17 Days in Kazakhstan (Trip Report & Budget Breakdown)
How to Reach?
I flew into Almaty from Delhi with a layover in Istanbul. The whole ticket set me back around ₹28,000 return, which honestly isn’t bad for such a long haul. Air Astana and Turkish Airlines both fly this route pretty regularly. If you’re coming from Europe it’s even cheaper and easier.
Getting from the airport into the city is straightforward. I grabbed a Yandex taxi (their Uber equivalent) for about 2500 tenge, which is roughly ₹450. The ride took 40 minutes. Don’t bother with the official taxis waiting outside – they’re way more expensive and will try to rip you off.
From Almaty I took a domestic flight to Astana (they’re calling it Nur-Sultan again now, but everyone still says Astana). That one-way ticket was about ₹4500. The train is cheaper at around ₹2000 but takes 18 hours. I didn’t have that kind of time.
Buses are dirt cheap if you’re moving between smaller towns. I took a few and they’re actually pretty decent – clean, air-conditioned, and they leave on time. Just don’t expect much legroom if you’re tall.
Where to Stay?
We split our time between Almaty, Astana, and a couple smaller places. In Almaty we stayed at a random apartment we found on Airbnb for ₹1800 per night. It was basic but had a washing machine which became my best friend after two weeks of traveling. The location was perfect – walking distance to everything in the center.
Astana was more expensive. We stayed at a proper hotel for four nights because all the apartments were booked. That set us back ₹4200 a night and honestly it wasn’t worth it. The place was fine but nothing special, and we could’ve found something similar for half the price if we’d booked earlier.
In Shymkent we crashed at a small guesthouse run by this lovely Kazakh lady who kept trying to feed us way too much food. It was ₹1200 per night and probably my favorite stay of the trip. The bed was rock hard though. I woke up with back pain a few mornings.
To be fair, accommodation in Kazakhstan is generally cheap compared to what you’d pay in Europe or even parts of Southeast Asia. Just book ahead for Astana because rooms disappear fast.
What to Eat?
The food is heavy. Like, really heavy. I gained almost 3 kilos in 17 days and I’m not even mad about it.
Beshbarmak is their national dish – boiled horse meat served on flat noodles with onions. I tried it once. It wasn’t terrible but I wouldn’t order it again. The horse meat is actually quite lean. The broth they serve with it is where it’s at though.
My go-to became lagman – thick noodles with vegetables and meat in a spicy sauce. You can find this everywhere for about ₹180-250 per bowl. It’s filling and actually tastes really good. I ate it at least every other day.
Plov is another staple. Rice with carrots, onions and chunks of meat. Some places do it really well, others just dump a load of oil on it. You learn to pick the busy places where locals are eating.
The street food scene in Almaty is decent. I lived on samsas (kind of like samosas but bigger and filled with meat or pumpkin) and chebureki (fried pastries with meat). Each one costs about ₹60-80. Perfect when you don’t want a full meal.
Don’t sleep on the Korean food either. There’s a huge Korean community in Kazakhstan and their restaurants are everywhere. The spicy cabbage and grilled meats saved me on days when I couldn’t look at another plate of mutton.
Coffee is surprisingly good in both big cities. I found a few cafes that would easily hold up in Delhi or Mumbai. Prices are similar too – around ₹250 for a decent cappuccino.
The one thing I couldn’t get on board with was the horse milk. Tried it once. Never again. It was sour and warm and I genuinely thought I might throw up.
Best Time to Visit
I went in late May and early June. The weather was mostly perfect – 20-28 degrees during the day. It only rained twice the whole trip.
Summer (June to August) gets hot, especially in the south. Almaty can hit 35 degrees and Astana isn’t much better. If you’re not into sweating through your clothes, maybe avoid July.
Winter is brutal. Like properly freezing. Astana regularly goes below -20. I met a guy who said he saw -35 one January. Hard pass from me.
Spring and autumn seem ideal. April/May or September/October. Fewer crowds and decent weather. Just pack layers because it can swing wildly between day and night.
I wouldn’t go in winter unless you’re specifically there for snow activities or you really love the cold. It’s no joke.
Budget (Indian Rupees)
Our budget was about $75 per day combined, which worked out to roughly ₹6300 total per day for both of us or ₹3150 each. Some days we went way over this, some days way under. We averaged it out.
Flights (international and two domestic): ₹68,000 for both of us
Accommodation (16 nights): ₹42,000 total
Food and coffee: around ₹1800 per day combined (we ate local most of the time)
Transport (taxis, buses, trains): ₹22,000 total
Activities and entrance fees: ₹15,000 total
Random stuff (SIM cards, laundry, snacks): ₹8000
Grand total for 17 days for two people came to about ₹1,85,000 or roughly ₹92,500 per person. That’s including everything.
You could definitely do it cheaper if you stay in hostels, eat only street food and take more buses instead of flights. We weren’t slumming it but we weren’t being fancy either.
Domestic flights are a game changer though. At ₹4000-5000 they’re worth it to save time. The country is massive.
Tips for First-Timers
Learn to use Yandex Go. It’s their version of Uber and it’s everywhere. Way better than regular taxis and half the price. Download it before you arrive.
People are genuinely friendly once you start talking to them. The initial vibe can feel a bit cold but that’s just how they are. Buy a local SIM card at the airport. It’s cheap and the data is fast.
Carry cash. Not everywhere takes cards, especially outside the big cities. ATMs are easy to find though.
The toilets can be grim. Like squat toilets with no paper in some bus stations. Always have tissues and hand sanitizer on you. I’m not joking.
Learn a few Russian words. Kazakh is official but Russian is still the main language in cities. “Hello,” “thank you,” “how much” and “bill please” will get you surprisingly far.
Don’t drink the tap water in smaller towns. I did once and regretted it for two days. Bottled water is everywhere and cheap.
If someone invites you for tea, say yes. Their hospitality is real. I got adopted by a random family in a park in Almaty and ended up eating homemade food with them for two hours. One of my favorite memories.
The police might stop you for no reason. It’s usually just to check your documents. Stay calm, show your passport, and you’ll be fine. It only happened to me once.
Pack comfortable shoes. The cities are big and you’ll walk more than you think. Also, it can get dusty. My white sneakers were brown by day five.
FAQ
Is Kazakhstan safe?
Yeah, mostly. I never felt unsafe. The usual big city rules apply – don’t flash cash or your phone in dodgy areas at night. I walked around alone at 11pm in Almaty without any issues.
Do I need a visa?
Indians get 14 days visa-free now. We stayed 17 days so I had to do a quick visa run to Kyrgyzstan for a weekend. Sort that out beforehand if you’re planning longer.
Is it expensive?
No. It’s one of the cheaper places I’ve been recently. You can easily travel comfortably on ₹2500-3500 per day if you’re not staying in fancy hotels.
What’s the internet like?
Pretty good in cities. 4G everywhere and fast enough for video calls. Slower in rural areas but still workable.
Should I learn Russian or Kazakh?
Basic Russian will make your life easier. Most younger people speak some English in Almaty and Astana but it’s hit and miss elsewhere.
Is the food very meat-heavy?
Yes. If you’re vegetarian you’ll struggle a bit outside the big cities. There are options but you might get tired of them fast. I saw a few vegan places in Almaty though.
Would you go back?
Yeah, I would. Not straight away but I’d love to see more of the mountains and maybe head out to the western part next time. It’s not perfect but it’s real and interesting and the people end up being what you remember most.
Kazakhstan surprised me. I went with pretty low expectations and left actually wanting more. The food is heavy, some days are boring, the distances are massive, and sometimes it’s just plain weird. But that’s what made it fun. If you want something different from the usual backpacker trail, this is worth doing. Just don’t expect everything to be easy or pretty all the time.
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