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KAZAKHSTAN Five times the size of France and half the size of the USA, Kazakhstan is the second largest state in the Commonwealth of Independent States, and is bordered by the Russian Federation to the north and west, the Caspian Sea, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan to the southwest, Kyrgyzstan to the south and China to the southeast. 90 per cent of the country is made up of steppe, the sand massives of the Kara Kum and the vast desert of Kizilkum, while in the southeast of the country the mountains of the Tian Shan and the Altai form a great natural frontier with tens of thousands of lakes and rivers. The Aral Sea and Lake Balkhash are the country’s largest expanses of water. .jpg "Kas_Abenteuer_hoch_zu_Ross_(Small).jpg") Kazakhstan is bordered by the Russian Federation, the Caspian Sea, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan and China. For centuries, Kazakhstan's vast plains were home only to nomads and they are still virtually empty. Most settlements are concentrated in the southeast and the east of the Republic. South Kazakhstan is a focus of Central Asian history and there are many famous monuments in the region.  It is a scenically diverse region where the snow-capped peaks, lakes and glaciers of the Tian Shan range give way to steppe and desert. The desert is home to the Singing Barkhan – a sand dune 3.2km (2 miles) long, which, as it crumbles, produces a peculiar singing sound. Almaty was until very recently the former capital of Kazakhstan and it enjoys a beautiful setting between mountains and plains. It is a city of modern architecture, cool fountains, parks and spectacular mountain views. Kazakh dishes include kazi, chuzhuk, suret and besbarmak (made from horse meat or mutton). There are a number of nightclubs and casinos in the main cities. Kazakhstan for Tourists General Information • Best time to visit: from April till October. Continental climate: average temperature in January -19 C, in June +26 C. • Entry: passport and visa. • Direct flights from London to Almaty: British Airways, Air-Astana. • Currency: tenge. 1 euro = 164 tenges. • Language: Kazakh and Russian. Capitial Cities • Astana: in 2006 the Palace of Peace and Accord was constructed in the form of a gigantic pyramid in the capital of Kazakhstan. The building was designed by the british architect Sir Norman Foster. • Almaty: Museum of Archeology and the State Museum of Art are well worth seeing, where unique findings from scythian burial mounds are exhibited. Historical Landmarks • The well-known Silk Road left its marks in Southern Kazakhstan: for example, the city of Turkestan was one of its most important trade centres. • The mausoleum of Khodja Akhmed Yasavi is situated in Turkestan and is famously know as the second Mecca. • The underground mosque Shakpak-Ata is located in the western part of Kazakhstan on Mangystau peninsular. It was carved in the rockface between 12th and 14th century. • One of the highest wooden buildings in the world - Zenkov cathedral - is situated in Panfilov Park in Almaty. It was constructed without nails. Natural wonders • A wildlife sanctuary Altyn Yemel is located in Southern Kazakhstan and is more than 520,000 hectar. A singing dune is to be found there. The dune is 3 km long and 80 m high, when the sand moves it produces a range of loud sounds. • Charyn Canyon is one of the biggest and most beautiful canyons in the world. Its walls are up to 300 meters high. • There are 48,000 lakes in Kazakhstan, some of them are among the world’s biggest lakes, such as the Caspian Sea and Balkhash Lake. The latter is situated in the centre of the country and is half salty and half fresh. Active tourism • Baikonyr: tourists are allowed to visit the world-famous space-vehicle launching site. From this Central Asian spaceport the first cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin started his flight in 1961. It is now possible for everyone to try it at a price of 20 Million euros. • Hunting: in the meadows of Alatau (near Almaty) or in the western steppes one can try an old art of hunting with trained dogs or birds of prey. • The well-known ice skating-ring Medeo is only 15 km from Almaty. With its 105 sq m of ice, it offers good opportunities for ice-skating and playing ice-hockey. THE COUNTRY OF FOUR SEASONS The feeling of amazement accompanies travellers in Kazakhstan “I would like to visit a space-vehicle launching site, go down to the bottom of one of the biggest canyons and stand in the deepest depression of the earth” – what sounds like a school boy’s fantasy can be realized by visiting one country - Kazakhstan. The ninth biggest country on the earth is sparsely populated – with a population of 15 Million occupying an area of 2.7 Million sq km, which is equal to the whole of Western Europe. No wonder that Kazakhstan is one of the countries where one can feel so close to nature. Between the dessert and eternal ice All four seasons can be experienced in Kazakhstan: the landscape of the country is so varied that a traveller can observe the change from winter to summer during one day – while travelling from the glaciers and cold lakes of Tian Shan mountain chain down to the steppe and then to the dessert. Many amazing natural wonders can be found there: the Charyn Canyon – one of the biggest and most beautiful canyons in the world, with walls up to 300 meters high. Kargije, the earth’s second deepest depression that lies 132 meters below sea level is located in Western Kazakhstan. Places that made history The south of Kazakhstan is very rich with ancient history and can be considered as the cradle of Central Asian culture. The city of Turkestan was one of the most important trade centres of the well-known Silk Road. The mausoleum of Khodja Akhmet Yasavi, one of the most famous monuments of medieval architecture is located there. The city is famous known as “the second Mecca”. For those, who prefer modern wonders, a world-famous space-vehicle launching site Baikonyr is a must. From this Central Asian Cap Canaveral, the first cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin started his flight in 1961. .jpg "Kas_Steinerne_Riesen_(Small).jpg") |
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