Tourism levels in Kazakhstan have been doubling year to year from 2001, when reforms to the tourist sector were first announced. Whilst the market is by no means as big as, for example, Western Europe, the levels of growth do not look set to slow and more people are beginning to realise that Kazakhstan is an inviting and beautiful country to visit. More and more travel operators are offering packages for travel in and through the country and the government is placing ever more impetus on the tourism sector to help diversify the economy. It’s still a growing market, but it’s growing fast.

Whilst Astana is the capital of Kazakhstan, it is not as great an attraction as some would expect – it offers historic and beautiful sights, but not nearly as much as the former capital Almaty. Set between the stunning backdrop of mountains and plains, Almaty – formerly known as Alma Ata – is home to some spectacular views and attractions for all who visit. The museums such as the Central State Museum offer a whole host of historic sights dating back thousands of years; buildings such as Zenkov Cathedral attract visitors in their droves to admire the splendid looks; Panfilov Park is another popular area, and is home to one of the largest wooden buildings in the world – built without a single nail being used. Elsewhere in the city are the health spas the region is famous for, as well as numerous nightclubs, casinos and the renowned concert and theatre halls.

Elsewhere in the huge country there are any number of other sights and sounds. One sight and sound is the Singing Barkhan – a huge sand dune that emits an eerie ‘singing’ sound when the winds make it crumble. The Chimbulak winter sports resort near Almaty offers the whole range of activities and proves very popular with locals and foreigners alike, as does Medeu – the largest speed-skating rink in the world. The country is covered in a great deal of other things to appeal to a whole range of people, and the sheer size of Kazakhstan means there is always somewhere else to go and something else to do. One of the largest lakes in the world, one of the lowest points of land in the world, the launch place of the first man in space, the most Northerly settlement of pink flamingos in the world – there are a lot of experiences waiting to be had in the country, that’s for sure.