The Five Stans Adventure exploring Turkmenistan 🇹🇲 Uzbekistan 🇺🇿 Tajikistan 🇹🇯 Kazakhstan 🇰🇿 and Kyrgyzstan 🇰🇬
After breakfast today, catch a flight to Almaty – the largest city in Kazakhstan and known as a skier’s paradise, with snow-capped mountains framing the entire city. With beautiful parks, restaurants, museums and plenty of shops and markets to choose from, this city stands in stark contrast to the countryside surrounding it. Depending on the time of your flight today, you may have an opportunity to explore the city this afternoon. Otherwise, grab an early night and get prepared for a jam-packed day of sightseeing tomorrow.
~ Intrepid Travel ~ Five Stans Day 16
Itinerary Change ~ all the activities from tomorrow’s itinerary were moved to today ~ I did not do these because I had plans to meet up with Gulzhanar! I wasn’t thrilled that the itinerary had changed because I already made plans for our free afternoon ~ I missed all of the Almaty sightseeing.
Flight to Almaty
We flew Somon Air to Almaty!
Crossing Into Kazakhstan ~ Immigration
Easy peasy at the airport and immigration ~ more stamps for my passport!
Hello Kazakhstan 🇰🇿
Kazakhstan is officially the Republic of Kazakhstan and is in both Asia and Europe. Kazakhstan is bordered by Russia, China, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan. It’s coastline is along the Caspian Sea. Kazakhstan is the wealthiest of the Central Asian republics and the official language is Kazakh.
Almaty
In the background of Almaty are the snowcapped mountaintops of the Zailiysky Alatau mountain range. It is the largest city in Kazakhstan.
Hotel
It looks like I didn’t take a picture of my room? I flooded the bathroom because the shower nozzle had a leak in it and the water was spurting out over top of the shower door. I didn’t notice until after. Then I had to go get maintenance and more towels because I used all of mine cleaning up the water. The bed was very hard too.
Starbucks
I hadn’t seen a Starbucks since the Istanbul aiport and picked up a mug for Nadine. It was sooooo good!!
Gulzhanar
One of my work friends, Gulzhanar lives here and we met up and she brought her Mom! We had a wonderful dinner at the Sandyq Restaurant nd I even tried horse meat. It was good and I found it very similar to beef.
Central Square (Republic Square)
Central State Museum
Established in 1931, the Central State Museum has collections of cultural and historical Kazakhstan heritage.
Panfilov Park
Named after Major General Ivan Panfilov, a hero of the Soviet Union, Panfilov Park is a reminder of Kyrgyzstan’s past and its journey of independence. It is dedicated to Panfilov’s Twenty-Eight Guardsmen, 28 soldiers from an Alma-Ata infantry unit of the Red Army who reportedly died during World War II in the Battle of Moscow.
Zenkov Cathedral
Zenkov Cathedral is also known as The Ascension Cathedral. Completed in 1907, it is a Russian Orthodox cathedral made out of wood but without nails.
Museum of Kazakh Musical Instruments
The Museum of Kazakh Musical Instruments contains traditional Kazakh instruments alongside instruments from around the globe.
Happy Travels!
Jackie is “Mom” to one amazing son, an IT professional and an obsessed traveller. She spends her time reading, golfing at Ladies League and implementing software projects. Jackie has travelled to 7 continents, 5 oceans and 103 countries and she is always planning the next destination and adventure!