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Very good tour and trip agency - Astana Guide Tours

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• Astana Guide Tours

Very good tour and trip agency

Based on their positive tripadvisor reviews, we booked a 1- day Burabay tour. I found the service and response of this tour agency to be excellent. Easily 5-stars. My emails were promptly responded to, and everyone showed up when they were supposed to.Our guide had great knowledge about national park and his English was good.We had lunch (included) tried national cuisine and even horse milk. The only drawback was weather, it was cloudy and we could not make clear pictures. Fortunately, by the end of the tour sun appeared for several hours. Overall, everything was perfect and perfectly-arranged. We would recommend this tour service to anyone visiting Kazakhstan.

Dear Yuna, good day! On behalf of Astana Guide Tours, we would like to thank you for choosing us your guide around Astana. We would also like to thank you for so positive review. We will be glad to see you once again. Sincerely, Support Team of Astana Guide Tours

Tour company was prompt and provided a driver and guide. Both were really good at their jobs and kept us entertained. The lunch at Camel was nice and authentic. We had ample opportunities for photos. However, we did not have entrance to the Palace of Reconciliation. Otherwise, we enjoyed the day tour of sites in Astana.

Dear Mackjk, good day! Thank you very much for the review. On behalf of Astana Guide Tours, we are grateful for choosing us as your guide around Astana. We are very sorry that you could not enter the Palace of Reconciliation during your tour. We try to make the tour the most customized and interesting for each guest based on the initial request. Our guides may slightly change the schedule of the tour. We are also taking into account the road traffic and day of the week to be on-time in each location. It would be great to see you again in Astana so we could bring you to the Palace of Reconciliation as a part of any tour program. Thank you once again for choosing us and hope on your understanding. Sincerely, Support Team of Astana Guide Tours

I was at the beginning of the EXPO 2017 in Astana during a busy period and had a customized tour with this company. Keep in mind that tourism in Kazakhstan is not so developed as in Western countries so private torus might be on the pricey side, but it's totally worth it. I am happy we found them and discovered a little bit of the countryside. hey planned in detail our lovely trip to Burabai National Park (with horse riding, hiking, lunch) and offered many tips on what to do and see in Astana. Really friendly staff&guides and a great way to discover Kazakh culture. They also provided many useful information for us prior to our arrival. Make sure to check their website and contact them. There are many tours available for all budgets. Thank you guys for our great memories! Highly recommended!

Burabai National Park one of the best places I have visited spatially when you go hiking it's amazing it makes you feel the ruff road to the top worth it because of the view the fresh air, Moreover the horse raiding was vary good experience. Mr. Olgerd the manager of "Astana Guide Tours" was very kind with us and give us good first impression about Kazagestan , our tour guide Mr. Nurdaulet was very fanny person and helpful, he tell us interesting stores about the place and show us the traditional food which was tastes great. I really liked my trip, and "Astana Guide Tours" made it wonderful, for sure if I visit Kazagestan I will manage my trip with "Astana Guide Tours".

Two friends of mine and I took a trip to Burabai National Park with Astana Guide Tours. At the beginning there was a mix-up about which tour we had booked - but that was also our fault for not reading the confirmation e-mail thoroughly. Either way, the situation was handled very professionally, flexible and well-organized, and after a quick coffee break we got the tour that we wanted. The tour included some sights around the lake where our guide told us some stories from Kazakh history and mythology, as well as a delicious traditional Kazakh meal at a restaurant. Our guide was a young, intelligent Kazakh woman who was very friendly, open and easy to talk to. Chatting with her about Kazakh culture and society from the past to the present was just as valuable to us as seeing the lovely scenery. All in all, the tour added greatly to our overall picture and understanding of Kazakhstan and we are very happy that we took it.

Dear Tobias T, It is the best appreciation of our work to hear so positive feedback from our guests. Thank you very much for writing it and sorry once again for misunderstanding that happened at the beginning. We are really happy that you enjoyed the Tour to Burabai and we hope to see once again in Kazakhstan. Sincerely, Support Team of Astana Guide Tours :)

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Kazakhstan at a glance

Capital city.

Tenge (KZT)

Kazakh, Russian

(GMT+06:00) Astana, Dhaka

CALLING CODE

Electricity.

Type C (European 2-pin) Type E (French 2-pin, female earth) Type F (German 2-pin, side clip earth)

Learn more about Kazakhstan

Best time to visit kazakhstan.

Kazakhstan has a continental climate, which lends itself to extreme temperatures. In summer (June to August) it can climb above 96 degrees F and in winter (December to February) you can expect temperatures to be as low as -10 degrees F. Snow stays on the ground for almost half the year. The best time to travel is during spring (May to June) and autumn (September to November) when temperatures are mild. While it can rain at any time of year, the amount varies across the country. In the desert you’ll get very little, while in the mountains it’s best not to leave home without a rain jacket.

Top 5 Tastes of Kazakhstan

1. beshbarmak.

This is Kazakhstan’s national dish and a meat lover’s delight. Chunks of boiled mutton served on flat squares of pasta.

Get ready for sausage, Kazakh-style. Made with horsemeat, the sausage is cooked for two hours before being served with generous servings of onion.

Wash down your main course with a glass of fermented mare’s milk. It’s mildly alcoholic and has a fizzy sensation. Shubat is another version made with camel’s milk.

4. Baursaki

Try these fried, doughy balls of goodness alongside soup.

Make new friends wherever you go by sitting down and sharing a cup of shay. This black or green tea is a Kazakh staple.

Further reading

Kazakhstan travel faqs, do i need a covid-19 vaccine to join an intrepid trip.

Trips from 1 January 2023 onwards

From 1 January 2023, Intrepid will no longer require travelers to provide proof of vaccination against COVID-19 (excluding all Polar trips and select adventure cruises).

However, we continue to strongly recommend that all Intrepid travelers and leaders get vaccinated to protect themselves and others.

Specific proof of testing or vaccination may still be required by your destination or airline. Please ensure you check travel and entry requirements carefully.

Do I need a visa to travel to Kazakhstan?

Many nationalities, including Australia, Germany, USA, Canada, United Kingdom and New Zealand do not require a visa for stays of up to 30 days. Please check with your local consulate for the most up to date requirements.

Is tipping customary in Kazakhstan?

A service charge of 10% is usually included at most restaurants so tipping isn’t necessary.

What is the internet access like in Kazakhstan?

There is internet access available in the main cities, including at many hotels and cafes.

Can I use my cell phone while in Kazakhstan?

Reception is good in the main towns but sketchy elsewhere. Ensure you have global roaming activated with your carrier if you wish to use your phone.

What are the toilets like in Kazakhstan?

Toilet facilities may be very basic. Expect drop toilets outside of hotels and bring your own toilet paper as there may not be any.

What will it cost for a…?

• Bottle of soft drink = 120 KZT
• Beer in a bar or restaurant = 400 KZT
• Simple lunch = 800 KZT
• Three-course meal = 3500 KZT
• Short taxi ride = 500 KZT

Can I drink the water in Kazakhstan?

Drinking tap water in Kazakhstan isn’t recommended. For environmental reasons, try to avoid buying bottled water. Fill a reusable water bottle or canteen with filtered water. It's also advisable to avoid ice in drinks and peel fruit and vegetables before eating.

Are credit cards accepted widely in Kazakhstan?

Credit cards are accepted in major shops and hotels in Almaty and Astana, but everywhere else you will need to rely on cash.

What is ATM access like in Kazakhstan?

ATMs are widespread in larger towns and cities.

What public holidays are celebrated in Kazakhstan?

For a current list of public holidays in Kazakhstan go to the World Travel Guide website.

Do I need to purchase travel insurance before traveling?

Absolutely. All passengers traveling with Intrepid are required to purchase travel insurance before the start of their trip. Your travel insurance details will be recorded by your leader on the first day of the trip. Due to the varying nature, availability and cost of health care around the world, travel insurance is very much an essential and necessary part of every journey.

For more information on insurance, please go to: Travel Insurance

How do I stay safe and healthy while traveling?

From Australia?

Go to: Smart Traveller

From Canada?

Go to:  Canada Travel Information

From the UK?

Go to:  UK Foreign Travel Advice

From New Zealand?

Go to:  Safe Travel

From the US?

Go to:  US Department of State

The World Health Organisation also provides useful health information.

Does my trip support The Intrepid Foundation?

Yes, all Intrepid trips support the Intrepid Foundation. Trips to this country directly support our global Intrepid Foundation partners, Eden Reforestation Projects and World Bicycle Relief. Intrepid will double the impact by dollar-matching all post-trip donations made to The Intrepid Foundation.

Eden Reforestation Projects

Eden Reforestation Projects are helping to mitigate climate change by restoring forests worldwide; they also hire locally and create job opportunities within vulnerable communities. Donations from our trips support restoration across planting sites in 10 countries around the globe. Find out more or make a donation World Bicycle Relief

World Bicycle Relief provides people in low-income communities with bicycles to mobilize school kids, health workers, and farmers in far-out areas – giving them access to vital education, healthcare, and income. Donations help provide Buffalo Bicycles – specifically designed to withstand the rugged terrain and harsh environment of rural regions – to those who need them most. Find out more or make a donation

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Otrar Travel Agency

We provide a full range of travel services: booking air and railway tickets, hotels, issuing visas, as well as organizing business trips and events in Kazakhstan and abroad. 

What we can do for you

At Otrar Travel we’re experts in organizing business events and trips. To make you feel comfortable on your trip, we daily:

– create air, railway or mixed routes utilizing most advanced supplier’s content from all over the world;

– book hotels by rates compared beforehand from dozens of hotel consolidators;

– help you apply for business and tourist visas;

– find trips of unparalleled travel experience of a lifetime;

– provide meet-and-greet services at airports.

Our services

Booking and issuing air tickets for all airlines and destinations. Charter flights. Group trips. Support 24/7.

Railway tickets

Sale of tickets for trains in Kazakhstan, CIS countries, Europe, USA.

International and Domestic Tourism

Organization of international and domestic tours, as well as excursion programs, both group and individual.

Booking hotels, apartments, villas, etc. Direct contracts and corporate prices.

Visas and Insurance

Registration of tourist and business visas to any country in the world. Registration of medical insurance.

Organization of transfers from airports and hotels, VIP escort at airports.

Corporate clients

Do your employees often make business trips and do you need professional support from travel consultants?

Feel free to contact Otrar Travel! Our team will select the best routes for air and railway transport based on your needs, book hotels, transfers, provide visa support if necessary, and prepare entertainment options. We work seven days a week, 24/7. We control your travel budget and optimize your expenses by accessing various markets for travel service providers ‘ offers. At the end of the trip, we will provide full reports.

Team of specialists

Ensuring the confidentiality of travel information

Support 24/7

Exclusive rates for flights and hotels

24/7 airport offices

Full analytics and trip reporting​

Become a subagent

Do you want to open an air ticket office, travel agency, business selling air tickets and other travel services?

We have accumulated extensive experience in ticket sales and travel services, which allows us to offer a wide range of partnership opportunities.

By entering into a subagency agreement with us, you are guaranteed to receive:

1. Low service fees. 2. High quality customer service. 3. Continuous information and technical support. 4. Access to the aviation content of foreign markets BSP-Germany, USA, TKP-Russia, low-cost airlines around the world. 5. Market and airline news. 6. Access to favorable fares from more than 1,000 airlines worldwide. 7. Support in 6 cities of Kazakhstan.

Cooperation options

Application work. You send requests for booking and issuing air tickets to us. Our agents process the information and provide a turnkey solution. This option of cooperation does not require your company to have qualified agents.

Independent work. Installing RTS Amadeus (Amadeus Ticket Robot) for your agency. Allows the agency to independently select flights in real time. This option of cooperation provides for the presence of qualified agents in your company.

Work in our online platform, in your own personal account. Allows the agency in real time independently, in a graphical mode, to select routes, book and issue air tickets. This option of cooperation provides for the presence of your staff with at least minimal experience in the field of ticket sales.

Organization of corporate events

Corporate events or MICE tours are events aimed at solving such tasks as:

conducting business negotiations,

motivation and team building in incentive or motivational tours,

Every year we hold about 50 similar events in Kazakhstan, in such cities as Almaty, Astana, Borovoe, Aktobe, Aktau, and in such countries as Italy (Turin), Spain (Barcelona), Estonia (Tallinn), Turkey (Istanbul), Israel (Tel Aviv), USA (New YorkNew York), Russia (St. Petersburg).

We have    more than 6,500 satisfied tourists,  about 1 345 vents held, and  95%   of repeated requests.

Meetings — business meetings and trips.

When organizing an event:

• we will develop a concept, script, estimate,
• we will select a venue, hotel, transport, air and railway tickets,
• we will organize food and technical support of the meeting.

Incentives — motivational, incentive tours.

We develop scenarios: from sports competitions to corporate parties on the Cote d’Azur. For this:

• create a plan and estimate,
• we select a place, design, presenters,
• organize all travel services.

Conferences — conferences, seminars, forums.

Major events for company employees, the general public. We organize business and entertainment parts:

• concept, plan and venue,
• all travel services,
• cultural and entertainment program, etc.

Events — corporate events.

When planning trips and holding similar events, we pay special attention to:

• program organizations,
• Tourist support (tickets, transfers, visas, hotels, VIP services at airports, etc.),
• entertainment program.

Otrar Travel Company was founded in 1997 and is the leading air travel agency in Kazakhstan with its head office in Almaty. We have 9 branches in 6 cities of Kazakhstan.

The company’s employees were trained in specialized training centers in Nice, Moscow, Geneva and Montreal, confirming their knowledge with international diplomas and certificates of IATA, Amadeus, Sabre, Gabriel, Sirena.

Otrar Travel is a member of BSP-Kazakhstan and Kazakhstan Tourism Association.

The ISO 9001:2016 quality management system has been implemented.

We do our best to make you feel comfortable. We are proud of our reputation as a reliable business partner and the trust of our clients.

We are in numbers

Certificates.

Top Tour Operators and Travel Agencies in Kazakhstan 2024/2025

Top Tour Operators and Travel Agencies in Kazakhstan. Below you will find 7 of the best tour operators and travel agencies in Kazakhstan offering in total 8 tours and holidays through-out Kazakhstan. Combined they have received 12 customer reviews and an average rating of 5 out of 5 stars. The top tour activities offered in Kazakhstan are: Sightseeing, attractions, culture and history, Adventure and sport & Wildlife, landscapes and nature.

• Tours in Kazakhstan
• Kazakhstan Travel Guide
• Best Time to Visit Kazakhstan

7 Tour Operators in Kazakhstan with 12 Reviews

• Address Soi Pridi Banomyong 26, Bangkok, Thailand
• Response Rate 54%
• Response Time 1 hour

• Best-in-Class Top 5% of companies
• Excellent Service Top 10% of companies
• Superior Service Top 15% of companies

Exodus Travels

• Address Grange Mills, Weir Road, London, England
• Response Rate 85%

Intrepid Travel

• Address 380 Lonsdale Street, Melbourne, Australia
• Response Rate 90%
• Response Time 2 hours

G Adventures

• Address G Adventures Ltd, 60 Bastwick Street, London, England

• Address 2461 FM 778, Mineola, USA
• Response Rate 95%
• Response Time 3 hours

World Expeditions

• Address 1B Osiers Road, Wandsworth, London, England
• Response Rate 82%

Sundowners Overland

• Address 90 Lincoln Road, Peterborough, England
• Response Rate 78%

Traveling to Kazakhstan? Chat with a local travel specialist in Kazakhstan who can help organize your trip.

Kazakhstan Tour Reviews

• Eco tours in Kazakhstan
• Kazakhstan guided tours
• Kazakhstan small group tours
• Kazakhstan solo trips
• Kazakhstan tours for senior citizens
• Kazakhstan tours for young adults
• Kazakhstan group tours

Upcoming Departures

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How to visit Astana in 3 days

By Joan Torres 2 Comments Last updated on April 11, 2024

Astana, today Nur-Sultan, was described as the weirdest capital in the world by CNN and I agree. Enter the city into Google Maps and you will see how far away it is from anywhere.

Kazakhstan is the same size as Western Europe but it is mostly unpopulated and nearly completely covered in flat, arid steppe.

Traveling to Astana by plane is surreal. There is nothing as far as you can see until you literally find yourself over the capital. There is nothing – not a mountain, not a tree, no other city or suburbs – nothing.

It is difficult to believe today that when the capital was moved from Almaty in 1997 this was just a dusty little village.

Since then it has gone through a building boom turning it into a futuristic city full of modern, quirky architecture all funded by the country’s vast oil and energy resources.

18.3 million people live in Kazakhstan and although the general standard of living is reasonable I question whether the money could have been better spent.

This article contains everything you need to know to visit Nur-Sultan , former Astana.

In this Astana travel guide you will find:

Table of Contents

• Is Astana or Nur Sultan?
• Best time to visit
• Transportation
• Getting to Astana
• Moving around the city
• Getting from the airport
• Where to stay
• Where to eat
• Things to do is 3 days
• More information

Remember to get travel insurance for Astana IATI Insurance offers long-term plans, so it’s perfect for big over landing trips around Kazakhstan. Get your 5% discount if purchasing via this link

Is it Astana or Nur-Sultan?

Shortly after the capital was moved from Almaty in 1997 it was named Astana, which means ‘capital’ in Kazakh.

The official reason for the relocation was the danger posed by earthquakes in the Almaty region.

The real motive is believed to be more to do with geopolitics and the relationship with Kazakhstan’s two largest trading partners – Russia and China.

For years there was speculation over whether Astana would be renamed after the leader who created it, Nursultan Nazarbayev . He was the president for nearly 30 years, starting his term when the country was still part of the Soviet Union.

Presidents are, according to the country’s constitution, limited to two 5-year terms. However, these rules were changed since the president was so popular – he regularly won 98% of the votes in the general elections.

Nursultan surprised many critics of his regime when he stood down in March 2019. He was expected to be ‘president for life’, as seen in several other countries in the region.

However, at 78-years old and retaining powers as chairman of the Security Council and head of the ruling party, I am not sure how far he actually stepped down in reality.

Kassym-Jomart Tokayev was named as his successor.

As a tribute to his predecessor, he renamed the capital Nur-Sultan .

Officially the name was changed in March 2019 but Astana is still widely used and is the name best known abroad, the named most commonly used in this travel blog.

Central Asia is a complicated region and, in order to fully understand the country, it is recommended to read 1 or 2 books. Check: The 28 best books on Central Asia

Best time to visit Nur-Sultan

Having a steppe climate the variances between cold winter nights and sizzling summer days can be 80 degrees Celsius.

When we visited I was surprised to learn that Nur-Sultan is the second coldest capital in the world after Ulaanbaatar (Mongolia).

Unless you are prepared for -20 degrees Celsius, winter is not the best time to visit.

The other extreme are the summer months of July and August when temperatures can reach up to 40 degrees Celsius.

These large variances make the shoulder season of May/June and September/ October the best times to visit.

Having said that, we visited in early May and I was surprised at how cold it was.

Coming from the warmer climates of Almaty and Uzbekistan this was a bit of a shock to the system. We ended up wearing most of the clothes we brought with us during the evenings when the temperature drops quite considerably.  

Need to know about transportation

How to travel to astana.

There are several ways, depending on where you travel from.

How to travel to Astana from Almaty

Getting to Astana from Almaty by plane

I highly recommend traveling to Nur-Sultan by plane from Almaty. If you know your travel dates and book in advance, I found that it was cheaper to take the 1.5-2 hours flight than the 14-hour speed train. And it was definitely more comfortable (if the reports about the speed train being so bumpy making it impossible to sleep are true).

Getting to Astana from Almaty by train

There are two types of trains – the speed train and the slow train .

The speed train takes 14 hours overnight in both directions and most days there are 2 slow trains leaving mid-morning and taking roughly 24 hours.

For everything you need to know about taking the train in Kazakhstan read this post .

Tickets can be booked in person or online. For the speed train tickets cost $50-65 and for the slow train $20-30.

The Kazakhstan railways website is not available in English so unless you can read Cyrillic I recommend using Real Russia .

This site has a good search function in English to find train times so is useful even if buying your own ticket at the station.

In the summer and during holidays train tickets should be bought in advance.

For the speed train early booking discounts are up to 40% so it pays to plan ahead.

How to travel to Astana from Russia (Moscow)

This is not a cheap route with tickets costing around $300 per person . Trains depart every 2nd day on even-numbered dates and take 3-4 days to cover the 3,105km between the two cities.

Astana travel tip – This train only crosses the border one time. Other routes can cross it several times and there is some uncertainty about whether this means you need a double-entry visa. Make sure to check the visa needed for the train route you are taking.  

How to travel from (China) Urumqi to Astana by train

Leaving every Saturday afternoon from Astana railway station the train arrives Monday morning in Urumqi. The return departs late on Monday getting into Nur-Sultan on Wednesday.

The train can only be booked through travel agents and costs upwards from $350 per person in a compartment with 4 beds.  The journey takes nearly 40 hours with 8 of these spent at the border changing the wheels on the train carriage since the tracks in the two countries have different gauges.

How to move around Nur-Sultan

The buildings are enormous and distances deceptively far. Luckily there is a good bus system with routes marked at each stop making it easy to find which bus you need.

If in doubt you can find an interactive English route map here .

Buses run from 6-7am to 10-11pm and tickets costs 90T for shorter routes within the city and 150T for express routes. The most useful routes for sightseeing are:

• 10 – runs every 15 minutes from the bus station to the airport taking one hour via Zhenis, Moldagulova, Beibitshilik, Seufullin, Respublika, Konaev and Kabanbay Batyr
• 21 – Astana-1 to Bayterek Tower, Ak Orda, the pyramid and National Museum, via Zhengis, Sarayka, Qabanbay Batyr, Qonayev and Mangilik
• 32 – Astana Nurly Zhol to the old city via the pyramid, Ak Orda, Nurzhol bulvar, Turan dangyly and Respublika dangyly
• 40 – Astana-1 to the pyramid and Khan Shatyr via Seyfullin and Kenesary in old Nur-Sultan, and Sarayshyk, Mangilik and Dostyk in modern Nur-Sultan
• 505 Express bus – Express bus from Astana Nurly Zhol to Khan Shatyr, via the pyramid

How to get to and from the airport

Uber operates here and is a good option if the Wi-Fi on your phone can be used without high network charges.

Taxis are meant to cost 2,000-3,000T but we found that they wanted more. They will not use the meter so make sure you agree on a price before getting in. As with most countries in this region, Russian is widely spoken but English less so. You will probably have more luck negotiating a better price if you speak Russian.

Taking the bus is very easy. The bus stop is a few hundred metres to the left after exiting the terminal. The ticket price is either 90T or 150T (the higher price is for the express bus). Three bus routes pass through the airport leaving roughly every 15 minutes:

• Bus #10 runs between the airport and the train station stopping at Khan Shatyr and down Qonayev Street. Travelling through the city centre this is likely to be the best option if you want to get the bus.
• Express bus #100 runs between the airport and the train station
• Express bus #500 runs between the airport and Astana Nurly Zhol in the very East of the city

Where to stay in Nur-Sultan

Budget – The Place Astana Hostel – Most of the budget options are outside the modern city centre. I always like to be walking distance from the sights and restaurants and the hostel with the best location and good reviews is The Place Astana Hostel.

Mid-Range – VIP House Hotel – Nur-Sultan is not a cheap city and midrange options are more expensive than in many other capitals. Close to the Singing Fountains and the Bayterek Tower is VIP House Hotel which comes with private bathrooms and good views.

Top-end – Rixos Garden Inn – Located close to Nurzhol Bulvar at the Khan Shatyr end. Rooms are of a standard that you would expect from any Western high-end chain.

Where to eat in Nur-Sultan

Looking at Google Maps plenty of restaurants are shown along Nurzhol Bulvar.

However, we found it difficult to find somewhere to stop for lunch. Some restaurants are only open in the evening and others only had a sign in Russian outside and dark windows making it difficult to know whether they were office buildings or restaurants.

Khan Shatyr has a food court with all the usual fast-food brands and some local restaurants but if you fancy something a bit different, I recommend going to Turan Avenue.

Like everywhere in this city, the distance is long between each restaurant but there are several cuisines available such as Korean, Uzbek, Japanese, Georgian and Italian. The designs are the most interesting part.

The Uzbek restaurant reminded me of the city walls in Khiva with blue-tiled domes. The Georgian eatery is built with stone defence towers and overhanging balconies like you see in Baku . My favourite, the Mill, is a Ukrainian restaurant that looks like a windmill with live chickens in the garden. Inside the interior is decorated like a country house with fake flowers.

Things to do in Astana: 3-day itinerary

I love cities with ‘unusual’ (that is probably a more polite description than ‘wacky’) architecture.

There are plenty of unique things to do in Astana that did not disappoint me but my husband was less convinced.

Although the city has a good bus service make sure you wear comfortable shoes since you will be doing a lot of walking whilst visiting the capital. Distances are long. The city was clearly designed with drivers rather than walking sightseers in mind.

This Kazakhstan itinerary suggests spending 3 days in the capital. If time is limited, all the buildings detailed below can be seen in two days.

Places to visit in Astana on day 1 – Left of the Ishim River

Most of the modern buildings to visit in Astana are located on this side of the river and you can easily spend a day walking up and down Nurzhol Bulvar. At night this area is lit up and in the Summer months, there is a musical water show every day at 9pm.

Khan Shatyr

Shopping is not normally part of my sightseeing plans but this is not your average shopping centre. In fact, this is one of the best places to visit in Nur-Sultan.

Standing at one end of Nurzhol Bulvar this translucent tent is the world’s largest marquee, and one of the most emblematic places to visit in Astana. But when you enter it feels smaller than the 10 football pitches that apparently can fit inside.

Inside it has a park, monorail, boating river, mini-golf and an indoor beach complete with palm trees and sand imported from the Maldives. To ensure that beachgoers have a comfortable temperature (even during freezing winter days) a chemical lining on the building ensures that it is a constant 35 degrees inside.

Bayterek Tower

The Bayterek Tower is probably the best-known building in Nur-Sultan and in my view the one you cannot leave without seeing. That will not be a problem since at 105m tall and with a prominent position in the middle of the Nurzhol Bulvar it is impossible to miss.

The observation deck is 97 metres high corresponding to the year Nur-Sultan became the capital. It was closed for an unknown reason when we visited and I was disappointed not to be able to put my hand in the gilded handprint of Nursultan and make a wish.

Although we did not make it to the top I would highly recommend going for the 360-degree views over the town. Entrance costs 700T.

Ak Orda – Presidential Palace

The first thought that struck me when I saw this building was how much it looked like the Whitehouse in Washington DC. Ak Orda means ‘the white headquarters’ so there is a similarity in the name as well as the design.

The architects aimed for something different and unrepeatable and although it is a striking I am not quite sure whether I would call it unique. It is not easy to stand out in a city full of futuristic buildings.

The large golden towers standing either side as you approach the Palace are the House of Ministries, dubbed ‘the beer cans’ by locals. In the square there is little else to see except for the Central Concert Hall.

Central Concert Hall

Located in the right corner of the Presidential Palace square it is easy to miss due to the tall buildings surrounding it, covering it from view unless you are nearly right in front of it.

Nur Astana Mosque

I think of Kazakhstan as more Russian than Central Asian but 70% of the population is Muslim. This explains why two of the three largest mosques in Central Asia are located here. With a capacity for 5,000 worshippers inside and 2,000 outside this is the third largest mosque in Central Asia.

Hazret Sultan mosque (see below) might have the most grandiose prayer room but I think, being built in white granite and with a large fountain outside, Nur Astana Mosque is the prettier of the two.

Bears and lion tamers are not an unusual site at the performances but there are no aliens despite the building looking like a flying saucer.

Circus has a long tradition in the Soviet Union but what made the architect construct a circus building shaped like a UFO, or the president give it the go ahead, is difficult to fathom.

If nothing else, it is certainly noticeable. As with everything in this city it is a bit of a walk from the other sights but for me, this weird building was worth the detour.

Things to do in Astana on day 2 – Right of the Ishim River

I found the left of the river has the most interesting architecture. The right side is expected to be built out significantly over the next 10 years and in 2030 plans are for the Pyramid to be the geographical center of Nur-Sultan.

Palace of Peace and Reconciliation – The Pyramid

The first draft of the Pyramid is said to have been the same size as the Great Pyramid in Egypt but that was too grand even for Nursultan and it was hastily reduced to about half the size. Despite being 62 meters tall and situated on a hill it was not as impressive as I thought it would be. 

Entry is possible on a guided tour which runs roughly every 30 minutes between 10am and 6pm. Tickets cost 1,000T for adults and 650T for children.

English guides can be arranged at extra cost.

The Palace of Independence

This is an event space located in the square birds-nest-like building made of dark glass and steel. The only interesting thing to see here is the model of what Nur-Sultan will look like when it is finished, which is expected to be in 2030.

Kazakhstan has been suffering from a falling oil price over the last couple of years and the price having plummeted due to Coronavirus will make the state budget even tighter.

It will be interesting to see whether the city will ever be built out to the extent the previous president dreamt of.

Kazakh Eli Monument

A symbol of sovereignty with the height of the 91m tall pillar representing the year independence was gained from the Soviet Union in 1991.

The golden statue at the top is Samruk, the bird that laid the egg at the top of the Bayterek Tower.

Hazret Sultan Mosque

This is the largest mosque in Central Asia and can accommodate 10,000 worshippers. The prayer room is decorated in the colour of the Kazakh flag – blue, gold and white.

With its 51m high dome and a 3-ton chandelier this room alone makes the trip across the river worth it.

National Museum of Kazakhstan

An enormous white-marble building that covers the culture and history of Kazakhstan from ancient history up to the present day.

The museum is closed on Mondays and entry is 1,500T for adults with a further charge of 500T for photos and 2,000T for a guide.

Day 3 – Things to do near Astana

Being in the middle of nowhere, there are really only two actual places to visit around Astana:

ALZHIR Museum and Memorial Complex

Walking around Nur-Sultan with its new fancy buildings it is easy to forget that Kazakhstan was part of the Soviet Union. But a visit to this notorious concentration camp will bring it all back.

The 26th Gulag Point (as it was formally called) was for the women and children of dissenters. Little is left of the camp but the museum has recreated the huts prisoners lived in as well as the trains that brought them to the camp.

Minibuses to Akmol (also called Malinokva) depart roughly every hour and take 45 minutes. Tours can be booked in advance via the museum website . The museum is closed on Mondays.

Korgalzhyn Nature Reserve

With its 200 lakes Korgalzhyn is a popular stop for migrating birds. If you are an avid bird watcher the months of May and June are the best time to visit for the northward migration. Otherwise June to September are more interesting since salty lake Tengiz supports a large colony of flamingos at this time of year.

Local guest houses can arrange transport into the reserve. To see the flamingos you need a 4×4 which cost around 10,000T plus 3,000T for an official guide.

Shared taxis, which take two hours, are the best way to get there. The first ones depart at 10 a.m. but are very popular so make sure you arrive at least an hour before departure to secure a seat.

More information for visiting Astana

📢 In my Travel Resources Page you can find the list of all the sites and services I use to book hotels, tours, travel insurance and more.

All guides and articles for traveling in Kazakhstan destination

• Travel Guide to Kazakhstan
• Uzbekistan-Kazakhstan border crossing
• Train Guide in Kazakhstan
• Kazakhstan Itinerary

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Thank you for the detailed guide to this unusual capital. I enjoyed almost every one of your highlights of Day 1 and Day 2 back in 2016 and might return some day for Day 3.

For what it’s worth, I enjoyed the 14-hour train ride from Almaty to Astana (Nur-Sultan). I showed my ticket to the uniformed woman on the platform. She said “Good evening” in English and that she was my conductor. She escorted me to my private cabin with an en suite bathroom and shower. It was a bumpy ride, but I was able to get a good night’s rest. (Perhaps it “rocked” me to sleep?) The conductor checked that I was awake well before our on-time arrival at 8:15 a.m. It was not expensive, did not require rides to and from airports, and saved me the expense of a night in a hotel. It might seem repetitive and boring to some, but I found the incredibly flat landscape had an eerie beauty along with the endless blue sky.

One recommendation: Try to get a ticket to the Astana Opera (The State Opera and Ballet Theatre). This massive Classical structure was completed in 2013 and has incredible acoustics. I got a same-day ticket online for around $5 and caught a shared taxi there for around $2. Arriving just before the opera started, the window to pick up my ticket appeared to be closed. I did my best to explain to the usher (in English), and she handed me a ticket for a box seat close to the stage. (I cannot guarantee this always happens–the website says to arrive a minimum of 10 minutes early–but people were very friendly in Kakakhstan.) The production of Madama Butterfly featured truly world-class performers. There were supertitles (over the stage) in Russian and Kazakh.

I am glad you enjoyed the guide. Sounds like I have to try the Opera next we go!

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Kazakhstan Small Group Tours

Kazakhstan’s culture today is an interesting mix of Russian and Western influence coupled with a revival of nomadic hospitability, traditions, and customs. Travelers from most western countries enjoy a visa-free regime for stays of up to 30 consecutive days in Kazakhstan. Travel through the vast steppes, modern Astana and learn more about the Central Asian ancient steppe empires of nomadic tribes.

Experience the wonders of Kazakhstan with our exclusive small group or private tours. With our small group or private tours, you’ll have the flexibility to customize your itinerary and travel at your own pace. Our knowledgeable guides will provide fascinating insights into the country’s culture, traditions, and natural wonders. Immerse yourself in the vibrant cities of Almaty and Astana, explore historic sites in Turkistan, and discover the country’s breathtaking attractions. Our expert guides will ensure an unforgettable journey through this captivating destination.

Join us on a Kazakhstan adventure and create memories that will last a lifetime. Let us take care of the logistics while you immerse yourself in the beauty and hospitality of this remarkable country. Book your tour today and embark on an extraordinary journey through Kazakhstan’s diverse landscapes and captivating cities.

Book your Kazakhstan small-group tour with guaranteed departures. Explore the popular travel highlights of Kazakhstan or combine with sightseeing tours in other Central Asian countries.

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Travel Highlights of Kazakhstan

Kazakhstan is double the size of the other four Central Asian countries combined and the distance from the West of the country to the East is as far as London to Istanbul. There are flights and trains connecting different parts of the country. Kazakhstan’s travel highlights are its vast steppes with their unique fauna and flora, trekking in the Tien Shan (“celestial mountains”) near Almaty, admiring modern architecture in the capital Astana, and strolling through Kazakhstan’s biggest city and former capital, Almaty. Visitors also get a sense of Central Asian Sufism at the ancient and beautiful Yassawi Mausoleum in Turkestan and can visit places that offer a reminder of the tragedies of the Soviet Union, such as the Stalinist labor camps (“Gulags”) memorial Alzhir nearby Astana. Read more about our pick of the  top 5 places to see in Kazakhstan or check frequently asked questions and the best time to travel to Kazakhstan .

At a glance

• Population:
• 2,724,900km²
• Kazakh, Russian
• Time zones:
• West - UTC+5 East - UTC +6
• Tenge (KZT)
• Continental
• Steppes and mountains Highest point: Khan Tengri 6,995m
• Dialing code:
• Electricity:
• 220V, 50Hz, European plug

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Kazakhstan in photos.

Travel information

Money & costs.

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Keep fit and well during your trip

MONEY & COSTS:

The Kazakh currency is called the Tenge (KZT). The banking system in Kazakhstan is the most developed in Central Asia and in big cities there are many places to exchange money and to withdraw cash from ATMs using a variety of cards. We recommend bringing some cash in new USD bank notes of denominations of at least 20 USD. Small and old-looking bank notes are harder to exchange. Paying directly with a credit card is possible in most places. An emergency fund of around 500 USD in cash is always good to have during guided trips to Central Asia.

Kazakhstan is a multi-ethnic country with a long history of tolerance. Guests and locals are treated with respect and the whole country can be regarded as a very safe destination for travelers. That said, you are advised to wear a money belt, watch your belongings, avoid dark streets at night and take only official taxis. Your safety is our first priority at Kalpak Travel; we know and regularly assess all our Kazakh partners and we closely monitor political events.

ENTRY & EXIT:

Citizens of most Western countries do not need a visa for a stay of up to 30 days in Kazakhstan. To be sure whether you need a visa or not you can contact us. Any permits you might need for access to places that will be visited during your tour, we will provide them for you free of charge. As soon as we receive the deposit payment for your tour, we will confirm your booking and send you an email with important pre-departure information. Please read it carefully as it contains important information on customs regulations for Kazakhstan.

BEST TIME TO GO:

The climate of Kazakhstan is continental and dry in the majority of the country, including the largest cities. Summers are very hot with day temperatures between 30° and 40° Celsius and winters are extremely cold with strong winds. In the mountains, however, the weather is quite changeable. If you are planning to visit the mountains the best season is summer. Be aware, however, at high altitudes of 3000 meters or more it may even snow overnight during the summer. For cultural sightseeing tours, spring and autumn are the best seasons. Autumn is also the time when the country goes to harvest, meaning markets are full of fresh fruit and vegetables.

Do not drink water, unless it is bottled, filtered, or boiled. Do not use tap water for brushing your teeth or making ice either. Do not eat ice cream. Only eat well-cooked meat and fish, preferably served hot. Vegetables should be cooked and fruit peeled. If you follow these basic rules, you are likely to avoid any health issues like traveler’s diarrhea. Diphtheria, Hepatitis A, and Tetanus are recommended vaccinations for Kazakhstan. Ensure you are fully insured for medical emergencies including repatriation. Medical services in Kazakhstan are basic at best.

FAQs on Kazakhstan

How does communication work during my travel to Kazakhstan?

WIFI Most of the hotels and hostels in cities provide free Wi-Fi access. In rural areas, homestays and yurt stays generally have no internet access.

Local Sim card

You can buy a local sim card and use it on your phone if it is unlocked. Upon request, our guide may assist you in buying a sim card.

In the case of emergency your friends/family can call us and we will pass their message to you. Please take note of the 24/7 emergency number indicated in your travel documents.

What language do people speak in Kazakhstan?

Kazakh and Russian are the official languages of Kazakhstan and Russian is spoken widely everywhere. Both are using Cyrillic alphabet, Kazakh in a slightly adapted version. Kazakh language is very similar to Kyrgyz, Uzbek and Turkmen and part of the Turkic family of languages. All our guides speak English, but overall in Kazakhstan not many people understand or speak English.

Is it easy to get in contact with locals in Kazakhstan?

Local population is friendly and hospitable, but not very sociable. Your guide and driver will be knowledgeable locals who can answer all the questions and tell about everyday life in Kazakhstan. If you are interested in getting in touch with locals we recommend you to familiarize yourself with social dos and do nots as explained in our blog article .

What is the religion in Kazakhstan?

Kazakhstan is a secular state and population is predominantly Muslim. Religion is not widely practiced and people are very moderate. The ethnic Russians living in Kazakhstan are orthodox Christians.

How do I need to dress in Kazakhstan?

In Kazakhstan, you will see mostly European style clothing.  Feel free to wear same clothes that you would wear back home.  Only exception to this rule concerns visits of religious buildings like Mosques or Churches. When visiting these places, you will need to wear long pants and women need to cover their shoulders and head with a veil.

Is it safe to drink tap water?

No, it is not and we recommend you to drink bottled water, use filter or boil it. Moreover, please do not use tap water for brushing teeth and order your drinks without ice.

Is there vegetarian food in Kazakhstan?

Astana and Almaty are very western oriented cities, you will find McDonalds, KFC and many other western chains. There are variety of Italian, Chinese and European style restaurants so it will be easy to find something that can suit your taste and needs. Outside big cities, generally Central Asia is not an ideal place for vegetarians, however you can order side dish such as plain rice, mashed potatoes and in some places, even grilled vegetables. Most of the national dishes in cafes are made with meat, predominantly mutton. In some cases, you can also alter some meals with quick noodles that can be bought in stores.

Is there coffee in Kazakhstan?

Yes, Kazakhstan is the only Central Asian country that has real Starbucks in big cities. Outside these places the best coffee you can get is an instant coffee, if you are coffee-lover we recommend taking little Italian coffee machine with you.

How much to tip in Kazakhstan?

In cafes, service of 10-15% is usually included on the bill, however this does not go directly to the waiter, he gets only salary. Usually the amount is rounded up and If you are very content with the service you can leave some tip. Guides do not expect tips from you, if you are happy with their services, they will certainly appreciate a little tip.

What are toilets like in Kazakhstan?

Most of the hotels are clean and have western standard toilets with shower.

Will I be able to do my laundry in Kazakhstan?

The most expensive services for laundry are in hotels, since they charge 1-3$ per laundry item. Another option would be to wash couple of things by hand in hotel sink.

What happens in emergency situations during my trip?

Your safety is the first priority for Kalpak Travel, in organizing our trips we discuss every detail to make sure that your tour runs smoothly and you will have a wonderful experience with us. Our guides are well trained to deal with emergency situations and we will get you help as quickly as possible. In case of serious illness, we will help you to get proper medical assistance, do everything possible to get you to your homeland and inform your family. To join our tours, you are required to have travel insurance. Please make sure it fully covers medical emergencies including repatriation costs.

How are the general road conditions and transport in Kazakhstan?

Main intercity roads have been recently repaired, newly paved and are well maintained. Roads to Kolsai lakes, Altyn Emel and in steppes are not paved and shaky roads. Kalpak Travel has experienced and professional drivers who will drive you safely in Kazakhstan. All our vehicles are well maintained and checked before each departure.

Articles on Kazakhstan

Astana top places to see, kazakhstan travel information, kazakhstan – best time to visit, kazakhstan – top places to see, almaty – top places to see, nursultan architecture, 10 reasons to visit astana during expo 2017, travellers' impressions of kazakhstan.

If you're looking for a place off the beaten track for a holiday, I strongly recommend going to Kazkhstan. We visited Astana, Almaty and using the Kalpak Travel offer we had a chance to visit amazing places as the Singing Dunes, Charyn Canion, Kolsay and Kaindy Lakes. For 3 days we had a rare possiblity to admire the beauty of nature of Kazkhstan. The trip organised by Kalpak was excellent, the guides appeared to be very friendly and caring people, I think it would be almost impossible to organise everything on our own.Thanks Kalpak team and your team in Kazakhstan to make our memories unforgettable.

The guides in each city spoke excellent English and were extremely informative on all aspects of Central Asia. In Almaty, we were invited to have dinner at our tour guide's home. The food was fabulous and we had a wonderful evening…. We were very lucky to have Kalpak Travel as our tour company which exceeded our expectations with flying colours. We highly recommend Kalpak Travel if you are planning a hassle-free tour of Central Asia.

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TourTravelWorld.com is the right place to get in touch with tour operators in Astana, who can customize tour packages for you as per your requirements. Travel agents in Astana can facilitate your trip to the city by also providing effective local advice at reasonable charges. We have a strong network of travel agency in Astana that you can easily connect with, and plan your trip for a hassle-free experience. These tour operators in Astana have a long-standing in the travel industry, and they are known for providing Astana tour package that is comprehensive, professional, and affordable. Simply send your requirement to Astana travel agents for getting the best quote.

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• Botanical Garden
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• JumpinGoat Coffee
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• Mansion of the Merchant Vasily Kubrin (currently – the City Archive)
• Trading House of the Merchant Kubrin (currently – “Astana” Supermarket)
• Mansion of the Merchant Moiseev (currently – Hospital for Veterans of the Great Patriotic War)
• Kosshygulov Muslim School (currently – Halyk Bank)
• Merchant House (currently – Saken Seifullin Museum)
• Mansion of Doctor Blagoveshchensky (currently – Administration of the Saken Seifullin Museum)
• City Administration Building (currently – Ticket Office of the State Academic Russian Drama Theater named after M. Gorky)
• Gymnasium (currently – State Academic Russian Drama Theater named after M. Gorky)
• Cathedral of St. Constantine and Elena
• Old Weather Station
• Central Park (Esil Park)
• Astana Opera
• Mangilik El Square
• Wall of the World
• Expo Center
• “North Avia” Hot-Air Balloon Flights
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Astana Travel Essentials

Ideal duration: 2-3 days

Best Time: May - September Read More

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"Modern Capital in Astana"

Astana tourism.

Astana, which literally means "capital" in Kazakh, is the capital city of Kazakhstan. The city was officially renamed Nursultan in 2019 in honor of Nursultan Nazarbayev, who served as the first President of Kazakhstan for nearly 30 years. The city boasts a collection of stunning, avant-garde buildings that reflect its rapid development over the past few decades. 

The Baiterek Tower, often referred to as the "Tree of Life," offers panoramic views of Nursultan from its observation deck. While the Khan Shatyr Entertainment Center is a massive tent-like structure that houses a shopping mall, an indoor beach, and an amusement park. The Palace of Peace and Reconciliation, with its unique pyramid design, symbolizes Kazakhstan's commitment to peace and harmony on a global scale. While Nursultan's modernity is a dominant feature, it also preserves its cultural heritage. The Hazret Sultan Mosque, one of the largest in Central Asia, is a stunning example of Islamic architecture. The city's museums, like the National Museum of Kazakhstan, provide insight into the country's history and culture, and the Palace of Independence serves as a cultural hub for various artistic performances and exhibitions. Located in the northern part of Kazakhstan, the city hosts numerous international events and summits. Nursultan has become a crucial player in global affairs, with its state-of-the-art conference facilities and hospitality infrastructure making it one of the best destinations for the tourists.

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Russian soldiers who quit Putin’s war get no hero’s welcome abroad as asylum claims surge

A Russian officer who goes by Yevgeny speaks during an interview at his apartment in Astana, Kazakhstan, in late 2023. He had a friend shoot him in the leg so he could get out off the frontline in Ukraine. “Many of my friends have died. And these were really good guys who didn’t want to fight,” he said. “But there was no way out for them.” (AP Photo)

This late 2023 photo shows downtown Astana, Kazakhstan, where some Russian soldiers who deserted the war in Ukraine live in hiding while they apply for asylum. Overall asylum claims from Russian citizens to the U.S., France and Germany have surged since Russia’s full-scale invasion, but few are winning protection. Policymakers remain divided over whether to consider Russians in exile as potential assets or risks to national security. (AP Photo)

Farhad Ziganshin, a Russian officer who deserted in 2022, pauses during an interview in Astana, Kazakhstan, in late 2023. He was detained for three days by Kazakh authorities when he tried to board a flight to Armenia. “It’s not safe to stay in Kazakhstan,” he said. (AP Photo)

A Russian officer who goes by Yevgeny speaks during an interview at his apartment in Astana, Kazakhstan, in late 2023. He had a friend shoot him in the leg so he could get off the frontline in Ukraine. “There is no mechanism for Russians who do not want to fight, deserters, to get to a safe place,” he said. (AP Photo)

Farhad Ziganshin, a Russian officer who deserted in 2022, stands at the door of his shared room in a temporary apartment in Astana, Kazakhstan, in late 2023. “Here I am living sleeping on coats, eating I don’t know what. And without any money in my pocket. It’s very depressing,” he said. (AP Photo)

Farhad Ziganshin, a Russian officer who deserted in 2022, speaks during an interview in Astana, Kazakhstan, in late 2023. He was detained for three days by Kazakh authorities when he tried to board a flight to Armenia. “It’s not safe to stay in Kazakhstan,” he said. (AP Photo)

Farhad Ziganshin, a Russian officer who deserted in 2022, takes a walk after work in Astana, Kazakhstan, in late 2023. He dreams of starting a family but can’t afford to take a woman out to the movies. “I can’t fall in love with someone and have someone fall in love with me,” he said. “So I just walk around and sing songs.” (AP Photo)

A Russian officer who goes by the nickname Sportsmaster speaks during an interview at his apartment in Astana, Kazakhstan, in late 2023. He faces criminal charges in Russia for refusing to go to war in Ukraine. “I immediately decided that I would not support it in any way, not even lift my little finger to support what had begun,” he said. “I understood that this was a point of no return that would change the lives of the entire country, including mine.” (AP Photo)

A Russian soldier who goes by the nickname Sparrow speaks with reporters at his apartment in Astana, Kazakhstan, in late 2023. After being forcibly conscripted, he ran away from his barracks because he didn’t want to kill anyone. Now he faces criminal charges in Russia. “I did the right thing,” he said. “I’d rather sit here and suffer and look for something than go there and kill a human being because of some unclear war, which is 100 percent Russia’s fault.” (AP Photo)

A Russian soldier who goes by the nickname Sparrow prepares tea at his apartment in Astana, Kazakhstan, in late 2023. After being forcibly conscripted, he ran away from his barracks because he didn’t want to kill anyone. Now he faces criminal charges in Russia. “I don’t want anything in life. I have no interest in my own affairs,” he said. “I just sit all day on the Internet, on YouTube, and read news, news, news of what’s going on in Ukraine, and that’s it.” (AP Photo)

A Russian soldier in Astana, Kazakhstan who goes by the nickname Sparrow sketches the route he took to escape his military barracks in Russia in 2022, at his apartment in Astana, Kazakhstan, in late 2023. After being forcibly conscripted, he deserted because he didn’t want to kill anyone. “I did the right thing,” he said. “I’d rather sit here and suffer and look for something than go there and kill a human being because of some unclear war, which is 100 percent Russia’s fault.” (AP Photo)

A Russian soldier who goes by the nickname Sparrow sits at his kitchen table in his apartment in Astana, Kazakhstan, in late 2023. After being forcibly conscripted, he ran away from his barracks because he didn’t want to kill anyone. “I don’t want anything in life. I have no interest in my own affairs,” he said. “I just sit all day on the Internet, on YouTube, and read news, news, news of what’s going on in Ukraine, and that’s it.” (AP Photo)

Farhad Ziganshin, a Russian officer who deserted in 2022, sits at a table after lunch at his temporary apartment in Astana, Kazakhstan, in late 2023. “I realized that I didn’t want to serve in this kind of Russian army that destroys cities, kills civilians, and forcibly appropriates foreign land and territory,” he said. (AP Photo)

A Russian officer who goes by the nickname Sportsmaster speaks with reporters at his apartment in Astana, Kazakhstan, in late 2023. He faces criminal charges in Russia for refusing to go to war in Ukraine. “I immediately decided that I would not support it in any way, not even lift my little finger to support what had begun,” he said. “I understood that this was a point of no return that would change the lives of the entire country, including mine.” (AP Photo)

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ASTANA, Kazakhstan (AP) — If the choice was death or a bullet to the leg, Yevgeny would take the bullet. A decorated hero of Russia’s war in Ukraine, Yevgeny told his friend and fellow soldier to please aim carefully and avoid bone. The tourniquets were ready.

The pain that followed was the price Yevgeny paid for a new chance at life. Like thousands of other Russian soldiers, he deserted the army.

“I joke that I gave birth to myself,” he said. “When a woman gives birth to a child, she experiences very intense pain and gives new life. I gave myself life after going through very intense pain.”

Yevgeny made it out of the trenches. But the new life he found is not what he had hoped for.

The Associated Press spoke with five officers and one soldier who deserted the Russian military. All have criminal cases against them in Russia, where they face 10 years or more in prison. Each is waiting for a welcome from the West that has never arrived. Instead, all but one live in hiding.

For Western nations grappling with Russia’s vast and growing diaspora, Russian soldiers present particular concern: Are they spies? War criminals? Or heroes?

Overall asylum claims from Russian citizens have surged since the full-scale invasion, but few are winning protection. Policymakers remain divided over whether to consider Russians in exile as potential assets or risks to national security.

Andrius Kubilius, a former prime minister of Lithuania now serving in the European Parliament, argues that cultivating Russians who oppose Vladimir Putin is in the strategic self-interest of the West. Fewer Russian soldiers at the front, he added, means a weaker army.

“Not to believe in Russian democracy is a mistake,” Kubilius said. “To say that all Russians are guilty is a mistake.”

All but one of the soldiers spoke with AP on condition of anonymity, fearing deportation and persecution of themselves and their families. The AP reviewed legal documents, including criminal case files, Russian public records and military identification papers, as well as photos and videos to verify their stories, but it was impossible to independently corroborate every detail.

Independent Russian media outlet Mediazona has documented more than 7,300 cases in Russian courts against AWOL soldiers since September 2022; cases of desertion, the harshest charge, leapt sixfold last year.

Record numbers of people seeking to desert – more than 500 in the first two months of this year – are contacting Idite Lesom, or “Get Lost,” a group run by Russian activists in the Republic of Georgia. Last spring, just 3% of requests for help came from soldiers seeking to leave; in January, more than a third did, according to the group’s head, Grigory Sverdlin. The numbers of known deserters may be small compared to Russia’s overall troop strength, but they are an indicator of morale.

“Obviously, Russian propaganda is trying to sell us a story that all Russia supports Putin and his war,” Sverdlin said. “But that’s not true.”

The question now is, where can they go?

German officials have said that Russians fleeing military service can seek protection, and a French court last summer ruled that Russians who refuse to fight can claim refugee status. In practice, however, it’s proven difficult for deserters, most of whom have passports that only allow travel within a handful of former Soviet states, to get asylum, lawyers, activists and deserters say.

Fewer than 300 Russians got refugee status in the U.S. in fiscal year 2022. Customs and Border Patrol officials encountered more than 57,000 Russians at U.S. borders in fiscal year 2023, up from around 13,000 in fiscal year 2021.

In France, asylum requests rose more than 50% between 2022 and 2023, to a total of around 3,400 people, according to the French office that handles the requests. And last year, Germany got 7,663 first-time asylum applications from Russian citizens, up from 2,851 in 2022, Germany’s Interior Ministry told AP in an email. None of the data specifies how many were soldiers.

As they count the days until their legal right to stay in Kazakhstan ends, Yevgeny – and the others – have watched other deserters get seized by Russian forces in Armenia, deported from Kazakhstan and turn up dead, riddled with bullets, in Spain.

“There is no mechanism for Russians who do not want to fight, deserters, to get to a safe place,” Yevgeny said. He urges Western policymakers to reconsider. “After all, it’s much cheaper economically to allow a person into your country -- a healthy young man who can work -- than to supply Ukraine with weapons.”

Sitting in his spartan room in Astana, Kazakhstan, Yevgeny rummaged through a cardboard box that holds the things he thought to save.

“It’s like a woman’s handbag, there’s so much stuff,” he muttered, poking around real and fake passports, a letter with hearts on it, blister packs of pills.

He can’t find his military medals. He has the certificates, though, commemorating his service in Syria and Ukraine.

Yevgeny seems suddenly ashamed. “I don’t care about them,” he said, shoving everything back in the box.

The son of postal workers, Yevgeny went to military school mostly because it was free. He did 41 parachute jumps, and learned to ride horses, dive, shoot and handle explosives. The cost of his education would come after graduation: five years of mandatory military service.

The night of Feb. 23, 2022, Yevgeny and his unit barely slept. Their tanks, hulking and dark, cast long shadows on a thin layer of snow beside the railroad tracks that would carry them toward Ukraine. Yevgeny was too drunk with fatigue to think much about what would happen next.

On Yevgeny’s second day at war, an officer leaned against his machine gun and shot off his own finger, he said. Later, a guy fell asleep under a military vehicle and died when it drove over him. People got lost and never came back.

In the chaos, around 10 men in his unit were accidentally killed with guns or grenades. One soldier shot another square in the chest. What were they doing, Yevgeny wondered, testing their bulletproof vests? None of it made sense in a world where life mattered. But Yevgeny wasn’t in that world anymore.

The deeper Yevgeny moved into Ukraine, the uglier things got.

“We didn’t want to kill anyone, but we also wanted to live,” explained Yevgeny, a senior lieutenant who oversaw a platoon of around 15 men. “The locals would come in civilian cars and shoot at our military. What would you do?”

He said that Ukrainian prisoners of war were executed because the Russians couldn’t get them back to Russia and didn’t want to build detention centers.

“Special people were chosen for this, because a lot of others refused,” he said. “People with a special, so to speak, psyche were appointed executioners.”

There are things Yevgeny can’t forget: A 14-year-old Ukrainian boy who seemed to be making Molotov cocktails and was executed. A 24-year-old Ukrainian woman caught with compromising information on her phone raped by two Russian soldiers.

Yevgeny was within breathing distance of Kyiv when Moscow ordered a retreat. In a single day in April 2022, around seventy people from his brigade died in an ambush, he said. The Ukrainian military released a video of the encounter with the retreating column.

Pop, pop, pop go the fireballs. Little flags bob above the tanks, giving it the feel of a video game. Shells crash a bit off to the left. Then, a hit. The video cuts to a magnified image of a Russian tank pluming black smoke, two lifeless bodies curled beside it.

“Very cool,” wrote someone in the comments.

“The best sight in my life is to see how the Russians die,” wrote another.

Yevgeny was in that column. He knows men who are dying in those balls of fire. His face is flat. He doesn’t want to see it again.

“Many of my friends have died. And these were really good guys who didn’t want to fight,” he said. “But there was no way out for them.”

He is crying.

If he could, Yevgeny would go back to 2013, the year he entered military school. He would stand sentinel at the gates of his school and tell all the boys go home, stay away, this place is not what it seems.

He wants them to understand three words: “You will die.”

It took Yevgeny less than three months at war to decide to get himself shot in the leg.

“You can only leave wounded or dead,” Yevgeny explained. “No one wants to leave dead.”

He made a pact with three other soldiers. They called it their Plan B. Yevgeny would take the first bullet, then the comms guy, then the sniper. The machine gunner said he didn’t want to leave Ukraine without his brother, who was also fighting, but he’d stand by their story.

One chill May morning, as they trudged through even columns of pine trees on their way to retrieve a drone that had landed in Ukrainian territory, Yevgeny and his friends decided it was time for Plan B. They’d already lost one man in that area and now felt like they were on a suicide mission.

When the sniper shot Yevgeny, the pain was like a strong man hammering a 9 mm metal bar into his flesh. Then the comms guy took a bullet to his thigh. After seeing the two of them crumple and scowl, the third man chickened out.

Blood kept gushing, despite the tourniquet, and Yevgeny was shocked to discover he couldn’t walk. His friends dragged him 300 meters back through the woods. He was given sweet tea and evacuated that same evening.

Yevgeny spent months in rehabilitation and figured he could ride out his injury until his contract expired in June 2023. But after Putin’s announcement of partial mobilization in September 2022, it no longer mattered what his contract said. Soldiers like him were now obliged to serve until the end of the war.

He knew he had to leave. He made it to Kazakhstan in early 2023, with the help of Idite Lesom. Russian authorities filed a criminal case against him. His relatives back in Russia were questioned, his apartment there searched.

Since then, Yevgeny has been doing his best to disappear. He found a place in Astana in an apartment that stank of cat. They were four men with only three cups, three spoons and three chairs to go around. They boiled water with an electric coil in a glass jar because no one wanted to splurge for a kettle.

He worked for a few weeks skittering around Astana on an old motorcycle delivering food. But his paychecks never arrived, possibly because his SIM card and bank account were in different people’s names.

He doesn’t know what he’ll do when his savings run out. He said he’s applied for asylum in France, Germany and the United States – obviously the best place to hide from Russia, he said. He’d like serve in a U.N. mission somewhere, but it’s hard for him to conceive a path from here to there.

He wakes at ten o’clock, steps out of the shower into another molten, formless day. That night, he will comb his hair and go out to a bar with other deserters, to pass a few sparkling hours as a normal guy.

At the bar, someone remembered that it was the one-year anniversary of Russia’s September 2022 mobilization. Putin drafted 300,000 troops to fight in Ukraine. Tens of thousands of them are now dead.

The table went quiet. Yevgeny searched for a word that meant the opposite of evil so they could drink to it.

In the end, they raised their glasses to virtue, then to peace.

Within hours of Putin’s September 2022 mobilization decree, threatening messages started pinging in on Farhad Ziganshin’s phone. A small man with a big voice, Farhad had abandoned a career in music for the military to please his dad. He’d tried to resign from the armed forces, but the military school where he taught rejected his application, he said.

Panicked, he piled into the family Chevrolet with his mother, sister, dog and aunt and took off for the Kazakh border near midnight. They’d try to make it look like a fun family vacation. The roads were jammed with other Russians fleeing Putin’s draft.

“Hurrah!” shouted Farhad, pumping his fists in the air, as they left Russia.

Farhad landed a job at a burger joint near the border, then followed a friend of a friend to Almaty, Kazakhstan’s largest city, where he’d been promised work as a singer. He ended up working in a banquet hall, sleeping on a vast, golden bed in a newlywed suite and eating as much leftover food as he wanted.

Life was good, but uncertain. Kazakhstan was playing a delicate game, trying to assuage Russia without distancing allies in Europe. In December 2022, Kazakhstan deported a Russian intelligence officer, Mikhail Zhilin, who had deserted. In March 2023, a Russian court sentenced Zhilin to six and a half years in prison.

That same month, Farhad decided to move to Armenia, thinking it was probably safer. But he was blocked from boarding his flight. “Are you on the wanted list?” a border agent asked as he flicked through Farhad’s passport. Farhad went pale. Cold sweat prickled over his body.

He was led to a room for questioning. A man in civilian clothes sat across from him.

“You are my Muslim brother,” he told Farhad. “I’m also against the war. Tell me everything.”

Farhad confessed.

Farhad tried to brace himself for what was to come. He slipped his toothbrush, toothpaste, socks, slippers, snacks and a book – Dostoevsky’s “Crime and Punishment” — into a transparent bag. His cell at the detention center had a metal door with a small window and slot for food, a security camera and a hole in the floor for a toilet.

Farhad stared at the ceiling all night, his panic mounting: How am I going to live here? Will I be beaten or raped? I’d kill myself first.

The morning of his third day in detention, three huge bags arrived for Farhad, packed with food, clothes and cigarettes from local human rights activists. “I lay down and thought that’s the end,” Farhad said. “Kaput.” Why would he need all this stuff if he weren’t in for a long incarceration?

Two hours later, a police officer appeared. “Take your things and get out,” he ordered.

Farhad was free.

Farhad’s lawyer told AP he was released because under the Kazakh criminal code, as well as multilateral agreements with Russia, suspects accused of military crimes can’t be extradited. Farhad was safe, at least for the moment.

“We don’t know what tomorrow will bring,” said his lawyer, Artur Alkhastov, who works with the Kazakhstan International Bureau for Human Rights and Rule of Law in Astana. “In Kazakhstan, politics is higher than the law. . . Everything can change.”

In July, independent Russia media reported that France had rejected Farhad’s application for asylum. What actually happened was that Farhad’s application for a travel permit to France to apply for asylum had been denied, Alkhastov said.

Without an international passport, Farhad was stuck in Kazakhstan. Moreover, the publicity raised fears that Russian authorities would take fresh interest in his case. Farhad moved from Almaty to Astana, the capital, to lower his profile.

“It’s not safe to stay in Kazakhstan,” he said. “I just try to lead a normal life, without violating the laws of Kazakhstan, without being too visible, without appearing anywhere. We have a proverb: Be quieter than water and lower than grass.”

He changes his SIM card every few months, doesn’t live at his registered address and avoids employers who ask too many questions. After six weeks, he ran out of money and moved in with another Russian deserter, Yevgeny. His bed was a pile of coats and sweaters on the floor. It was impossible to sleep. His back was killing him.

He thought of the life he’d left behind in Russia. “In Kazan, I had a completely different life. I had my own apartment, I had a job there, I earned money, I had staff under my command,” he said. “Here I am living sleeping on coats, eating I don’t know what. And without any money in my pocket. It’s very depressing,” Online, people call him a coward and traitor and say he should be killed.

Farhad got a job at a real estate startup that didn’t ask for documents. Every morning, he sang Whitney Houston’s “I Have Nothing” to his co-workers.

After work, Farhad liked to walk around Astana, singing deep slow songs to himself to fill the darkening hours. He dreamed of starting a family but couldn’t afford to take a woman out to the movies. “I can’t fall in love with someone and have someone fall in love with me,” he said. “So I just walk around and sing songs.”

But he wanted to believe that he had made a worthy choice.

“I realized that I didn’t want to serve in this kind of Russian army that destroys cities, kills civilians, and forcibly appropriates foreign land and territory,” he said. “If perhaps watching, listening to my story could bring even one person to reason, I would have made a certain contribution.”

Six months later, the real estate business has collapsed and Farhad is trying to sell flooring instead. He moved into an apartment of his own, but keeps missing rent payments. He’s been warned that his legal right to stay in Kazakhstan is coming to an end. He doesn’t know what to do next.

Sparrow knew from the start that money could mean the difference between life and death. The month before he was born, his father was killed in a gambling dispute over money. His mother raised him, along with his brother and sister, alone, working as a cook in an orphanage in a tiny village.

Later, he moved farther north, to work in a diamond-mining town not far from the Arctic Circle.

The company Sparrow worked for owned more than diamonds. They effectively owned the town, sponsoring its theater, schools, hospital, sports complex and apartment blocks. As it turned out, they also owned Sparrow.

Sparrow finished his shift the afternoon of Friday, Sept. 23, 2022, and was cleaning his Bobcat when his boss came by and told him to report immediately to human resources. They took his passport and military ID and locked them in a safe.

“They said, ‘You’re fired,’” Sparrow recalled. “You have one hour to get to the military recruitment point. If you don’t, you’ll have a criminal case against you.”

Sparrow obeyed. At 6 a.m. the next morning, he and hundreds of other conscripts boarded a heavy old plane bound for a military base in the regional capital.

The thought of war did not cross Sparrow’s mind. All he could think about was his job. Sparrow is delicately composed, with a pale, Asian face, ink-dark eyes and bone-china cheeks. Unable to finish university, he worked hard at laying road. Winters, he endured temperatures so extreme they could crack a backhoe. Why had they fired him?

When he arrived, the military base was chaos. Some 6,000 people were crammed into the barracks, he calculated, and no one was giving orders. Men spilled over each other, hiving off into small groups to drink. He couldn’t find a free bed, so he dropped his bag in a corner and curled up on the floor.

The next day, he found his way to an information stand to figure out who was in charge. But instead of a list of personnel, he found photographs of dead people and an exhortation to kill Ukrainian soldiers. “I saw this photo – what is all this?” he thought. “I’m not going anywhere to kill people – never!”

Sparrow pulled his commander aside to try to find a way to avoid going where he was being sent. He would serve in a different way. He could pay.

The commander was not interested in bribes and told him that if he didn’t fight with the Russian armed forces, he’d end up with a private military company, like Yevgeny Prigozhin’s then-powerful Wagner Group. “You still have just one path,” his commander told him. “Write a refusal, you will go to jail, and we know where you will end up, at PMC Wagner.”

He was 30 years old. He called his mother for help.

Sparrow’s guts couldn’t take it. He ran to the bathroom. He paced in anxious circles. Then ran to the bathroom again. And again.

“What’s wrong with you?” his commander demanded.

“I just have some stomach problems,” Sparrow said.

While the commander was at lunch, Sparrow grabbed his ID, telephone and civilian clothes and headed for a hole in the wall. His mother was waiting on the other side.

The next morning, they boarded the first flight out of town. Forty hours later, Sparrow was in Kazakhstan.

Astana felt fresh and warm. He realized he’d been cold his entire life.

“I am free,” he told himself.

Freedom for Sparrow actually meant a bigger cage.

Two weeks after he fled, Russian authorities opened a criminal case against him. Russian media reported on his case, and Sparrow felt the publicity only increased the size of the target on his back. The charges against him were soon upgraded under a tough new clause in Russia’s criminal code. Now he faces up to 15 years in prison if he gets sent back to Russia.

Security agents interrogated his mother back in Russia. Before he ditched his Russian SIM, he used to get calls from Russian police who said they knew where he was. In October, a man claiming to be a Kazakh policeman started calling him to set up a meeting. He said he’d wait for a summons. None ever came.

Sparrow is afraid of the background checks that come with permanent employment. Instead, he picks up occasional jobs collecting trash or hauling equipment at construction sites.

He was going to bed at 4 a.m. and waking at noon. He couldn’t even get back to Russia to bury his grandfather.

Sparrow’s eyes went red with tears.

“I don’t want anything in life. I have no interest in my own affairs,” he said. “Sometimes I don’t understand myself. I just sit all day on the Internet, on YouTube, and read news, news, news of what’s going on in Ukraine, and that’s it.”

He doesn’t know the status of his own asylum applications. Without a foreign passport, how could he leave Kazakhstan anyway? Every time he dared to believe something good might happen to him, it hasn’t. Why try?

Outside his bare apartment, he could hear the cries of children who are not his, the thwack of a ball from a game he is not playing, the voices of men speaking to friends he does not have.

“There are moments I regret, but I did the right thing,” he said. “I’d rather sit here and suffer and look for something than go there and kill a human being because of some unclear war, which is 100% Russia’s fault. I don’t regret it.”

SPORTSMASTER

As a child, the boy was not particularly good at school, but he could run. His mother was raising him alone in a village in Western Russia hemmed in by busted coal mines, a place as short on hope as it was on jobs. She called a friend to get her son a spot at a military school. The family wouldn’t have to pay a cent. It looked like a ticket to a better life.

At the military academy, the boy studied engineering to become a radio technician. But his real passion was sports. He wanted to run faster than anyone else.

Now known by the nickname Sportsmaster, he ultimately commanded 30 men, but said he never went into combat. He stayed in service even after he’d fulfilled his five-year contract: He didn’t want to be a burden on his mother and who else was going to pay him to run?

The night Moscow launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Sportsmaster jolted awake for no reason at 3 a.m. and spent three sickening hours glued to the television in disbelief. By dawn, all hope had drained from his body. He knew he would be ordered to fight.

“At that moment, I immediately decided that I would not support it in any way, not even lift my little finger to support what had begun,” he said. “I understood that this was a point of no return that would change the lives of the entire country, including mine.”

Sportsmaster said he stopped showing up at his base. In October 2022, his paychecks stopped coming.

His coach, the head of military sports training, told him to report to the base, they’d find something easy for him to do and he’d get paid again. It was a tempting offer from a trusted mentor.

His commanders were waiting for him beneath a huge portrait of a legendary Russian military hero. As he entered the room, they began to speak. It took a moment for the words to become clear: Special Military Operation. Order. Luhansk.

He realized they were reading out his combat orders. He’d been tricked. They told him to sign.

He refused to touch the pen.

The brigade’s chief of staff picked up a book with a Russian flag on the cover, a copy of Russia’s Criminal Code. “You either go to jail or you go there,” he said. “You have only two options.”

Seized by panic, Sportsmaster turned to leave. He had to get out of the building before they locked him inside. His division’s chief of staff grabbed him by the shoulder, but he slipped away and did what he did best: run.

He pounded down three flights of stairs, taking six turns on a zig-zagging staircase, blew past the guards at the door and beelined for a stretch of fence far from any checkpoint. He grabbed onto the black metal bars of the fence and heaved himself over, clearing the speared tips, 2.5 meters tall, without a scratch.

“What I felt was only disgust,” he said.

Idite Lesom gave him step-by-step instructions for how to slip out of Russia. AP is withholding details of the route.

Before he left, he recorded a video, a political message for the keepers of whatever country he might end up in, a plea to convince them of his friendship.

“They wanted to force me to go fight against the free people of Ukraine,” he said to the camera. “Our freedom is taken away from us every day, but Putin wanted to steal it from them in three days.”

And he did what he could to make a grand gesture.

“Putin wanted me to be in a bag,” he said. “But it’s his uniform that will be in a bag.”

He shoved his military uniforms in two black trash bags and threw them in a dumpster.

Near midnight that same day, his mother stood in a pool of streetlight in an empty parking lot, weeping. As her son filmed her from the bus taking him away, she forced a strained, sorrowful smile.

The bus carried Sportsmaster and his girlfriend back to the town where he learned to be a soldier.

“I always thought I was being trained to protect my country and defend it, but it turned out that I was being taught to attack and conquer,” he said.

By that afternoon, they were out of Russia and beaming. He was optimistic. At the least, he would not have to show up to his court hearing in Russia, where he faced criminal charges for not participating in the war.

“The worst thing that could have happened has happened,” he said. “Now only good things are coming.”

Sportsmaster and his girlfriend found a studio apartment in one of the teeming, anonymous buildings slapped up at the edges of Astana.

Six months later, like the other deserters, he’s hiding in plain sight. No SIM card of his own. No clear path to citizenship or asylum. The gnawing peril of a knock at the door.

“There are Russian agents here who try to push Kazakhstan under Russia’s wing,” he said. “I can’t say it’s as safe here as I would like because where the wind blows, Kazakhstan will turn.”

He doesn’t have an international passport and if he tried to cross the border, he’d likely be arrested because of the criminal case against him in Russia.

While he waits for the wind to turn in his favor, Sportsmaster has found work as a trainer in Astana. Business is booming.

“I teach people to run with pleasure,” he said, bursting into an incandescent smile. “I am for people to not get stuck.”

On his daily runs, Sportsmaster eats through 10 kilometers in 40 minutes with animal grace. His breath is even, his heartbeat slow, at ease — if only for a moment — with his place in the world.

He wants people to understand that there are Russians with dignity.

“Something new is starting,” he said. “I will not let anyone decide my destiny for me.”

AP journalists Geir Moulson in Berlin, Lori Hinnant in Paris and Rebecca Santana in Washington contributed to this report.

In a joint production, The Associated Press and Reveal from the Center for Investigative Reporting broadcast the story of an underground network of Russian anti-war activists helping soldiers abandon Vladimir Putin’s war in Ukraine.