One of our children will be studying Russian for a semester in Kazakhstan. We would like to visit while he is studying in the city of Almaty. Has anyone visited this country recently? What are your safety concerns for my husband, myself and our teen daughter? Any recommendations of where to stay and what to see. We are thinking November. Thank you! I wish Rick had a book on this!
Posted by
Washington DC Region, USA
7054 posts
A friend of mine adopted two children from there, so she and her husband were on the ground in Almaty and Astana for months, albeit with a translator because they had to deal with the courts and orphanage. They both spoke positively about their experience. I don't think you need to worry about safety...just because a place is foreign, it doesn't mean it's unsafe. I would check out Lonely Planet perhaps, or any other publisher focused on the country/region. One thing I can think of that may be a bit challenging is signage due to the Russian language, so maybe it's worth getting the hang of Cyrillic script (the basics) before going.
https://www.lonelyplanet.com/kazakhstan
http://wikitravel.org/en/Kazakhstan
Posted by
OP
9 posts
Thank you so much! It appears much easier to travel there then Russia so I think it would be great to see our son and let him translate for us! I am not afraid of foreign travel. I just returned home from 5 weeks in France but I don't know much about the 'Stans'....only Europe and South America! Your reassurance is helpful! I will check out lonely planet and the other link you provided! Thank you for that. I have just begun my research and started with the Consolute webpage! If you talk to your friends and find out more info please pass it along!
Posted by
Minnesota
573 posts
I have not been in Kazakhstan, but went on a two-week tour of Uzbekistan last fall. It was a fabulous experience that I think about almost daily. Although I was with a group most of the time, l always felt comfortable and safe when off on my own. The people were friendly, the sights were spectacular, the food was good. I would be thrilled to have an opportunity to explore the Stans some more.
By the way, should you be interested in having an organized tour for part of your trip, our tour guides were provided by MIR Corp which specializes in Russia and Central Asia. They have group tours, but also arrange private tours. They have an office in Seattle.
Have a wonderful time.
Posted by
Vernon, Canada
32363 posts
It would be prudent to review the U.S. State Department information for Kazakhstan, especially the "Safety & Security* sections. The Canadian government website states, "However, you should exercise a high degree of caution due to crime."