Tips for traveling to Kazakhstan
- SIM card is relatively affordable. 2000₸ (SGD$7.37) is more than sufficient
- Download Russian keyboard to you smartphone, then use online translation services during the trip
- Download 2GIS for map that can perform search function offline. It also provides bus information which is better than Google maps
- Bring USD
- Bicycle is available in both Astana and Almaty. However, the path may not be very smooth and you may need to bring the bike up and down kerbs
- Public transport are generally fixed rates regardless of distance (In Almaty, buses are 150₸ and metro 80₸, while in Astana, buses are 180₸)
- Check the opening hours or operating hours of places of interest (e.g. Cable car at Shymbulak may close as early as 1630hrs)
- You may want to consider pre-book tours for the following locations because they are quite a distance from Almaty. Last minute booking may not get you on tours which need min number of pax.
- Big Almaty Lake, Большое Алматинское Озеро
- Charyn Canyon National Park, Шарын мемлекеттік ұлттық табиғи паркі
- Kaindy Lake, Каинды
- Kolsai Lake, озеро Кольсай
- For non-Singaporeans, you will need to take note of the special rule when entering Kazakhstan. Make sure you have 2 stamps on the immigration card. See also:
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Flight Details
Air Itinerary Details
Outbound
| SIN - Singapore, Changi International Airport Terminal 1 Tue, 21 Aug 2018, 09:00 Boeing 787-900 | PEK - Beijing, Capital International Airport Terminal 3 Tue, 21 Aug 2018, 15:20 | Air China CA 976 | Flying Time: 6hr20min | |
| PEK - Beijing, Capital International Airport Terminal 3 Thu, 21 Aug 2018, 17:15 Boeing 737 MAX 8 | TSE - Astana, Astana International Airport Thu, 21 Aug 2018, 21:00 | Air China CA 791 | Flying Time: 5hr and 45min | *Connection time: 1h55m |
Inbound
| TSE - Astana, Astana International Airport Thu, 30 Aug 2018, 22:30 Boeing 737 MAX 8 | PEK - Beijing, Capital International Airport Terminal 3 Fri, 31 Aug 2018, 05:30 | Air China CA 792 | Flying Time: 5hr | *Connection time: 18h40m |
PEK - Beijing, Capital International Airport Terminal 3 Sat, 1 Sep 2018, 00:10Boeing 787-900 | SIN - Singapore, Changi International Airport Terminal 1 Sat, 1 Sep 2018, 06:30 | Air China CA 975 | Flying Time: 6hr 20min | |
Tickets Fare | ||||
Base Fare | $480.00 |
Taxes and Fees | $277.50 |
|
|
Total | SGD $757.50 |
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Domestic Flight from Astana to Almaty via SCAT Airline
DV-754 (Boeing 737-300): 23:05 - 00:30 (+1)
₸16,965 (SGD$63.43)
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Day 1, 21 Aug 18 (Tue)
Prepare to take off
Transit via Beijing Capital International Airport 北京首都国际机场
Having the entire row to myself
#Sunset
Domestic flight - SCAT Airline (Boeing 737-300)
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Day 2, 22 Aug 18 (Wed)
Kazakh-British Technical University Қазақcтан-Британ техникалык университеті
Zenkov's Cathedral Свято-Вознесенский Кафедральный собор
Park 28 Panfilovtsev. Парк 28 Панфиловцев.
Museum of Kazakh Musical Instruments Музей народных музыкальных инструментов им. Ыхласа
Green Bazaar Орталық Көк Базар
Horse meat
Spices
Lunch
Horse Milk
Almaty Central Mosque Центральная мечеть Алматы
Almaty is also nicknamed as City of Apples
Abylai Khan monument Памятник Абылай Хану
Alma Ata 2 Railway station вокзал Алма-Ата-2
Token for Almaty Metro - Fixed rate at 80 Tenge (SGD$0.30) regardless of distance
Raiymbek batyr Metro station Райымбек батыр бекеті
Zhibek Zholy station Жібек Жолы
Almaly station Алмалы
Moskva Station Мәскеу
Alatau station Алатау
Auezov Theater station Мұхтар Әуезов атындағы театры
Long escalator
Independence Monument Тәуелсіздік монументі
Kok Tobe Cable Car: ₸2,000 (SGD$7.48)
Lamb Shashlik meal at Sololaki 6,500₸ (SGD$24.24)
Almaty Television Tower Көктөбе телемұнарасы
Umbrellas
Ferris wheel
Waiting for sunset
Panoramic
Flowers
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Day 3, 23 Aug 18 (Thu)
Finally a sunny day
ПерекуCity Mixx - A breakfast like this is 440₸ (SGD$1.64)
The ПерекуCity is like a 24hrs canteen that I can have breakfast to late night supper anytime I wish
Big Almaty Lake Большое Алматинское Озеро is about 1hr (35km) from Sky Hostel Almaty
First President park Тұңғыш Президент Паркі
360
Kazakhstan Hotel Гостиница Казахстан - Take a public bus from here to Medeu
Bus 12 from Kazakhstan Hotel to Medeu Cable Car (Screen capture from 2GIS)
Medeu Cable Car: ₸2,500 (SGD$9.35)
Medeu Skating rink
Unfortunately, by the time I am up, the next tier of cable cars to the summit is already closed.
Heart
View from cable car
Stream
Abay Kunanbaev Monument Памятник Абаю Кунанбаеву
Sunset
Barfly bar/pub/restaurant at 26th floor of Kazakhstan Hotel
Horsemeat steak
Total dinner cost at Barfly: ₸12,200 (SGD$45.62)
Dining at one of the tallest building of Almaty
360
Even the toilet has a magnificent view
Dolce Karaoke
Nice interior
Night
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Day 4, 24 Aug 18 (Fri)
Revisited Green Bazar
Different snacks
360
Central Park Центральный парк культуры и отдыха
Dostyk Plaza
Promoters
Mega Park
Satbayev Kazakh National Technical University Қ. И. Сəтбаев атындағы Қазақ Ұлттық Техникалық Университеті
Metro gantry
360 inside the metro
Abay Kazakh State Academic Opera and Ballet Theater Абай атындағы қазақ мемлекеттік академиялық опера және балет театры
The Museum Of The Rare Books Сирек кездесетін кітаптар мұражайы
300 Tenge (KZT) for a 0.5litre local beer, that's like SGD$1.20...
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Day 5, 25 Aug 18 (Sat)
Waking up with a view of snow-capped mountains behind Almaty, Kazakhstan's largest metropolis. Where else can you find nature so close to a city?
Revisited Mega Park
在哈萨克斯坦也可以看到女神
Snow leopards have symbolic meaning for Turkic peoples of Central Asia, where the animal is known as irbis or bars, so it is widely used in heraldry and as an emblem. A snow leopard is found on the official seal of the city of Almaty, Kazakhstan, and the former 10,000 Kazakhstani tenge banknote also featured one on the reverse. (Source: Wikipedia)
Road works in progress
Central State Museum of the Republic of Kazakhstan Центральный государственный музей РК - 500₸ (SGD$1.86) for entry
360
Almaty city mayor's office Аппарат акима города Алматы, Алматы қала əкімшілігі
Independence Monument Тәуелсіздік монументі
360
Rainbow at the fountain
Turan University Университет "Туран"
Kishlak Кишлак
Beshbarmak is the national dish among nomadic Turkic peoples in Central Asia and Russia.
Rixos Almaty Hotel
ПерекуCity!
The "Eternal Flame" continues to burn brightly even in the darkest hours at the 28 Panfilov Guardsmen Park - Парк имени 28 гвардейцев-панфиловцев
Old buidlings
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Day 6, 26 Aug 18 (Sun)
360 at SkyHostel, Almaty
Works in progress
Alma Ata 2 вокзал Алма-Ата-2
Took a night sleep train from Almaty to Astana for 24,150 tenge (SGD $90) instead of a domestic flight for 17,000 (SGD$64). There's wifi for onboard entertainment. Dining on the train is significantly more expensive and crowded too. Oh yes, the toilet don't go straight down the tracks.
Boarding
Cabin for four at 24,150₸ (SGD$90.30) per pax
Bar area
Dining
Common corridor
Sunset
Screen capture of on board entertainment (connected with wifi to your smartphone)
Free games
Route 701Ц Almaty → Astana
Station | Arrival | Stop | Distance | Journey time | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Almaty-2 | 18:36 | 0 km | |||
Almaty | 18:36 | 0 km | |||
Sary-Shagan | 01:17 | 10 m | 01:27 | 624 km | |
Karagandy | 05:39 | 10 m | 05:49 | 1086 km | |
Karagandy Pass | 05:39 | 10 m | 05:49 | 1086 km | |
Astana (all stations) | 08:20 | 1321 km | |||
Astana-Nurly Zhol | 08:20 | 1321 km | 13 h 44 m |
Overview of train route (source: Google Map)
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Day 7, 27 Aug 18 (Mon)
Arrived at Astana Nurly Zhol Railway Station ЖД Вокзал "Нурлы ЖОЛ", public buses are available from the railway station which makes travelling to the city area easy.
Multiple public buses at the Astana Nurly Zhol Railway Station that brings you to the city area (Screen capture using 2GIS)
National Museum of the Republic of Kazakhstan Қазақстан Республикасының Ұлттық музейі
McDonald's Double filet-O-Fish, with potato wedges and coffee - 2100₸ (SGD$7.83)
Triumph Триумф гостиница
Hostel Forum, Astana - 9000₸ ($33.64) for my 3-night stay
Circus Столичный цирк КГКП
Keremet Public Bath Керемет монша
Duman Aqua Park
Inside a Kurt
Ethno-memorial complex Map of Kazakhstan Atameken "Атамекен" этно-мемориалды кешені
Model
Zenkov's Cathedral Свято-Вознесенский Кафедральный собор
Astana city
Astana Tower
This bridge is a gift from Atyrau region to the 20th Anniversary of Astana. Built with love to their city by the BI Group. Designed by Askhat Saduov
Astana Bike
Easy use
The locations of bike stations
The Astana Bike App enables you to know which stations have empty slots or how many bikes are there
Transport Tower
Bayterek Tower Бәйтерек монументі
Bayterek Tower: ₸700 (SGD$2.62)
360
Twilight
Night
Khan Shatyr Entertainment Center
GPS log
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Day 8, 28 Aug 18 (Tue)
Breakfast
Колесо обозрения AIland
Park U Muzeya Парк у музея
The Museum of the First President of the Republic of Kazakhstan Қазақстан Республикасы Тұңғыш Президентінің Музейі
Artillery
Kazakhstan Military History Museum Қазақстан Республикасы қарулы күштерінің Әскери-Тарихи музеиі
EOD
Space
Underpass mural
Monument to the Defenders of the Motherland Монумент Отан Корғаушылар
Apartments that looks like North Korea
Hazrat Sultan Mosque Әзірет Сұлтан мешіті
Kazakh National University of the Arts Қазақ ұлттық өнер университеті
Monument Kazakh Eli Монумент "Қазақ Елі"
Palace of Independence Тәуелсіздік сарайы
Palace of Peace and Reconciliation Бейбітшілік пен келісім сарайы
Astana Music Hall
Ishim River
Khan Shatyr Entertainment Center Хан Шатыр
Astana Opera Астана Опера
Колесо обозрения AIland
GPS log
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Day 9, 29 Aug 18 (Wed)
Qabanbay Batyr Ave
Nur Astana Mosque Нұр Астана Мешіті
Beijing Palace Soluxe Hotel Astana
National Academic Library of the Republic of Kazakhstan Қазақстан Республикасының ұлттық академиялық кітапханасы
Transport building
Panorama
Self-cooked dinner
GPS Log
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Day 10, 30 Aug 18 (Thu)
Wefie with the Hostel crew
Nursultan Nazarbayev International Airport Нұрсұлтан Назарбаев Халықаралық Әуежайы
Domestic Terminal
Farewell for a sport team
Sunset
International Terminal
Immigration stamp
Vacuum packed Horse meat
Horse milk
Total distance cycled using Astana Bike
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Day 11, 31 Aug 18 (Fri)
Sunrise
Baidu map
OsmAnd map enables GPS plot to be correctly plotted (unlike Google Map). Most importantly, it can be used in offline mode.
#ForbiddenCity #Beijing #故宫 #紫禁城 #北京
Admission fee of 60¥ (SGD$12)
人山人海
朕今晚翻你牌子
St. Joseph's Wangfujing Church 王府井天主堂
王府井
银河 Yinhe SOHO
Metro
Inside the metro
Lama Temple 雍和宫 - 25¥ (SGD$5) admission
Hutong
Recycling station to topup the Yikatong 一卡通
Airport Express
Fridge magnets from the entire trip - Approx SGD$43.86
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Overall expenses - SGD$1,435.60
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More pictures:
- Almaty (21 - 26 Aug 18)
- Astana (27 - 30 Aug 18)
- Beijing (31 Aug 18)
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