Kazakhstan’s Secret City – Astana
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I expected poor roads, hot days, car issues, team disagreements, dirt, hunger, and communication challenges. But there was one thing I didn’t expect – Kazakhstan. The 9th largest country in the world has knocked me off my feet…my smelly, hot , dirty mongol rally feet.
The environments and, unfortunately, road conditions in Kazakhstan change wildly from day to day and hour to hour. However, it’s the cities that have stunned me. For example, does anyone even know the capital of Kazakhstan? I didn’t until a 2 days ago when I saw it on the map, and we pointed our Mongol Rally car in its direction.
This article is part of the Mongol Rally Series
The Mongol Rally is an unsupported road rally from London, England, to Ulaan Baatar, Mongolia. In July 2011, four well-traveled, and some may say crazy, travel bloggers set out on a 10,000-mile journey to Mongolia. This was no fluff press trip…this was us against the open road, in a car that was not meant to be driven to these lengths.
When we arrived in the capital city of Astana, it blew us away. Here was an ultra-modern city with high rises and architecture that rivaled Hong Kong and Valencia. The parks were planned out beautifully with landscaping. All of this urban planning was surrounded by big malls, of course. Yet none of us experienced travelers had even heard of it before. It was as if we had discovered the Emerald City of Oz.
Locals were out strolling along the park,s taking photos – and of course staring since we seemed to be one of about 100 tourists that I think actually come here a year! A guy in the mall actually stopped us and said he had only seen people like us on TV and never in person.
I wandered around with my camera, wondering how such a city could go so unnoticed by the world. I felt like an explorer, and it helped that everyone looked at me as if I were Lewis and Clark on expedition!
Kazakhstan even had ice skating rinks in its malls, western chain stores, and street entertainment. You know you are heading in the right direction when you have street performers!
The city of Astana will not remain a secret for long – so get here any way you can…yet I don’t know that I suggest you drive all the way from London like we did!
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Never would have expected that either – thanks for sharing.
Wow – who knew there was such a beautiful place in Kazakhstan. Adding it to my list immediately.
Wow! Great post! Love all the pics particularly the very first one., because we knew right away it was going to be an interesting and captivating blog…
and it was!
Nancy & Shawn
wow what a great city how was the food
expensive!! I can’t say that the food was anything special. However strangely there are many sushi places!
I love the floral carpet photo. What a surprising city – if I’d been asked, I’d have assumed it would have been one of those soulless characterless Soviet style cities. Whata shame you don’t have more time to explore these remote exotic places during your madcap Rally.
Wow, who knew? Indeed, a modern city. Thanks for sharing your story. Where to next?
I’ve arrived in Mongolia now – we drove from London! Not sure where next…need a little time to recoup after the mongol rally!
I see you do Antarctica trips…that’s always been a dream of mine to take my dad there! Maybe that will be next! Will check out your site.
Understandable, you must be exhausted from the drive. That’s re-defining a road trip in my book!
Antarctica is lovely. The colonies of emperor penguins get me every time. 🙂
Amazing! Who knew what a cool city Astana was? Not me. It kind of reminds me of a friendlier, less hostile version of Dubai for some reason. And look at that blue sky. Great colour and good shots in this set.