Travelers should shop for Astrakhan coats, folk instruments, hats and various paraphernalia decorated in traditional designs. Souvenir shops are common in large cities, but native crafts may be hard to find (or exorbitantly expensive) in rural regions. Bargaining is the norm—a good rule is to offer half the asking price and work toward the middle. Be aware that certain items (e.g. rugs) require a certificate from the Ministry of Culture before they can be exported, so be sure to check with customs or your embassy to ensure that your treasures return home with you. Many consumer goods are also in short supply, so if you see something you need, buy it.
Shopping Hours: Daily 8 am-6 pm.
Day By Day
We highly recommend a prepaid, packaged, escorted tour for first-time travelers to Kazakhstan. Because of inadequate accommodations, frequent delays, health considerations, scarcity of English speakers, sometimes-dangerous desert conditions and different cultural traditions, most visitors will appreciate having the aid of an escort to minimize problems (be aware, however, that problems will still occur). Kazakhstan is best enjoyed as a stopover after a journey into the heart of Central Asia or China. If Kazakhstan is your only destination and you wish to get an overview of the best the country has to offer, try to find a tour that covers at least the following destinations:
Day 1—Arrive Almaty.
Day 2—Almaty. Day trip to Ayak-Kalkan.
Day 3—Fly to Altay Mountains.
Day 4—Altay Mountains.
Day 5—Excursion to Turkestan.
Day 6—Return to Almaty.
Day 7—Depart Kazakhstan.
Be sure to pad the above schedule to allow for the almost inevitable delays inherent in travel to this area. Internal flight schedules can be subject to frequent revisions, depending on fuel availability and weather.
