Kazakhstan
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The Birth of Kazakhstan Tourism – Mongol Rally

BySherry

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Kazakhstan
These three drove up to me and asked me if I was a tourist. They then asked me to take their picture!

“You tourist?” This is the most asked question of us in Kazakhstan. The crazy thing is that it’s asked everywhere: on the street, in hotels, and even as we are driving down the street, other cars will slow down, roll down their windows, and ask the popular question.

It’s been a long time since I’ve been to a country that is so untouched by Western tourists…but Kazakhstan welcomes the few they get. I’ve been stared at a lot before in India and Nepal, but in Kazakhstan, they look at you with wonderment in their eyes.

As cars pass us on the highway they drive by, look at us, and then do a double take. You can see the recognition come across their face…the look of “wait a minute…what are you doing here?” In fact we’ve even had people follow us down the sidewalks and while driving just to watch us longer.

People honk and smile and say hello, and some give us the peace sign. Everyone shyly tries to practice their English as if this is the one time a year they get the chance to speak to a real English speaking person!

I’m not exactly sure what the tourism numbers are for Kazakhstan but I’m pretty sure they are non-existent! Business travel is alive and well here, but considering they have no non-business hotels here I’m assuming tourism is an afterthought.

 

A group of teenage girls who were SO excited to meet Deb and I – pictured outside of the gigantic mall in Aktobe.

In fact, some of Kazakhstan’s biggest cities aren’t even covered in Lonely Planet Guides. I was surprised and appalled that the bustling city of Aktobe didn’t even have a map in Lonely Planet devoted to it, and it only had two hotels listed. Let me tell you – it’s near impossible to find a hotel WITH a map…it’s a miracle without a map.

But…they will come. It won’t take long for tourists to find Kazakhstan and come in hordes. So come now…while you are still considered an endangered species here! People will welcome you with open arms…and honks.


Mongol Rally - The Ultimate Roadtrip

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9 Comments

  1. Very cool blog! I love how this is organized (travel, photography, and life).Glad to have found your blog on twitter. Your recent blogs about the Mongol Rally finally informed me about the whole bit. I always see it in passing, but never got too in depth with it.

    Reply

  3. Hello, all 🙂
    I’m from Kazakhstan, and i very glad to see this article. It is very good that much more tourist are visit our country on the way to another places. Second year i can see a cars with stickers of this rally, previos year then my girlfrend and me have travel around Kazakhstan and this year im my city Almaty ( may be it was you ??? 🙂 I was realy interested becase i’m like travels very much. So, about foto… It is not typical kazakhs, it is turkish mens 🙂 If someone have any questions about Kazakhstan, please ask.

    Reply

    1. Rinat – great meeting you! I really enjoyed Kazakhstan and hope to make it back there one day soon! We didn’t go through Almaty – but many many teams did! next time stop one of them and say hi! I did take the photo in Kazakhstan at a gas station – but I guess I don’t know the origin of the men!
      Thanks for following my journey!
      Sherry

      Reply

  4. Hello!!
    at first i want to say that i’m citizen of Kazakhstan and live in Almaty city. I’m very glad that much more of travelers visit our country on their ways. I like travels very much and in time my travel around part of Kazakhstan i was interested by cars with stickers of mongol rally on the way to Astana somwhere in center of kz. So, this year i have to saw same stickers on cars in my city ( Almaty) i was surprised, but haven’t time to talk with peopels inside car. I was much more surprised to meet this articles about Kazakhstan 🙂 At first foto not a kazakhs, i think that is turkish mens 🙂 If someone have some questions or some help please ask, a will very glad to help.

    Reply

    1. Hi Rinat,

      I am a frequest travelled from UAE. I am looking to discover khazakhistan in future, therefore I would be highly apreciated getting an answer for my below queries:

      – Which season is the best to visit Almaty?
      – Which area to book a hotel at, in term of the attractions distances?
      – Can the tourist move out anytime?? how about the night life?
      – Please tell me more about your city as am so exited to visit it at the earliest.

      Hussain

      Reply

      1. Hussain – I”m sorry but I’ve only been to Almaty once and it was for a short period 5 years ago. So – I am not knowledgeable enough to answer your specific questions.

        Reply

  5. Sorry for double post 🙂 I miss first on my Ipad and write second 🙂 Thank your for your reply.. So ALmaty is best place in KZ for visit if you are traveller. That about following of your journey, i like your blog, i just have read only first articles, and find it very good. I will follow it 🙂 As i sad in previos my post, i would like to share my skils in traveling in Central Asia. So, i have my photo (it is from Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Altay (as i read you are visit Altay from Russia side)) and others https://picasaweb.google.com/rinat.abd (you can delete the link if it is against the rules 🙂

    Reply

  6. How is the climate and living facilities and hospitals and schooling for children.

    Any government schemes for un employed people ..

    Please let me know the details..

    Regards,

    Krishna

    Reply

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