The remote little village on the Silk Road in Kazakhstan didn’t look like much – but how wrong we were. Ramshackle fruit and veg stalls and basic kebab diners seemed about all Bayseyit had to offer until we jumped out of our 4x4 to stretch our legs.
Within seconds our unplanned stop had led to a dizzying discovery. Locals in this vast Central Asia state – the world’s ninth-largest country – are so friendly and trusting their front doors are left wide open to strangers for a nose inside. They’ll even let you use their loo... for 10p!
The Uyghur custom is meant to encourage “good spirits” and it certainly did with us as we bought their gigantic apples and grilled meats as a thank you.
As warm welcomes go it was pretty unusual but, as we were to find during our lovely stay here, from the cultured city of Almaty to the stunning countryside people were very pleased to see us.
With visa restrictions now lifted, this fascinating country – off the radar to most Brits – has opened up with flights from Heathrow on flag carrier Air Astana and is ready to explore.
What is there to see and do – and is it safe?
Obi-Wan Kenobi once fell off his motorbike here. Actor Ewan McGregor, who played the Star Wars Jedi Master, was filming hit TV show Long Way Round in the Charyn Canyon almost 20 years ago when he came a cropper.
I didn’t have two wheels to explore this incredible lunar-like landscape but hiking through the Valley of Castles on a sunny day was just as thrilling – and I managed to stay upright. When I’d had enough – the altitude makes even a stroll feel like hard work – a sturdy Russian van was on hand to pick me up.
Who needs the Millennium Falcon to save the day?
A third of the size of the Grand Canyon, it is around a three-hour, 125-mile drive east of Almaty towards the border with China.
We also visited the impressive Kolsay Lakes nearby for more walking, and Lake Kaindy to gawp at its unique sunken forest created by an earthquake more than a century ago.
The clean air and lush green landscapes here make for the perfect escape from city life. And it’s not teeming with tourists, either.
If walking miles isn’t your thing, though, you can rent boats at Kolsay and horses at Kaindy for a much more chilled look at the gorgeous scenery.
Heading back to Almaty after our two-day tour we followed the centuries old Silk Road trading route that Genghis Khan and his armies once roamed.
It’s flat and barren all the way back but the snow-capped Tian Shan mountains in the distance keep the views interesting.
The cityscape comes into view past the mini-mosque roadside graveyards and the apple orchards, which produce gigantic fruits in the fertile fields at the foot of the mountains.
The ski resort of Shymbulak towers over Almaty and is popular with locals and tourists – Prince Harry hit the slopes here with his then girlfriend in 2014.
There’s also a huge skating rink at Medeu that’s worth a look and, sporting pursuits aside, it’s a popular date night destination for Kazakhs, too.
Walking round the city doesn’t feel much different to being at home. Sunday afternoon in Panfilov Park felt safe and friendly with couples strolling hand-in-hand and kids driving remote-controlled cars.
The streets nearby were filled with artists and musicians and when the sun sets the nightlife gets going.
What’s the food like and can you have a drink?
“Who eats more meat – Kazakhs or wolves?” They eat so much here – lamb is the favourite – the locals joke about it.
And if you’re vegetarian don’t expect to find the options we have at home.
But good Western and Kazakh food is widely available in Almaty – and beyond. I had two excellent Italian meals at Navat, on the side of a sun-soaked mountain at Shymbulak, and at Del Papa on a cool city centre street.
The inexpensive local cuisine was a real highlight and well worth a try, especially for the adventurous.
At the upmarket Sandyk, we sipped Kumys, mare’s milk (sour, smoky and actually not too bad), and ate huge plates (well, tried to) of Beshbarmak – noodles and horse meat/intestines (the latter, never again) – with Baursak, puffy bread.
This was all washed down with some millet tea as we enjoyed a musician playing the traditional Dombra.
Beshbarmak is usually served on special occasions, unlike their version of biryani (meat, veg and rice) – “Plov” – which is a weekly staple. We ate it a couple of times and it was delicious but not as spicy as you’d expect to find in our Indian restaurants.
Lagman, a noodle dish, was also pretty good.
Kebabs are a very big thing here and there’s nowhere better than “Shashlik Street” on Kirova.
But the Georgian restaurant we popped into on our last night – Lariss Ivannu Hochu – did them very well, too.
If you need to take a break from the meat there are plenty of other local nibbles to try. The apples are huge and tasty, the local chocolate impressive, while the curd balls – very, very popular with the Kazakhs – are an acquired taste.
Make sure you visit The Green Bazaar to sample the excellent coffee and haggle with the nut sellers who have a reputation for not giving an inch on the price of a bag of almonds.
Despite being largely Muslim, it’s not difficult to get a drink, either.
Wine is produced in vineyards just outside Almaty and the city is full of bars – and nightclubs – serving beers and cocktails.
Where to stay
I don’t think I’ve seen a more unusual hotel bar.
The Yurt-inspired structure in the middle of the Rahat Palace Hotel atrium lured me in the second I walked through the revolving doors.
And that night we drank vodka shots (served neat with ice here) before hitting the sack in our very comfortable rooms, which, by the way, were showing live Premier League football at 1am.
After boozy, late nights like that it’s just as well the breakfast is something to behold. And there’s a spa to chill out in afterwards.
Outside of the city we stayed at the Kolsay Grand Hotel during our visit to Kolsay Lake.
Newer than Rahat Palace but not as plush, it is located deep in the national park and is just the spot to get a really good night’s sleep if you’re off on a hiking trip.
The food was good and there’s a fire pit that guests can sit around. On a starry night when the weather’s fine – it sadly wasn’t when we were there – this would be a great spot.
But a cheaper alternative is the Algados guest house in nearby Saty which is run by the larger-than-life “Shakira”. We weren’t quite famous – or French – enough to merit a photo in Shakira’s “French celebrities who’ve stayed here” gallery but she did like me enough to courier my jacket back to Almaty – which is a three-hour drive away – after I’d stupidly left it behind.
Merci beaucoup, Shakira, or rather “Raqmet” as they say here.
SIX TRAVEL ESSENTIALS
Language – Most speak Kazakh but English is also spoken and understood, especially in the tourist spots and hotels.
Time zone – Almaty is five hours ahead of British Summer Time.
Phone – Wi-fi is available in hotels, cafes and restaurants as well as some public spaces such as shopping centres.
Cash/credit cards – Contactless banking is available everywhere in Almaty but once you’re outside the city it’s best to have some of the local currency – the Kazakhstani Tenge – to hand.
Getting around – Almaty has a metro, buses, “trolleybuses” and Yandex, their Uber. The cars are nice and the fares are cheap.
Weather – Almaty is 2,300ft-3,000ft above sea level so while the summer is warm it can get very cold in the winter.
Get there
Air Astana offers flights from Heathrow to Almaty, Kazakhstan, from £540 return. airastana.com
Book it
Rooms at the Rahat Palace Hotel in Almaty start at £85 a night. rahatpalace.com
- A two-day tour from Almaty to Charyn Canyon, Kolsai Lake, Black Canyon and Kandy Lake, with one night at the Hotel Kolsay Grand in Saty, costs around
£210 per person, based on a group of four. skyway.kz/en - For more information visit Kazakhstan Travel
