How many towns to visit: Plan on
three to five towns for a two-week trip, because transfers of 8 to 17 hours eat whole days and the best moments come from wandering a place long enough to find the corner café where nobody speaks English and lunch costs US$3 to 5. More than five and you spend the trip on a train seat. Fewer than three and you miss how different the country’s regions are.
Choosing the kind of town: Match the town to your style. Culture and history fans should favor the
southern shrine and oasis towns, where you get tiled mausoleums, hot bazaars and plov (rice pilaf) at lunch. Outdoors travelers should pick
mountain-edge towns in the southeast, with hiking, lakes and canyons within a day. Architecture and urban-oddity fans should choose the
Soviet and modern northern cities, …
read more 👉 How many towns to visit: Plan on three to five towns for a two-week trip, because transfers of 8 to 17 hours eat whole days and the best moments come from wandering a place long enough to find the corner café where nobody speaks English and lunch costs US$3 to 5. More than five and you spend the trip on a train seat. Fewer than three and you miss how different the country’s regions are.
Choosing the kind of town: Match the town to your style. Culture and history fans should favor the southern shrine and oasis towns, where you get tiled mausoleums, hot bazaars and plov (rice pilaf) at lunch. Outdoors travelers should pick mountain-edge towns in the southeast, with hiking, lakes and canyons within a day. Architecture and urban-oddity fans should choose the Soviet and modern northern cities, where broad avenues and futuristic skylines make for easy walking and decent museums. Blend one of each for variety. The oil-rich west suits only those with extra time and money.
What it costs: Budget US$25 to 45 a day in most towns: hostel dorm US$8 to 15, private room in a guesthouse or basic hotel US$25 to 50, local meals US$3 to 8, tea and snacks under US$2. Western towns and Astana push higher, often US$50 to 80 a day. Local transport is cheap: city buses and shared taxis US$0.30 to 1, and intercity trains US$8 to 30 depending on class and distance. Entry fees for mausoleums, museums and parks usually run US$1 to 8 per site, while guides cost US$20 to 50 for a half day when hired privately. Taxi apps keep fares clear and affordable, typically US$2 to 6 within a town. Carry some tenge cash for markets and rural stops, though cards work widely in larger towns.
Safety on the ground: Towns here are generally safe for solo travelers, including at night in central areas, and petty crime is lower than in many tourist destinations. Take normal care with phones and wallets in crowded bazaars and on trains. Watch for traffic, because drivers move fast, crossings can be unmarked and ice makes winter sidewalks treacherous. Use licensed taxi apps rather than flagging random cars at night. Police checks happen; carry your passport or a clear copy and the registration slip if given one, and stay polite. Photography near government buildings, military sites and some border areas can draw attention, so ask first.
Cultural considerations: Kazakhstan is secular but traditional. Dress modestly at shrines and mosques: cover shoulders and knees, and women should bring a scarf. Remove shoes when entering homes and yurts. If invited to share a table, accept tea and a bite of what is offered, since refusing everything can seem rude, and expect generous hosting with bread, sweets and meat. Learn a few Russian or Kazakh phrases, such as “rakhmet” (thank you), because a little effort opens doors and often earns extra smiles. Ramadan changes daytime eating in some small towns, though most cafés in cities stay open. Tipping around 10 percent in sit-down restaurants is appreciated.
One practical observation: Carry a downloaded offline map and translation pack, plus a local SIM, available at airports and city shops for roughly US$5 to 10 for plenty of data. In smaller towns, signs are often only in Cyrillic, and this saves many wrong turns and gets you to the good samsa stand faster.
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Hi, I’m Johan (Netherlands 🇳🇱), the creator of TakeYourBackpack. Over the past 3 decades, I’ve backpacked through 90+ countries across six continents, gaining extensive experience with independent travel, long-term trips, and overland routes.