyon and then to Issyk and Turgen. A great way to discover the Almaty area at a modest cost (the outing costs about 6,000 tenge, or 15 euros per person).

Formed over millennia by erosion and wind, Charyn Canyon is reminiscent of the Colorado and the Grand Canyon. The most touristy part we visited is called the Valley of Castles, referring to the rock formations that resemble towers. We first walked along the ridge, where there are many viewpoints, then descended into the canyon. A three-kilometer walk leads to the banks of the Charyn River. The place seems to be a favorite relaxation spot for Kazakh families, who picnic, play ball, sunbathe... There’s also a hotel, bungalows, yurts, and a restaurant. Issyk is famous for its burial mounds and its Golden Man—maybe even a Golden Woman—found there. A small museum displays some artifacts. A little further on is Issyk Lake, once dried up but now reappearing... Whether naturally or not isn’t very clear!

As for Turgen, it’s a natural park known for its gorges and waterfalls. We didn’t have time to explore it in detail, but the bus drove through some beautiful landscapes, and we still walked to Bear Waterfall. It’s not incredible, but it’s still a nice little hike.

Besides the practical side of these organized excursions from Almaty, we appreciated being able to do an activity that Kazakhs do on weekends. During the Issyk/Turgen excursion, we really hit it off with Karina, a young student dragged there on vacation by her mother. She’s currently studying computer science at the best university in Astana and hopes to go to Europe eventually... A brilliant young woman, and a chance for us to chat in English ;-)

Days 12 & 13: The spectacular landscapes of Altyn-Emel Park

The last stop on our Kazakhstan trip was Altyn-Emel Park. This park is quite hard to access, so we opted for a car with a driver for two days—pure luxury!

Our driver’s name is Andrei. We met him at 7 AM outside our apartment on Wednesday morning. He doesn’t speak English, but a young man from the agency we booked through was also there, and we went over the itinerary together before leaving with Andrei.

Our first stop was Tamgaly Tas, two hours from Almaty. It’s a site where you can see 16th-century petroglyphs depicting Buddha. The place is also known for climbing—there were lots of young people harnessed up and/or climbing. It’s right in the middle of the Kazakh countryside, and we had a bit of trouble finding it!

Even with the language barrier, Andrei turned out to be very friendly. He suggested photo stops from time to time, didn’t rush us, and pointed out animals he saw... We even backed up on the road to see and help a tortoise cross!

It took another two and a half hours to reach Bashi, the “gateway” village to Altyn-Emel Park. After a quick stop at the rangers’, we arrived at the hotel. Our guidebook mentioned modest guesthouses, but things are changing... The hotel is large, brand new, and still being expanded. It reminded me of some Chinese hotels in Laos.

We had a quick lunch with Andrei—he explained that he’s a truck driver normally, delivering clothes and fabrics between Kazakhstan, Afghanistan, and Russia. He also showed us photos of his wife and son and told us he’s recently become a grandfather! We then headed to the park, grabbing a ranger on the way. Like in Aksou-Jabagly, he was dressed in full military gear. We first headed toward the Katutau Mountains. The rocks are reddish, sculpted by wind and erosion—the place reminded us a bit of Charyn Canyon. We had some “free time” to explore—we didn’t need to be told twice... Meanwhile, Andrei and the ranger chatted nonstop—it looked like they’d hit it off!

We got back in the car and continued along the track to the Aktau Mountains. Change of scenery! The mountains weren’t red anymore but white... Or so they appeared from afar. When we got closer, we realized they were actually multicolored, striped with yellow, pink, and ochre veins... It was magnificent, even more so with the late afternoon light. We had time to explore on our own again, and we walked with delight in this almost dreamlike landscape. We thought we’d made the right choice coming here ;-) We made one last stop before heading back to see a 700-year-old willow. It’s in an oasis where other tourists were camping—very tempting... I got the coordinates of their guide for next time ;-) The way back was in beautiful light, between sunset and a distant storm. Nature even treated us to a gorgeous sunset!

It was past 8 PM when we got back to the hotel, but our dinner was still waiting for us. We ate with Andrei, chatted a bit with a Polish woman who spoke both Russian and French (we put her to work chatting with Andrei ;-)), and then had a quiet evening with Wi-Fi, a shower, and reading in our room.

The next day, after breakfast, we met up with the same ranger and headed toward the singing dunes. These dunes are supposed to make a sound when you slide down their slopes. I was more than skeptical, but okay! When we arrived, we discovered a beautiful landscape—the main dune is gigantic, and when we reached the top, the view was extraordinary: it was the first time I’d seen a dune in the desert, snow-capped mountains, and a river all in one glance! A group of Chinese tourists was ahead of us on the dune, but they turned back quickly, and we were alone. After studying the terrain, I chose a slope that seemed good, and I started sliding down on my bottom... Quickly, I heard and felt a strong vibration, which turned into a hum. The dune really sings! It’s completely crazy... We did several tests—the most effective was sliding down side by side. But it works as long as there aren’t too many tourists doing it and the dune has time to rebuild between slides... There are about thirty singing dunes in the world. This phenomenon, already described by Marco Polo, comes from the synchronous movement of sand grains, which must be very round and covered with a varnish called “desert glaze”...

Covered in sand but delighted, we headed back to Bashi. The ranger stopped at a small spring so we could wash up, but it was almost dry. Along the way, we also saw the “Oshaktas,” a place where Genghis Khan’s expedition is said to have camped in 1219 during his conquest of Central Asia. The stones were apparently used to support the cauldron where food was prepared. A little further on, the ranger made us stop: there were antelopes!!! We saw one up close and a herd further away.

When we got back to the hotel, I took a quick shower to get rid of the sand—I felt like I had it everywhere! We had a quick lunch and then hit the road back to Almaty. Andrei drove very well, had a nice playlist, and I let myself be lulled while watching the landscape roll by outside...

For our last night in Kazakhstan, we booked a yurt in the hills above Almaty, not far from Medeo. For one night, we pretended to be nomads... The bed was a bit hard, and the air was a bit chilly, but we loved it! And the welcome was kind, the meal very good—only downside: the horse milk and camel milk, still warm... I almost threw up. Well, it was an experience, and all of this beautifully concluded our Kazakh stay!

Salut a tous! Ma boite vient de me proposer une expatriation au Kazahkstan (au moins 2 ans...🤪). Je n ai vraiment aucune idee sur ce vaste pays. Beaucoup me disent de ne pas y aller, que c est pas facile.... Si vous connaissez bien, je vous remercie infiniment de m en parler. La decision serait plus facile a prendre....

Salut à tous.

A la recherche d'infos diverses sur cette ville dans laquelle je projette de passer 9 mois, force est de constater que niveau Kazakhstan, il n'y en a que pour Almaty. Ainsi je sollicite les experts, les pro ou amateurs du Kazakhstan afin de glaner quelques infos sur cette ville. Conditions de vie, cout de la vie (700e est ce un bon budget?), climat (vent ou pas), la vie là-bas (vu qu'avec le froid ça doit pas être pique-nique et barbec' tous les jours), les soirées, les gens, la musique (traditionnelle ou il y a la place pour monter un groupe rock?) tourisme sur le nord du Kazakhstan, sur le sud de la Russie proche de Kostanai... Bref, je suis boulimique d'info, me laisseriez vous mourir de faim?

Merci

Bonjour à tous

Je pars début septembre pour 9 mois à Almaty avec ma copine qui bossera à l'alliance francaise et à l'université al farabi. Apparemment les seuls sites d'agence immobilières proposant des appart à Almaty s'adressent aux expats fortunés mais pas forcément aux stagiaires ou au budgets moyens. Quelqu'un pourrait-il me donner un ordre d'idée pour le loyer d'un appart (type F2) et le budget moyen pour un mois sur place? Autre question pratique : je suis dessinateur et une bonne partie de mon travail est envoyé via internet. Est ce que le débit local est du même niveau qu'en France, ou est ce que je devrais ramer pendant des heures pour envoyer un croquis. Dans le même ordre, les normes électriques sont-elles identiques, et vaut-il mieux venir avec son équipement informatique ou acheter sur place (scanner, imprimante...) Encore une dernière question avant d'acheter la méthode assimil : russe ou kazakh, quelle langue vaut-il mieux apprendre?

Merci

Bonjours à toute et à tous, je vais partir pour le Kazakhstan vendredi avec air astana.je souhaiterais avoir des renseignements sur cette compagnie .

bonjour tout le monde!

Je suis en train de préparer un voyage au Kazakhstan, pour une durée de 6 mois environ (mars-novembre 09), avec l'intention de partir hors des sentiers battus, à cheval (avec 2 chevaux, achetés sur place).

Je suis à la recherche d'informations concernant le visa pour le Kazakhstan: j'ai trouvé l'info nécessaire pour un visa d'un mois, mais comment faire pour obtenir un visa plus long, et si ca passe par une invitation, comment se la procurer?

Aussi, toute information concernant l'achat de chevaux (lieu, prix approximatif, etc) sera précieuse!!

Toute information complémentaire sera bienvenue! Merci d'avance à tous!

Soyez bienvenus au Kazakhstan du Nord! J'habite a Petropavlovsk maintenant. Je serai heureux de partager mon expérience avec chacun qui a voyagé au Kazahstan. Je suis l'allemand mais je vis au Kazakhstan maintenant. Il est très facile de trouver du travaille bien payé ici si vous êtes un étranger.

Hi everyone, My partner and I are planning a 3-week trip to Kazakhstan in August and would love your input to refine our itinerary. We’re thinking of spending the first part of the trip in the Almaty region, including the following spots:

Singing Barkhan (singing dune)

Altyn-Emel National Park

Charyn Canyon National Park

Ozora Ushchel'ya Reki Kensu (Kensu River Valley lakes)

possibly Ile-Alatau National Park

After that, we’d like to explore the Mangystau region around Aktau, with highlights like:

Airakty

Tuzbair Salt Lake

Kyzylkup ("Tiramisu")

Gora Bokty

Bozzhyra

Three Brothers Peaks

We’re planning to rent a 4x4 in each region and have a few questions:

Could you recommend any reliable 4x4 rental companies in both the Almaty and Aktau/Mangystau regions?

I’ve read that the Mangystau region can get extremely hot in August. Do you think it’s better to start with Almaty and finish with Aktau to hopefully have milder temperatures (less extreme😛)? For us, doing the reverse would be simpler in terms of international flights, the domestic flight, and it’d also be significantly cheaper.

Regarding the places listed above, do you think there are any must-see spots we should add, or conversely, any sites that aren’t worth the detour?

More generally, do you have any practical tips for a 3-week trip to Kazakhstan in August (road conditions, fuel availability, reservations, weather, safety, etc.)?

Thanks so much for your feedback and advice! P.S.: We’re used to traveling independently and driving 4x4s in sometimes challenging conditions (Namibia, Tanzania, Bolivia—South Lipez, Chile, etc.), and we’re also experienced hikers, used to self-sufficient treks (Patagonia, Huayhuash, Three Peaks in Nepal, among others). We’re just mentioning this to give you an idea of our level of self-sufficiency for this kind of trip.

Bonjour !

Je pars faire un trip en Royal Enfield pendant une durée de 3 mois et je cherche à connaitre l'état des routes au Kazakhstan !

On devrait faire grosso modo ce trajet la : https://www.google.fr/maps/dir/%D0%90%D0%B1%D0%B0%D0%B9+%D0%BF%D0%B0%D1%80%D0%BA%D1%96/%D0%90%D1%81%D1%82%D1%80%D0%B0%D1%85%D0%B0%D0%BD%D1%8C+1/@45.5218688,57.1731591,5z/data=!4m8!4m7!1m2!1m1!1s0x0:0xd53d162ff5249ec0!1m2!1m1!1s0x41a9050a51deb0c3:0x886cb416e822663c!3e0

En combien de temps pensez-vous que c'est faisable ?

Bonjour,

Quelqu'un est il passé en 2009 au point de passage entre le kazakhstan et la Chine, à 750 km au nord-est d'Almaty, Druzba (Anasenko, côté Chinois), avec son propre véhicule? Je sais que des motards sont déjà passés par là il y a quelques années mais ça commence à dater. Aprés le tour de l'Afrique de l'ouest il y a deux ans, j'envisage de faire la route de la soie en 2010 en moto. départ Juin. Si cela tente un(e) autre motard(e), on peut en discuter

Merci pour toute information "fraiche" sur cette frontière. Si quelqu'un connait un autre passage pour la Chine, où l'on ne se fait pas trop emm.....avec son véhicule, c'est bien venu aussi.

Laurent

Bonjour,

Ca y est, nous avons obtenu nos 2 mois de congés en juillet aout et pouvons (enfin) commencer à sérieusement préparer notre projet de voyage jusqu'en Ouzbékistan ! Nous sommes une (petite) famille de 6, les enfants de 18 mois à 13 ans, et partons avec notre van VW T4.

Nous connaissons notre itinéraire (Chambéry - Italie - balkans - Turquie - Iran - Turkmenistan - Ouzbékistan - Kazahkstan - Russie - Ukraine - europe de l'est - chambéry)

Mais nous ne savons pas précisemment le timing. L'idée, c'est grosso modo 4 semaines pour nous rendre en Ouzbekistan, 3 sur place et 2 pour revenir par la russie et le reste … en gros (et peut-etre que ce sera bien différent) !

La question (enfin une des !) concerne les visas des pays qui en exigent : Iran - Turkmenistan - Ouzbekistan Kazakhstan et Russie. Nous souhaitons evidemment anticiper au max la demande et les obtenir avant le départ ? Est ce possible ?

Si oui comment puis-je faire pour les dates car je ne les connais pas ?

- Pour l'Iran, ca va car le visa est d'1 mois à priori - pour le Turkmenistan, le Kazaksthan ainsi que la Russie, pays que nous ne souhaitons que traverser et pour lesquels nous necessitons d'un visa de transit de 5 jours. Comment faire ? - Ouzbekistan, pas de problème car visa de 30 jours max

J'ai l'impression que souvent les visas sont gratuits pour les - de 16 ans. Ouf !!!!

Dernière question. Nous souhaitons faire nos demandes au plus vite et avons compris qu'il faudrait, dans la plupart des cas, nous déplacer sur Paris pour ces démarches. Mais combien de temps à l'avance pouvons nous prévoir ceci ? Fin mars serait t'il trop prématuré pour des entrées dans ces pays à partir de mi juillet ?

Merci de m'avoir lu…. en encore plus pour les réponses !

Bonjour,

Je suis en train de rpéparer mon tour du monde, et là je me renseigne sur les visas et autres problèmes adminsitratifs lié sà certains pays.

Là, je me suis penché sur le kazakhstan.

J'avais espéré prendre un visa touriste de 6 mois, entrer par le port à l'ouest du pays, et sortir par la frontière avec la chine d'une traite en me ravitaillant au fur et à mesure.

J'ai cru comprendre que ça n'allait pas être aussi simple.

La durée des visas touristes est elle de deux mois ou trois mois? Sont ils renouvelables?

J'ai cru comprendre qu'il y'avait aussi des "zones interdites" dans le pays, ou soumise à autorisation. Sauf que ej n'ai pas trouvé de cartes indiquant les zones en question. Qui peut me renseigner? (pas envie de me faire coffrer sur place).

De plus, j'ai lu quelque part que le visa ne suffit pas, qu'il faut EN PLUS aller dans certains "chefs lieux" de temps à autres pour se manifester et faire savoir sa présence. Quelq'un peut-il m'expliquer plus clairement? le site du minsitère des affaires étrangères n'explique pas ce point là.

Merci d'avance.

Bonjour à tous j'hésite entre partir en stop jusqu'en mongolie ou jusqu'au kazakhstan, je part 5-6 semaines, le billet retour coute 200E de plus pr la mongolie, j'hésite et je ne sais pas si ca vaut vraiment le coup d'aller jusquen mongolie ou de tout simplement s'arreter au kazakshtan. je comte faire une randonnée equestre. merci pour vos reponses d'avance!

Bonjours je vais partir au Kazakhstan au moi d août, je souhaiterais avoir si il faut un visa pour rester un moi dans ceux pays

Hello!

Je souhaite partir d'ici un mois au Kazakhstan. Je voyage seule et le pays étant grand... J'ai lu qu'un bon moyen de se déplacer était de louer une voiture au départ d'Almaty. Certains d'entre vous ont-ils déjà fait ça et si oui, avez-vous quelques tips/adresse? Comme je souhaite passer 25-30 jours sur place, je souhaiterais relier Almaty au sud du pays puis remonter au nord. Tous les conseils sont les bienvenus, Merci d'avance, Sidonie