The Atlas Obscura Guide To Kazakhstan

32 Cool, Hidden, and Unusual Things to Do in Kazakhstan

Updated April 26, 2023

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Cities

Unusual Attractions in Kazakhstan

Saty, Kazakhstan

Kaindy Lake

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

Riding on horseback through wild apple groves outside Almaty.

Almaty, Kazakhstan

The Last Wild Apple Forests

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

One of many fishing ships now without fish

Aralsk, Kazakhstan

Aral Sea

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

Rollout of the Soyuz rocket for the Expedition 21 mission, September 28, 2009.

Baikonur, Kazakhstan

Baikonur Cosmodrome

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

Big Almaty Lake in September.

Almaty, Kazakhstan

Big Almaty Lake

A brilliant turquoise lake in the mountains.

October snow and blue hues

Enbekshikazakh District, Kazakhstan

Issyk Lake

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

Inside a ruined factory.

Almaly, Kazakhstan

Bayzhansay Ghost Town

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

The Valley of Balls.

Shetpe, Kazakhstan

Valley of Balls

Mysterious spherical rocks in the semi-desert of western Kazakhstan.

See All 32 Things To Do in Kazakhstan

Cool Places to Eat & Drink in Kazakhstan

Riding on horseback through wild apple groves outside Almaty.

Almaty, Kazakhstan

The Last Wild Apple Forests

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

Almaty, Kazakhstan

Zelionyj Bazaar

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

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Explore Kazakhstan

Soviet History 7

Water 6

Nature 5

Monuments 5

Memorials 5

Natural Wonders 5

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Stories About Kazakhstan

Podcast: The Last Wild Apple Groves

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

by The Podcast Team

Qurt at the Osh Bazaar in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan.

Make the Ancient Road Snack of Central Asian Nomads

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

by Susie Armitage

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

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

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

by Jonathan Carey

Koryo Saram meal, photographed in Ushtobe, Kazakhstan.

How Survivors of Stalinism Created a New Korean-Fusion Cuisine

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

September 10, 2018

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