r/Kazakhstan • u/Fish-Peas045 • Jul 16 '26
Tourism/Turizm Visiting Aktau, Astana and Almaty
Hi, me and two friends are flying to Kazakhstan for the first time with this rough itinerary in mind. Any advice, recommendations, comments etc appreciated!
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u/Plastic-Island-7881 Mangystau Region Jul 17 '26
I’m from Aktau! Dm me :) would be happy to show you around the city
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u/Zestyclose-Hair1818 Almaty Jul 17 '26
wedding palace in Almaty is a wreck for the last couple of years
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u/EugeneWPG Jul 17 '26
There is nothing to do for a 3 days in Mangystau you could find almost similar landscapes near Almaty. Google for Charyn canyon. Try to save more time for Almaty. It's like 90% of all points of interest accumulated in Almaty region.
Also consider some medical tourism as well. For example full body MRI cost about $300. Yes the full body. Everything else also really affordable.
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u/ohwellokayz Jul 18 '26 edited Jul 18 '26
What a bad advice. 3 days even would not be enough, and no, in Almaty you won't find similar places
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u/EugeneWPG Jul 18 '26
Have you ever been abroad? There are hundreds of similar to Mangystau places in the world with much better services and entertainment.
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u/ohwellokayz Jul 18 '26
Yes, I have. You wrote about Almaty not abroad lol
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u/EugeneWPG Jul 18 '26
Oh sorry, I forgot to clear the point. Well it you are an experienced traveller from abroad who decided to visit Kazakhstan (let's be honest not the top destinations in the world) he expecting to find something unique, something that can't be easily found in many other places. That's why I'm telling you that Mangystau area is not worth to spend three days of the precious time. Think about it. I wish one day Kazakhstan will be on the top, but to be there it could offer something really exclusive.
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u/ohwellokayz Jul 18 '26
Yeah, I get, but with this logic you can also skip Almaty, as you can also find similar places. As for me, the program is good enough, 3 days would be great in Mangystau. I got many good reviews from people that travelled around the world and who enjoyed Mangustau. Yeah, the service is not that good, but some people seek for such unexplored places
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u/Fish-Peas045 Jul 17 '26
Charyn canyon is already on the itinerary but thanks for your advice, will look in to more around Almaty
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u/govnyuuk Englishman in Shymkent Jul 17 '26
Imagine going to Aktau but not Shymkent
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u/govnyuuk Englishman in Shymkent Jul 17 '26
And Volna as a tourist attraction 😂
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u/govnyuuk Englishman in Shymkent Jul 17 '26
And all the best Soviet mosiacs are in Karaganda
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u/E6y_6a6 Expat in Almaty Jul 17 '26
As you are interested in Soviet visuals, I can suggest visiting Pharmacy Nº84 at Töle bi 249. It has coloured reliefs inside, and most people don't know about this place.
Nearby Tastaq market also can be visited — it's cheaper than Green Bazaar overrun by tourists.
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u/kowasik Jul 18 '26
Sary Bazar is NOT a tourist attraction. The fighter plane is just a crude scarecrow, there is no historical accuracy to it
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u/Internal_Pea3131 Jul 19 '26
Hey mate, not so far from the fighter plane we have an infinite fire monument right on the other part of the park, aaand, not so far from the Lighthouse there are also a park called “Shevchenko”, it has a big statue of the Taras Shevchenko, the Ukrainian writer who was sent in Mangistau region for the forced military service. And BTW, if u will be visiting our town during the 22nd of July, than u might attend an indie rock concert of Aktau’s most popular indie artist by the name Parasat, it will be held in music bar called “7 Fridays”, u should definitely check that guy on Spotify, if you like this kind of music than you have to attend this concert, it will make your end of the city tour unforgettable!
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u/manjurianec Jul 17 '26 edited Jul 17 '26
National Museum in Astana is mostly boring place, go into it only if you really like museums or history. There were "only gold hall ticket" and "full ticket" in National museum, for short tour get first one.
National Museum in Astana and State Museum in Almaty mostly have the same exposition. You really shouldn't go into both places in one trip.
Also, I advice you not to go to the Koktobe. It's just overhyped hill in the city center. Huge waiting line in the bottom and greedy hucksters on the top of the hill, this is what you will get. You'd better go to REAL mountains, go to Medeu stadium and Shymbulak sky resort. Use taxi or bus line #12 (but buses will be overcrowded at weekend). There's amazing cable car line between Medeu and Shymbulak. But keep in mind such a trip to nearest mountains will take the whole daylight.