Kazakhstan was not a country we really knew a lot about and we were excited to find out what it had to offer. We actually visited and crossed the border into Kazakhstan more than once! The reason being was that the city of Almaty in Kazakhstan was where we were going to have to apply for our Russian transit visa and so this would require two visits, one to apply and one to collect. We planned to explore as much as we could in the short time we had when our passports were with the consulate.
Kazakhstan is the world’s ninth largest country which is landlocked bordering Russia, China, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan. It is known by its for several reasons but primarily the vast steppes, of which we would travel across heading towards Russia, it’s mountains and the rich natural resources that it produces. It has been an independent country since 1991 although you do see many Russian influences as you explore some of the cities and small towns. We found the country really interesting to explore, very diverse and the people were extremely warm and welcoming.
Our research gave us an insight as to where we might want to explore. As time was limited we had to be selective. Our first stop was going to be at the beautiful Kolsai Lakes near the village of Saty. There are in fact three lakes at different altitudes in a stunning National Park. We decided that we would head for lower lake as this could be reached by car. Our journey took us to a huge car park and a tourist area with lots of visitors, not our usual place where we would camp. After a bit to eat we headed off to find that perfect camping spot! We found ourselves going off road and down a dirt track, passing some campers and finding the spot where we were hidden from life! It was in a secluded spot surrounded in nature and by a river, it was beautiful.
Our camp spot was only a walk away from the lower Kolsai lake and by chance we discovered a hidden footpath that took us a few kilometres along a track to the boat jetty. Here we could purchase a coffee and sit and marvel at the beauty and people watch! We meandered a bit more along the banks of the lake and found another place where we could just sit and chill and watch the world go by. It was the perfect day to just relax and enjoy the views and take some time out and appreciate our journey.
After Kolsai we were heading to Charyn Canyon situated in the Charyn National Park. This is a 12 million year old natural wonder often referred to as the mini Grand Canyon. What a spectacular place it is too. It has a famous 80 kilometre long valley of “Castles” with dramatic reddish-orange sedimentary rock formations. You can take either an easy hike or a more challenging one to explore this awesome place. We opted for the easy option and simply meandered and took in the beauty of this magnificent canyon. If you have a tent you can actually hike and camp by the river, unfortunately for us we couldn’t drive and so we went to find ourselves a place in the valley of another canyon!
We had a two night camp in Temirlik Canyon, which isn’t far from Charyn Canyon and we again found ourselves driving off grid and through a quiet valley until we reached the perfect spot by a river. We met a family on route and once we had set up camp we enjoyed time with the Kazakh family who were celebrating a birthday. Not a word of English was spoken but a fun afternoon with actions and mimes was had by all! Temirlik Canyon is a place where you will find deep, winding gorges and it is the last major tributary to the grand Charyn canyon. We had found a spot that was hidden from anywhere. With only a small river crossing in front of us, we decided to take a morning exploring the canyon and appreciating the vastness of it. Before we left this area we actually drove to the top of the canyon and enjoyed a pancake breakfast taking in the view from the barren openness that stood proudly overseeing the canyon. It was the perfect end to our stay in this area.
We were now on our way to stay in a completely contrasting place, we were heading for Bartagay Reservoir, a reservoir that was used for irrigation. When we arrived there was not a soul to be seen, it looked like we had a camp spot just for us. It was quite remote and as we set up camp the wind picked up. We had to batten down the hatches quickly and hope the wind would die down over night so we could do some exploring the next day. It did calm down and we could meander the shores of the reservoir that were surrounded by mountains. The reservoir was created in the 1980s to collect water, primarily for agricultural irrigation and plays an important part today in supplying water in the summer months. It also is a popular tourist spot with campers, hikers and fishermen, but at this time of year, it was just us! It was also the perfect place to have a BBQ and bonfire!
Our next campsite was going to be at another reservoir, but this one was much more popular with tourists. We had two nights on the beach of the Kapchagau Reservoir, but this time we certainly weren’t alone. This was our first camp site that we actually paid money for in a very long time. The location was beautiful, the sea was gorgeous and we enjoyed a few dips in the water, but it was a popular camping area, and for the first time in Central Asia we were surrounded by other campers! This reservoir was created in 1970 and is 180 kilometres long. It was also renamed in 2022 and became known as the Qonayev reservoir. And as we found out, it has become a very popular summer tourist destination with beautiful beaches; with it only being 80 kilometres from Almaty it is the perfect weekend getaway for the city dwellers. It was also another great place to have a BBQ and bonfire as well as people and bird watch!
Two nights and we decided we would try the other side of the reservoir. We needed to head towards Almaty as we had an appointment at the Russian Embassy to pick up our passports and Russian visas. As the crow flies it was only 25 kilometres to the other side, but it took us a while to get there! During the last 7 kilometres we wondered if we were heading in the right direction. The map was taking us off the beaten track, through farmers fields, fields of corn, wheat and barley, with no real tracks to follow, and plenty of bumps and troughs to negotiate! We did eventually come to an opening with the reservoir in front of us and there were some horses paddling. We also came across two men standing watching us who looked like they were camping out of their car. We asked if we could camp, of course was the response and so we did. We were going to have a couple of nights here before heading to Almaty and the consulate. Our days were chilled, some swimming and of course we met our neighbours! They were here just for a couple of nights fishing and one morning they came over with some of their catch to share with us and they even cooked it for us! It was delicious. After feeding us, they said their goodbyes and it was just us, the horses and nature!
Almaty was the only major city that we really stayed in for any length of time. Here we visited a garage to get a few things checked out and we also managed to get some chores completed including clothes washing as the great little place we had found to stay not only did a lovely breakfast but our rooms had washing machines! It was also within walking distance to the bank and some awesome eateries. Almaty also happened to be the place where we met with fellow travellers! People we had met and travelled with through China also appeared in Almaty at the same time as us, so a few catch ups were had and stories shared of the different experiences we had encountered since we said goodbye to them over a month ago! It’s a small world!
Our last visit to Kazakhstan was when we crossed the border from Uzbekistan and we were about to begin our final journey through Central Asia across the famous Kazakhstan Steppes. This place is also known as the Great Dala and is said to be the largest dry steppe region of 804,500 square kilometres. It is known for its cold winters and warm summers and a landscape that is barren where you can see for miles. We were planning to travel over 2200 kilometres in about 8 days, with a couple of nights camping to sort ourselves out before crossing into Russia. We enjoyed the journey across the steppes and found ourselves parked up in some very secluded places where sometimes the locals came to find out who we were and wanted to practice their English .. and the local camels also came for a nose!
Overall, our experiences in Kazakhstan were enriching and highlighted the nation’s diverse landscapes and welcoming culture. We loved our meet ups whether it was with the locals or our fellow travellers. Again we were blown away by the kindness and generosity of the Kazakhs who truly made us feel welcome. It is a country with diverse landscapes, food and people but one that had certainly made a lasting impression.
