Kazakhstan Complete Guide 2026: Almaty, Astana, Charyn Canyon, Baikonur and Mangystau
Browse more guides: Kazakhstan travel | Asia destinations TL;DR Kazakhstan covers 2,724,900 square kilometres of steppe, mountain, canyon and Caspian coast, making it the world's ninth largest country and the largest landlocked one. I spent eighteen days moving between Almaty's apple-shaded streets, Astana's futuristic skyline, the red sandstone walls of Charyn Canyon, the rocket pads of Baikonur and the chalk deserts of Mangystau. Since August 2024 Indian passport holders get fourteen days visa-free, which made the trip simpler than I expected. Why Visit Kazakhstan in 2026 I went because three things lined up. On 22 August 2024 Kazakhstan granted visa-free entry to Indian passport holders for fourteen days, removing the e-visa step. The legacy infrastructure from EXPO 2017 in Astana, including the sphere-shaped Nur Alem pavilion, has matured into a working science district. Almaty's Shymbulak ski resort and the Medeu skating rink have invested in chairlifts and s...