31 Cool and Unusual Things to Do in Kazakhstan - Atlas Obscura

Unusual Attractions in Kazakhstan

Saty, Kazakhstan

Kaindy Lake

Submerged trees jut ghost-like out of an idyllic turquoise mountain lake.

Almaty, Kazakhstan

The Last Wild Apple Forests

Granny Smiths and Fujis can both be traced back to Kazakhstan, where apples still grow wild.

Aralsk, Kazakhstan

Aral Sea

Rusting ships sit in a desert where a sea used to be.

Baikonur, Kazakhstan

Baikonur Cosmodrome

World's oldest and largest space launch facility, once a secret missile testing site.

Almaty, Kazakhstan

Big Almaty Lake

A brilliant turquoise lake in the mountains.

Enbekshikazakh District, Kazakhstan

Issyk Lake

The lovely lake that was naturally dammed, then naturally destroyed, then unnaturally saved.

Almaly, Kazakhstan

Bayzhansay Ghost Town

An abandoned Soviet-era mining town in the mountains of South Kazakhstan.

Astana, Kazakhstan

Palace of Peace and Reconciliation

Iconic pyramid from famed British architect Norman Foster designed to represent all of the world's religious faiths.

See All 31 Things to Do in Kazakhstan See All 31 Places

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Cool Places to Eat & Drink in Kazakhstan

Almaty, Kazakhstan

The Last Wild Apple Forests

Granny Smiths and Fujis can both be traced back to Kazakhstan, where apples still grow wild.

Almaty, Kazakhstan

Zelionyj Bazaar

This sprawling market is a one-stop shop for traditional Kazakh foods, from mare’s milk to sheep’s head.

Atlas Obscura Trips

Silk Road Cities of Central Asia

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Recent Kazakhstan Activity

calimander wants to go to Aral Sea

calimander wants to go to Kaindy Lake

sajoneastside33 has been to Issyk Lake

taylorlanxon wants to go to Balbals of Oskemen

taylorlanxon wants to go to Kieli Agash (Sacred Tree) of Auliyeagash

Stories About Kazakhstan

Qurt at the Osh Bazaar in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan.

Make the Ancient Road Snack of Central Asian Nomads

Qurt is salty, long-lasting, and packed with protein.

by Susie Armitage

Two fishing vessels nestled in the sands near the former seaport city of Moynaq, Uzbekistan.

Why It's So Hard to Study the Toxic Dust Blowing From Earth's Youngest Desert

It all comes down to something scientists call "ground truth."

by Jonathan Carey

Koryo Saram meal, photographed in Ushtobe, Kazakhstan.

How Survivors of Stalinism Created a New Korean-Fusion Cuisine

When the Koryo Saram were forcibly relocated, they forged new identities.

September 10, 2018

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