The Complete Guide for a Family Trip to Kazakhstan

Why visit Kazakhstan with your family?

Kazakhstan is a very family-friendly place and it can be much less expensive for a family trip than the usual hotspots. It’s outdoorsy and beautiful, with lots of open spaces for kids to run off their energy. Playgrounds are everywhere, and there’s plenty of entertainment facilities for older kids. Walking is a national past time for all ages here. I spent four years living here, and loved it, and I think you would too, so here is my guide to a family trip to Kazakhstan.

Best places to stay with your family

Almaty

This is the place to base yourself and spend the lions share of your family trip in Kazakhstan. The country’s former capital sits in the south east, against the rugged Tien Shan mountain range. With a very modern and sprawling centre, you have access to restaurants, parks, big indoor shopping malls and entertainment complexes. Vacationing here is a a year round thing, as Almaty delivers in all seasons.

Astana

A photo of a boy climbing the rope fence in front of Lake Borovoye in Kazakhstan — The area around Lake Borovoye, just north of Astana, contains forest and low mountains, and is popular for hiking, water sports and cycling

The nation’s capital, Astana, is a glittering city in the middle of the country. It’s a two hour flight from Almaty. Best time to visit is in spring and autumn as the summers are rather hot and the winters very cold. If you’re there in the warmer months you could travel just a few hours north of the city to visit the magnificent Borovoye (or Burabay) Lake for some R&R.

Charyn Canyon

A beautiful canyon a three hour drive east of Almaty. If you stay over night, you’ll also have plenty of time for a visit to nearby picturesque Kaindy and Kolsai Lakes. The canyon and the lakes are all very beautiful and instagrammable.

Shymkent

In southern Kazakhstan, near the Uzbekistan border, you’ll find Shymkent, a former trading town on the old Silk Road, and the third of the three cities holding republican significance in Kazakhstan. It’s a 1.5 hour flight or a 11-13 hour train ride from Almaty. Nearby you’ll also find Turkestan, an ancient city with gorgeous mosaics.

When is the best time to visit Kazakhstan?

You can of course visit Kazakhstan whenever you want, however there are better times depending on what you want to do on your family trip and where you wish to visit! Below is a summary and you can find more details in my post about the best time of year to visit Almaty!

Spring

A great time to visit, with the winter finally over and the days getting longer! You can celebrate Nauryz during the spring equinox in mid March, which serves as the traditional New Years for Kazakhs. This is a wonderful celebration to see. Just check the dates for when Ramadan falls – if it overlaps with Nauryz this will mean dampened celebrations in some parts of the country such as Shymkent.

In May the tulips come out in the fields surrounding Almaty and Shymkent and it is absolutely beautiful. The featured image at the top was taken just outside Almaty. May also brings tick season, so it’s worthwhile getting your three rounds of tick vaccine before you come out, especially if you’ll be hiking or camping outside the cities.

Summer

A wonderful time of year to be in Almaty with its higher altitude position. With great hiking trails and generally dry and sunny weather, you and the family will enjoy yourselves. It is a hot time of year to be in either Astana or Shymkent, so if you’re there, ensure you drink plenty of fluids and that you plan for some indoor activities during the hottest part of the day. If you’re in Astana, it might be a great time to drive out to Borovoye Lake to enjoy the cooler temperatures of the lake.

In late summer, you’re set to visit Aktau in the west of the country if you wish to see the Caspian Sea. After a a few months of sun the sea has warmed up to a temperature you might comfortably swim in, and the air temperature hasn’t dropped yet.

Autumn

A gorgeous time of year with fall colours. Anywhere in the country is fair game. Do bring your warm clothes just in case of cold snaps, and note that Kazakhstan’s babushkas (grandmothers) are not afraid to let you know if they think you haven’t rugged up your child properly.

Winter

The best place for winter fun at this point is Almaty, with its developed ski resorts and many outdoor ski rinks. If you’re a snow loving family, this is a great time to visit for a fraction of the price at a European or American resort. Temperatures sit at about -10 throughout the coldest part of winter in Almaty, which is quite manageable. It is, however, a very cold time to be in the windy capital, so bring your warmest kit if you need to visit Astana. Again, note that older folks will let you know if they think you need to put more clothes on your child.

Is Kazakhstan Family Friendly?

Indeed! The country is quite family focused and children are welcome into most spaces. Some of the most upmarket restaurants I’ve been to in Almaty and Astana have catered well to children, with child menus present in almost every eatery I’ve been to. Paper and coloured pencils are frequently handed out to keep little minds occupied. Often restaurants and cafes will have a dedicated play area for smaller kids.

The outdoors in the cities are very well set up for families, with parks, playgrounds everywhere. Most streets are also very stroller friendly.

Food in Kazakhstan

The food in traditional Kazakh cuisine is tasty and hearty, designed to be eaten together banquet style. It is centred around red meat and bread. Bishbarmak is the national dish, usually served with horse meat, and you’ll want to check it out as it’s super tasty. See my guide to eating horse meat for some Almaty options. Kazakhstan restaurants also features dishes from the broader Central Asian region: noodles, such as lagman, and rice dishes, such as plov. And you can’t go past the shashlik, which is grilled meat with a delicious sauce.

If meat and bread is not really your family’s thing, you’ll be pleased to see the amount of international cuisine easily found in the big cities such as Almaty, Astana and Shymkent. Vegetarians and vegans will find options too. Lots of soups and salads are available if your appetite is not so big.

Kids will surely love baursaki, little fried doughballs usually served with sour cream. If your children are picky then never fear, most places do have kids menus and these usually offer a variation on the nuggets/chips/pizza options seen around the world.

Practical tips for traveling with children in Kazakhstan

Shopping Malls are great bad weather options

A big shopping mall can provide much needed respite for little humans needing some downtime from tourist activities, or an escape from harsh weather. The malls will usually have a play centre and an entertainment arcade. There are also often cinemas showing international movies, though few will offer English audio. Think of it as a cultural experience and an opportunity to expand your ear for the local languages!

Snacks will keep everyone happy

You’ll want to bring some snacks with you for any long drives or train journeys. If you want to try some good Kazkahstan snack options, you could start with the apple shaped cookies, Yablochka, by local confectioner, Rakhat. Rakhat also does a really fabulous chocolate in a famous blue wrapping, known simply as Kazakhstan. You can buy them in small individually wrapped pieces which are perfect as snacks for hiking or ski days.

Comfort Class as a minimum for taxis

If you’re staying in the cities, then you’ll probably be catching Yandex taxis (IOS and Google), which are very affordable. I’d recommend taking Comfort class or Comfort Plus class as they are more likely to have working seatbelts. There doesn’t appear to be any mandatory seatbelt rules here. In saying that the traffic often doesn’t move that fast.

Tips for those with small kids

For smaller children, you’ll find most things you need such as nappies, baby food, wet wipes etc in supermarkets. And there are convenience stores on many street corners stocking these items for a small mark up.

Adults with babes in arms are commonly allowed to skip lines. If you have a small child and you are waiting in a long line, such as at the ticket line up to Shymbulak, check with the person in front of you and they may just help usher you to the front.

Teach the kids a couple of helpful phrases

Teach the kids a couple of helpful words in Russian and Kazakh:

Spah-see-bah means ‘thanks’ in Russian
Rahk-met means ‘thanks’ in Kazakh
Priv-yet means ‘hello’ in Russian (its informal but perfectly ok for kids)
Sah-lam means ‘hello’ in Kazakh

Packing list for Kazakhstan with kids

If you’re visiting any of the big cities, like Almaty or Astana, you will be able to find almost anything if you forget it. I still recommend you bring all your medications and vitamins that you would usually use. There are plenty of pharmacies around though you may not get the brands you are looking for, or in the dosages you are used to. We always bring our own children’s paracetamol/tylenol syrup and children’s Nurofen.

Children’s medications and painkillers such as paracetamol syrup
Sun hat for sunny weather and beanie for cooler weather
Jacket for any cool evenings, especially if visiting the mountains
comfortable walking shoes
Snacks and entertainment for travel days

For small kids who are still in nappies, you’ll find all these items in every supermarket in the big cities. Bring enough nappies for a few days so you’re not stressed on arrival. The cities are also very walkable places with lots of ramps so think about how best to move your child from one place to another.

Nappies and wet wipes
Child carrier/folding stroller

Sample 7 day family itinerary

Here is a sample 7 day itinerary which should work for most families.

Day 1 Arrive in Almaty, visit the beautiful Abay Opera House to see if there’s any tickets available for shows happening while you’re in the city – these shows are great value. Wander down the road to Stolichny Supermarket, a charming little market dating back to 1956. They do delicious freshly baked loaves of bread. Travel in the gondola up to the kids’ paradise that is Kok Tobe. That evening eat at one of the incredible Central Asian restaurants back down in town, such as Sandyq or Navat.
Day 2 Visit the mountain resort above the city, Shymbulak, which is worth a visit year round. Afterwards eat at Auyl Restaurant near the base of the mountain. Make sure to try their delicious baursaki – best be quick before your kids eat them all!
Day 3-4 Drive to Charyn Canyon, and see the beautiful Kaindy and Kolsai Lakes. Depending on the age of your kids, you may want to take the special jeep taxi down the canyon rather than walking it.
Day 5 relax and recuperate after your travel days at Arasan Bath House, follow it up with a delicious meal at either Daredzhani (Georgian cuisine) or Marina Roscha (Russian cuisine). Both restaurants are two blocks south of Arasan.
Day 6 Get out to the Flea Markets for some soviet memorabilia! The cool Zhetysu flea markets only operate on the weekends though so make sure you plan for that. If you wish to try Baraholka market, which I might not recommend if you have smaller kids, I strongly recommend you go with a guide as it’s immense!
Day 7 on your last day, visit the Green Bazaar, make sure you stop at Bowler Coffee in the main hall for some respite and feed the kids some delicious pancakes, let the kids run around at Panfilov Park and feed the pigeons in front of the gorgeous wooden Ascension Cathedral, then finish up at the small and quirky Museum of Musical Instruments .

Many online itineraries I found also suggested getting out to Big Almaty Lake. While I agree it’s a beautiful spot, I’m not sure I’d say it’s worth the effort required for such a short trip. The road out there has been under construction since we moved there in 2021 and the road is usually blocked unless you have a reservation to the hotel, Alpen Rose.

I also have a five day itinerary which I followed when I took a solo trip in early 2026!

Is Kazakhstan worth visiting with kids?

Yes, definitely you should consider Kazakhstan for family trip with the kids! It’s a really great spot, and still very untouched by western tourism. The prices there reflect that, in that you will be paying very little for food, drink and transport, compared to more well known tourist hotspots. Furthermore, it’s super safe for families, especially those with young kids. It feels like a village the way people keep an eye on children. More than once our youngest, an adventurous little blonde haired boy, would wander off only to be returned by another parent, before we’d even noticed him gone.

What do I know about Kazakhstan?

I lived here from 2021 till 2025 with my young family and we had the time of our lives! Visit my About Me page to understand more about my perspective.