KAZAKHSTAN
Kazakhstan travel: Almaty, Charyn and the route from Tashkent
Kazakhstan guides: Almaty, Charyn Canyon and the Kolsai lakes, visa-free entry and QazETA, safety, and the train and border routes from Uzbekistan.
THE SHORT ANSWER
Almaty is a convenient stop to add to a trip through Uzbekistan: the daily Talgo from Tashkent takes about 18 hours, flights about 1 h 30 min, and Almaty keeps Tashkent time. US, UK, Canadian, Australian and EU passports get 30 days per entry and 90 in any 180 without a visa; QazETA, the new electronic travel authorisation, was still a free, voluntary pilot on 24 September 2026. Give Almaty two or three days and add two more for Charyn Canyon and the Kolsai lakes.
KAZAKHSTAN · ENTRY RULES
Kazakhstan visa and entry rules 2026: QazETA, registration
Who can enter Kazakhstan without a visa and for how long, how the 90/180 count works, whether QazETA is required, and who registers you. Sources checked 24 September 2026.
Read the guideKAZAKHSTAN · TRIP FROM ALMATY
Charyn, Kolsai and Kaindy from Almaty in 2 days (2026)
Plan Charyn Canyon, the Kolsai lakes and Kaindy from Almaty: why two days with a night in Saty beat a 15-hour loop, 2026 park fees, trails, the Kaindy road and tours.
Read the guideKAZAKHSTAN · ITINERARY
Almaty in 3 days: city, mountains and Charyn Canyon
A three-day Almaty plan: the centre and Kok-Tobe, Shymbulak or Big Almaty Lake on foot, then Charyn Canyon, with 2026 ticket prices and closing days.
Read the guideKAZAKHSTAN · CITY GUIDE
Almaty travel guide 2026: sights, prices, getting around
What to see in Almaty with official 2026 ticket prices and hours, where to stay by area, the metro, Onay and Yandex Go, the airport bus and the mountain rules.
Read the guideKAZAKHSTAN · SAFETY
Is Kazakhstan safe in 2026? Advisories, laws and mountains
What four governments advise, the scams and laws that catch visitors out, mudflow and earthquake risk around Almaty, and the emergency numbers to save.
Read the guideWhat to see and do in Kazakhstan
In Almaty, visit the museums and Green Bazaar, then take the cable car to Kok-Tobe. Medeu, Shymbulak and Big Almaty Lake are in the mountains above the city. Private cars cannot reach the lake, so plan to walk up. Almaty in 3 days allows a day each for the city, the mountains and Charyn Canyon.
Charyn, Kolsai and Kaindy are best as a two-day trip with a night in Saty; in one day a group tour takes about 15 hours.
Getting there from Uzbekistan
Kazakhstan Railways' Talgo No. 1/2 runs daily between Tashkent and Almaty in about 18 hours, and four airlines fly the route in about 1 h 30 min: see Tashkent to Almaty. The main road crossing at Gisht Kuprik was still closed on 7 September 2026. In the west, the only direct passenger route from Karakalpakstan into Kazakhstan is by train: Nukus to Beyneu.
Entry and safety
The Kazakhstan visa and entry guide lists the permitted stays by nationality (India 14 days, Russia and the other EAEU states 90), the QazETA status and the rule that hotels or hosts notify the police within 3 working days. Kazakh e-visa holders may enter only through international airports.
None of the UK, US, German or Canadian advisories warned against any part of Kazakhstan on 24 September 2026. Two rules catch visitors out: vapes may not be brought in, and you must carry your original passport. Is Kazakhstan safe? has the details.
We arrange the Uzbekistan part of a combined trip and can advise on Kazakhstan. We do not book services inside Kazakhstan. Ask about a combined trip
Common questions
Do I need a visa for Kazakhstan?
Not with a US, UK, Canadian, Australian or EU passport: you may stay 30 days per entry and 90 in any 180. Indian citizens get 14 days. QazETA was still voluntary and free on 24 September 2026. See the Kazakhstan visa and entry guide.
Is there a train from Tashkent to Almaty?
Yes: Talgo No. 1/2 runs daily, leaving Tashkent at 14:41 and reaching Almaty-2 at 08:51 the next morning. Both railways sell it online. See Tashkent to Almaty.
Can I see Charyn and the Kolsai lakes in one day?
It takes a long day: group tours cover about 600 km in 15 hours. Two days with a night in Saty is the better plan. See Charyn, Kolsai and Kaindy.
Do you arrange trips in Kazakhstan?
We arrange the Uzbekistan part of a combined trip and can advise on Kazakhstan, but we do not book services there.