Having now moved on from Almaty to Kyrgyzstan I realise my week spent in Kazakhstan was definitely Central Asia for beginners. Wide tree lined boulevards with a strong cafe culture, where English was if not widely spoken, manageable to be understood.
The change I experienced after only a short 30 min flight was quite a cultural shift (and shock)! But I will reserve that for another blog.
I arrived with no real expectations of what I might discover. Deciding to just see what unfolded in an attempt to answer the common question I was asked before I departed the UK, “Why Kazakhstan?”
What I discovered were incredible landscapes second to none only to Namibia, which of course brought back a flourish of great memories. From corrugated dusty roads, moonscape rocks and sand dunes, it had it all.
Long days on tours from the city also brought a vast array of stunning lakes and Mountain Views, from Shymbulak, Kaindy, and Kolsoi.
By far the most spiritual moment was walking through the Charyn Canyon at sunset with only the crunching gravel under my feet for noise.
One thing I would consider if you are looking to do a few days here is find a tour company who perhaps does a five day trip covering all of the ground in one go, as it proved to be quite exhausting going out on back to take in the natural beauty.
The city itself was vibrant and easily walkable. It felt safe at all times with the locals being friendly and engaging (apparently this might not be the same experience in Astana).
The Green Bazaar was captivating and engaging, beware all vegetarians as I have never seen so many bits of animal on display.
All in all a worthwhile trip and I think the photos adequately answer the question “Why Kazakhstan?”
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