The Atlas Obscura Guide To Kazakhstan

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

Updated August 6, 2026

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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.

Big Almaty Lake in September.

Almaty, Kazakhstan

Big Almaty Lake

A brilliant turquoise lake in the mountains.

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.

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.

See All 42 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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Soviet History 7

Natural Wonders 6

Nature 6

Water 6

Geology 5

Monuments 5

Memorials 5

Geological Oddities 4

Architectural Oddities 3

Statues 3

Architecture 3

Military 3

Ecosystems 3

Sacred Spaces 3

Communist Monuments 2

Fossils 2

Mosques 2

Rock Formations 2

Plants 2

World War Ii 2

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Stories About Kazakhstan

Horses supported travel, communication, agriculture, and warfare across much of the ancient world.

The First Horse Domestication Was Later Than We Thought

Where and when did horses become our helpers? Science has some new and surprising answers.

by William Taylor, Atlas Obscura

September 16, 2024

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, Atlas Obscura

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, Atlas Obscura

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, Atlas Obscura

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.

by Mark Hay, Atlas Obscura

September 10, 2018