A beautiful and mystical country, placed in Central Asia, bordered by Russia, Mongolia and China. Kazakhstan amazes any visitor with its rich history of culture and tradition. First of all what must be said is that Kazakhstan is huge, so much that it’s about 5 times bigger than France and holds the 9th place of largest countries of the world, the first three being United States, Canada and Russia.
Big and beautiful
If we look from the eastern direction, Kazakhstan starts with its two great mountains; Tian Shai and Altai, both immensely beautiful mountains with covered peaks in snow. Everybody knows of the ancient Silk Road, and as it happens, merchants began their journey on the edges of Chinese border through Kazakhstan to make way into deeper parts of Central Asia and eventually Europe. The country has a long history of nomad tribes and many of the ancient artefacts from their burials and rituals can today be seen in museums. Many believe that the country is the origin of apple and the tulip flower and explorers come here to search for the rarest of tulips as the country has the most varied collection of them in the wild.
Tourists are now finding it on the map
Kazakhstan is visited by more and more people each year, an increasing number of modern hotels are being built to enforce tourism and this can especially be seen in Astana, the country’s capital. Astana is a magical city full of architectural wonders like pyramid shaped Palace of Peace and Harmony. The palace was designed by an architect from England and inside you will find a unique display showcasing many religions coexisting together in peace. Just like in Thailand, South Africa and many other places the community based tourism is very popular because it allows you to stay with a genuine Kazakhstan families in villages and smaller towns.
From here to space
Baikonur Cosmodrome is the oldest and biggest space port station that’s located in Kazakhstan. It is still frequently used by Russians to launch satellites, drones and other space exploration machines. It is important to mention that the country has so called “restricted zones” and you must first request a permit for which you can wait up to a month.The Baikonur Cosmodrone falls into one of those restricted areas but it’s worth the wait. You must also request a permit to visit the beautiful Rachmanov Springs and the famous Lake Markakol, both residing in Altai Mountains, but again it pays to be patient.
Kazakhstan is a fast developing because it has large oil, gas, iron and other resources. This makes it very attractive for business man from all around the globe to invest into the infrastructure and other business related objectives. What is interesting is that the climate is very continental like, going from -20 to about +30, so you can expect cold winters and hot summers if you decide to visit.
Kazakhstan is a magical land filled with beautiful ancient temples, modern architecture, an increasing number of great hotels and friendly people. As soon as you arrive you will feel it has a special soul that holds great wisdom and tells of many great stories that shaped the country into what it is today. You will be able to do sports, business, party all night and visit many museums that are just simply amazing. This is a country that truly takes you into another world that you will remember forever with a smile.