Why I think Kazakhstan is safe to travel to

Travelling to a new country can make anyone anxious, so why not hear how someone who lives here navigates safety concerns in Kazakhstan.

A young family walk up a pathway at night with a bright streetlight above — Even after dark, Almaty, Kazakhstan’s former capital, is a family friendly city

In my experience, Kazakhstan is safe to travel to. But keep in mind: my family lives here, we have good health insurance, we have a community made of local and expat friends who we can lean on for support, we speak a little Russian to get by. Also I live in the biggest city, and former capital, Almaty, so my experience may not be, and likely isn’t, generalisable to all parts of this big country.

But the answer also depends on what aspect of safety you consider important. Earlier this year Almaty experienced a magnitude 7 earthquake, followed by a magnitude 5 earthquake this week. Both times the epicentre was further south in Kyrgyzstan/Uzbekistan so the impact was much smaller here. However, the first one rocked my house and woke me up on the second floor; I was on the ground floor for the second one and it was a mighty shake. People who live in apartment buildings felt a much stronger sensation as their buildings swayed.

So, my current focus is safety from natural disasters and preparing for them. Even though it is technically spring now, it still feels like winter here (-10°C the time of the first earthquake, and around 0°C daytime temperature this week) so evacuating your home or hotel requires some preparation. Boots (and a coat and hat!) are a must!

However, I know that if you are asking about the safety of a country, you could be referring to crime, or disease or any other kind of negative factor for a traveler. Lets break it down and I’ll give my thoughts on how safe Kazakhstan is to travel to.

Safety for Women Travellers in Kazakhstan

Kazakhstan is a fairly safe place to travel to as a woman. This country is very family focused. You will see parents with children at most restaurants, even the fancy ones. The culture is also a late night one so you will see small children out with their families well past when you (as a North American, Brit, Australian etc) might consider they would be in bed. Really what I’m saying is that the vibe at night is generally friendly.

You should have no problems getting around as a single woman. I’ve never been catcalled, and I’ve never heard anyone else being catcalled. I catch taxis alone regularly, and so do much younger and older women, even late at night. Sometimes I’ll get a talkative taxi driver and I have been asked more than once how old I am. It doesn’t appear to be an inappropriate question here though. Plenty of woman have also asked me this (quite bluntly!). Another thing I see regularly is people, of all ages and genders, hitchhiking. So while I’ve not done that myself, this appears to also be a safe and regular thing to do. FYI, I wouldn’t recommend a foreigner try hitchhiking, as you need to speak good Russian, and you need to pay for the ride. It goes with saying that there are always exceptions to these normal cultural things so please exercise usual caution, and follow your instincts.

Natural Disasters in Kazakhstan

Kazakhstan is large and so the risk of natural disasters is going to depend on where you are. I’m in Almaty and the city is nestled in against the Tien Shan mountain range. Naturally earthquakes are going to be a risk here. I have a “go bag” near the front door packed with supplies in case we need to leave our house quickly. It has warm clothes, water, torch, and a host of other useful items. If you want to prepare yourself, check out some guidance to pack your own go bag .

Avalanches also happen in the area around Almaty and people do get lost in them while out hiking and skiing off piste. Please follow any advice you are given and do not go hiking or off the designated pistes if local authorities warn you against it.

General Health

If you need basic medications, there are plenty of pharmacies (Aptekas) in the big cities, and they will stock most of what you need. I would still recommend bringing a supply of anything you use regularly. If you need to ask for anything specifically in the apteka, check for the active ingredient in the medication in case they don’t stock the brand you usually buy. For example, you’re better off asking for loperamide hydrochloride instead of Imodium. If they don’t stock the brand name, the staff will often assume you don’t want anything similar and will not offer you alternatives. Customer service works a bit differently here! The generic versions are of course often much cheaper.

Travel and health insurance is pretty important here, as in many places, so please do ensure you have that in order. I would advise to be up-to-date with all your vaccinations. And no one tests for Covid here much anymore (with the notable exception of people working for foreign consulates).

Medical Assistance in Kazakhstan

The medical system in Kazakhstan is pretty developed, and you can rest assured you’ll be looked after if you’re ill. But even though you can travel through Kazakhstan safely and with peace of mind, the medical system is going to look a bit different from what you might be used to if you grew up in the West. It would be helpful for non-russian speakers to find a translator as a first step before navigating the public health system.

If you need to speak to a doctor, there are a range of international medical clinics in the big cities. In Almaty we have a lot of choice including International SOS (also in Atyrau and Astana), International Medical Centre (IMC), American Medical Centre (AMC) and High Med Hospital, and they all have English speaking staff. Sometimes in these clinics the specialist won’t speak English but there will be a translator who accompanies you. This is not an exhaustive list.

Food and Drink is safe in Kazakhstan

Travelling to Kazakhstan is quite safe from a food and beverage perspective. No one I know regularly drinks tap water here, even in Almaty. However, that might be more to do with people enjoying the taste of filtered water better. I’ve drunk tap water in the city plenty of times before and haven’t had a problem, and the urban water is considered drinkable. But bottled water is easy to find and pretty cheap, so why not look after yourself when you’re traveling?

Food in Kazakhstan is pretty safe to eat. I’ve heard no complaints from friends about anything they’ve bought from particular food stands or restaurants.

The one thing to watch out for is if you receive an invitation to a wedding or some other celebration. Then, chances are you will be required to make a toast. You will need to drink each time someone says their piece! And believe me, many people will make toasts! Eat sensibly beforehand, but not too much (there is lots of food at celebrations!), and drink lots of water during the event!

Enjoy the Mountains

It is safe to travel through the mountains in Kazakhstan. The country has some wonderful hiking trails, especially around Almaty. As long as you take the usual precautions around being in the mountains, you’ll have a wonderful time. Do try and hike in a group, make sure you have a way of communicating with people back in the city, and always let someone know where you’re going and what time you’ll be back. There are plenty of experienced guides who can take you on good safe hikes. Of course there is also the Hiking Guide Book published by the Almaty International Women’s Club, detailing a number of the best hikes just outside the city. It’s in English which is quite helpful!

Keep in mind the time of year you’re visiting, as for much of the year crampons, gaiters and poles will be important to your safety and comfort on the hiking trails. And of course dress for the temperature at the top of the trail if you are climbing a mountain. If you’re skiing, stay on piste, listen to the resort staff, and hire a guide if you want to go off piste.

Driving Safely in Kazakhstan

It is safe to travel to and through Kazakhstan if you’re driving. Plenty of folks drive across the border, especially to and from Kyrgyzstan. The only border with any issues that I’ve heard about seems to be the Chinese one, and that appears to be a paperwork rather than safety issue.

I drive here, mostly just around the outskirts of Almaty, and up into the mountains a little. The drivers are a little more wild and loose than back in Australia, but seem to follow the rules for the most part. We have a Toyota Prado, which is useful for the period of the year when the roads of Almaty are under layers of ice and snow. You’ll need winter tyres from about October. The roads outside the cities are often in less than ideal shape, so please, if you want to drive out there, get yourself a proper off-road vehicle. And prepare yourself for potholes.

It seems that yellow “foreigners” plates get pulled over more frequently than those with the white “locals” plates. So be prepared for that if you rent a vehicle. And at times (sometimes at the end of a weekend, or after a big event) the traffic police will be out in force. We had an interesting time driving back on a Sunday morning after camping at Kapchaigay Lake. Kazakhstan, by the way, has a blood alcohol limit of 0%. The police were out in force to catch anyone who had been drinking the night before. We were pulled over three times!

There is unfortunately some corruption here and I have heard of police asking for bribes. If you are pulled over, do not be a smartarse, DON’T try and speak Russian (unless you are fluent), and stay friendly.

Road Etiquette in Kazakhstan

There’s a few things to consider when travelling through Kazakhstan by car which are not directly about safety but will help you understand the road culture. Which could be argued helps keep you safe on the roads I guess… Firstly, please keep your headlights on at all times. I’m not sure if it’s a legal thing but everyone does it, and it does make you more visible. Secondly, if you merge into another lane, and someone let you in, thank them by putting your hazard lights on for 2-3 beats. Thirdly, do not cross a pedestrian crossing if there is a pedestrian on it. Keep an eye out for the crossings, as sometimes they are very faint.

Visas

Kazakhstan is safe to travel to, but like most countries, has very strict visa rules! Please check your visa and the date of its expiry, and do not get caught out. Our daughter’s passport expired first in our family and her visa expired several months before this. To leave the country, we had to go through quite a process and visit several governmental offices. Then we had to rebook our tickets. And this was the week before Christmas! It was so expensive!!. Please avoid making this mistake and keep an eye on your visa expiry date.

Visitors to Almaty will sometimes do a ‘visa run’ across the border to Kyrgyzstan. Currently many nationalities can visit Kazakhstan for 30 days visa-free if they travel as a tourist. If they want to extend their stay, they can pop across the border to Kyrgyzstan and then return. You can either drive or fly, and either way your passport gets the necessary stamp and you get another 30 days. If it’s winter, and you need to do a border crossing, please consider flying rather than driving. Recently there was a nasty looking pile up, with subsequent gridlock, on one of the border roads. Mountain driving can be troublesome and a little unsafe in the winter!

Civil Unrest

Kazakhstan is a peaceful and relatively tolerant country, and safe to travel to. However, protests still occur sometimes. Unapproved demonstrations are illegal and those taking part in them can be arrested. Back in the 2022 unrest, the government shut down the internet in the country for a week. If you sense some unrest coming, stay off the streets, and away from main squares and government buildings. And follow the advice of local authorities and your own consulate. Finally, make sure you have local numbers saved of anyone that you might need to contact. If WhatsApp stops working, you will need to reach your friends.

What do I know about Kazakhstan?

I’ve been living in Kazakhstan since mid 2021 with my family. Visit my About Me page to understand more about my perspective. And check out my Kazakhstan page to find out more about why I think you should travel to Kazakhstan!