Kazakhstan
Kazakhstan itineraries: 1 week, 2 weeks and 3 weeks
For 7 days, base in Almaty 4 nights, sleep 2 nights in Saty for Kolsai and Kaindy lakes with Charyn Canyon on the drive, then 1 night back in Almaty. Two weeks adds Turkistan and Shymkent by night train; three weeks adds Astana by flight or the Mangystau desert.
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GuideKazakhstan
Key facts
- Best 7-day route
- Almaty 4 nights → Saty 2 → Almaty 1; Charyn Canyon on the transfer day
- Best 14-day route
- Almaty and lakes, then night train to Turkistan and Shymkent, exit toward Tashkent
- Best 21-day route
- Add Astana by flight and either the Altai or Mangystau, not both
- Getting between regions
- Fly Almaty–Astana and Almaty–Aktau; drive only in the south-east
- Almaty–Astana flight timecheck
- About 2 hours; several departures daily (check)
- Almaty–Turkistan night traincheck
- Roughly 12–18 hours overnight; book a berth in advance (check)
- Almaty–Charyn Canyon drivecheck
- About 200 km, 3–4 hours each way (check)
- Best months
- May–June and September for the south-east; June–August for Astana
- Car with driver, day ratecheck
- 2026 estimate: from about 40,000–60,000 KZT per day (check)
- Visacheck
- Many passports get visa-free entry for up to 30 days; confirm your own (check)
Summary by length, route and cost
Pick the length first, then the route. Kazakhstan is the ninth-largest country in the world, so the itinerary is mostly a transport decision: what you fly, what you drive and what you skip.
| Length | Route | Nights per stop | Transport | Rough cost per person |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7 days | Almaty → Charyn → Saty → Almaty | Almaty 4, Saty 2, Almaty 1 | Car with driver, no flights | 2026 estimate: 350,000–550,000 KZT (about $700–1,100) |
| 10 days | Almaty → Saty → Almaty → Astana | Almaty 4, Saty 2, Almaty 1, Astana 3 | Car plus one domestic flight | 2026 estimate: 500,000–800,000 KZT (about $1,000–1,600) |
| 14 days | Almaty → Kolsai → Altyn-Emel → Almaty → Turkistan → Shymkent | Almaty 4, Saty 2, Altyn-Emel 1, Almaty 1, Turkistan 2, Shymkent 2 | Car, night train, shared taxi | 2026 estimate: 650,000–1,000,000 KZT (about $1,300–2,000) |
| 21 days | 14-day route plus Astana and one desert region | Add Astana 3 and Mangystau 3 or Altai 4 | Two or three domestic flights | 2026 estimate: 1,000,000–1,600,000 KZT (about $2,000–3,200) |
Costs are 2026 estimates for one person sharing a car or tour, mid-range hotels and one flight per long leg. See the budget page for daily breakdowns.
The routes, step by step
Seven days: land in Almaty and stay 4 nights. Use one day for the city (Green Bazaar, Panfilov Park, Kok-Tobe) and one for the mountains (Medeu and Shymbulak, or Big Almaty Lake early before clouds build). On the transfer day, drive to Charyn Canyon, walk the Valley of Castles, then continue to Saty village for 2 nights: one day for Kolsai Lakes, one for Kaindy's sunken forest. Drive back to Almaty for a final night before your flight.
Ten days: the same south-east loop, then fly Almaty to Astana for 3 nights. Astana is a walking city of planned architecture: Bayterek tower, Khan Shatyr, the Palace of Peace and Reconciliation and the National Museum. Fly home from Astana or return to Almaty.
Fourteen days: after the lakes, add 1 night at Altyn-Emel for the Singing Dune and painted hills, then return to Almaty. Take the night train south to Turkistan for 2 nights: the Khoja Ahmed Yasawi mausoleum and the Otrar ruins. Move to Shymkent for 2 nights (bazaar, Sayram), then cross toward Tashkent if you are continuing into Uzbekistan.
Twenty-one days: build the 14-day route, then choose one far region, not both. Astana for 3 nights is the easy add by flight. Mangystau, based in Aktau, needs 3 nights and a 4WD for chalk canyons and cave mosques. The Altai around Oskemen needs 4 nights and border-area permits. Fly back to Almaty to leave.
- Book the Saty guesthouse and the Almaty–Turkistan train berth before you arrive in summer.
- Keep one buffer night in Almaty before any international flight.
- Do not try to drive Almaty–Astana or Almaty–Aktau in a short trip; fly.
Notes that change the plan
Season decides the route. Kolsai, Kaindy and Altyn-Emel are at their best June to September and can be snowbound or closed outside that window; Charyn works May to June and September to October. Astana is a June-to-August city, with winter temperatures far below freezing. Mangystau is best in May and September to October.
Transport is the constraint. In the south-east, a car with a driver or a small group tour is the practical way to reach Charyn, Saty and Altyn-Emel; shared taxis and marshrutkas cover Turkistan and Shymkent more cheaply but slower. Domestic flights link Almaty, Astana and Aktau. Check current schedules and baggage rules when you book.
Money and paperwork: carry some cash in tenge for village guesthouses and drivers, since card machines are not everywhere outside the cities. Entry rules depend on your passport; check the visa page before booking flights. Travel insurance that covers hiking and remote areas is worth having for the lake and desert legs.
| Region | Best months | Access |
|---|---|---|
| Almaty and mountains | May–Jun, Sep | City base; cable car and taxi |
| Charyn, Kolsai, Kaindy | Jun–Sep | Car with driver or tour |
| Altyn-Emel | May, Sep | Car with driver; park entry |
| Turkistan and Shymkent | Apr–May, Sep–Oct | Night train, shared taxi, flight |
| Astana | Jun–Aug | Domestic flight |
| Mangystau (Aktau) | May, Sep–Oct | Flight plus 4WD tour |
| Altai (Oskemen) | Jun–Sep | Flight plus permits (check) |
Questions people ask
What is a good 7-day itinerary for Kazakhstan?
Almaty 4 nights, Saty village 2 nights, Almaty 1 night. Use one Almaty day for the city and one for Medeu and Shymbulak, stop at Charyn Canyon on the drive to Saty, and spend a day each on Kolsai Lakes and Kaindy.
How many weeks should I spend in Kazakhstan?
One week covers Almaty and the mountain lakes. Two weeks adds Turkistan and Shymkent by night train. Three weeks lets you add Astana by flight and one far region, either Mangystau or the Altai.
What is the best route through Kazakhstan?
Start and finish in Almaty, loop to Charyn, Kolsai and Kaindy, then go south by night train to Turkistan and Shymkent. Add Astana by flight if you have 10 days or more. Fly the long legs; drive only in the south-east.
Should I fly or drive between Almaty and Astana?
Fly. The flight is about 2 hours with several daily departures, while the road journey takes well over a day and adds little. Driving makes sense only inside the Almaty region.
When is the best time for these routes?
May to June and September for Almaty, Charyn, Kolsai and Kaindy. June to August for Astana. May and September to October for Mangystau. Lake and desert roads can be closed or snowbound outside these windows.
Do I need a tour or can I do it independently?
The city legs are easy independently. For Charyn, Saty, Kaindy and Altyn-Emel, a car with a driver or a small group tour is the practical option; shared taxis and trains cover Turkistan and Shymkent on a budget.
Deep dive
Every source; changeable facts are marked check
Sources
- officialKazakhstan Tourism (official)
- officialKazakhstan Temir Zholy (national railways)
- officialAir Astana
- secondaryWikivoyage – Kazakhstan
- secondaryWikivoyage – Almaty