Etihad Airways has announced the launch of flights from Abu Dhabi to Almaty and other cities in Central Asia and the South Caucasus, beginning in March 2026. The airline’s announcement followed the Hungarian low-cost carrier Wizz Air’s decision to suspend flights to the region starting September 2025. In total, Etihad…
South Korea’s low-cost carrier Eastar Jet has launched direct flights from Busan to Almaty. The inaugural flight departed the second-largest city in South Korea at 6:55 p.m. local time. The route will operate once a week on Tuesdays. The journey from Busan to Almaty takes seven hours and 50 minutes,…
Malaysia Airlines has launched a campaign selling flight tickets from Delhi starting at $200. This means that until the campaign ends on July 21, anyone can travel from Almaty to Sydney for less than $500. Travelers can also fly cheaply from Delhi to Tokyo, Bali, Auckland and Kuala Lumpur. The…
There’s no need to travel as far as New Zealand to experience the atmosphere of J.R.R. Tolkien’s Middle-earth, as Kazakhstan offers its own magical landscapes. The county is home to many stunning places where you can feel like a character from «The Hobbit» or «The Lord of the Rings.» Three…
Three years after legalizing cannabis, Thai authorities are set to restrict its sale, allowing marijuana purchases only with a doctor’s prescription. The decision comes amid a sharp rise in cannabis-related businesses and addiction rates since the drug was legalized. Authorities have also reported an uptick in tourists attempting to smuggle…
If you’ve ever dreamed of receiving a letter from Hogwarts, riding the Hogwarts Express, or sipping butterbeer in a cozy magical coffee shop, these three locations in Kazakhstan might just make your dreams come true. Hogwarts Express in Karaganda In the heart of Karaganda, there’s a place that’s sure to…
American superstar Jennifer Lopez will perform in Kazakhstan as part of her world tour in early August. Despite the initial frenzy during the first days of ticket sales, tickets are still available on the Freedom Ticketon website for both Almaty and Astana concerts. According to the seating chart on the…
The Tajik government has adopted an Open Skies policy, lifting key restrictions on foreign carriers. This move effectively abolishes the principle of parity between domestic and international airlines, which previously limited the number of foreign flights to match those of national carriers. Under the new rules, all restrictions on flight…
A cableway is a popular and spectacular means of transportation in mountainous regions. However, despite being fairly widespread and generally safe, incidents still occasionally occur. On June 23, a cable car on Mount Karren in Austria got stuck for over four hours due to a thunderstorm, leaving 19 passengers and…
Wizz Air, a Hungarian low-cost airline, has suspended flights between Astana and Abu Dhabi since June 19, due to the escalating conflict between Israel and Iran. However, flights from Almaty and back are still being operated. Passengers planning to return from Abu Dhabi to Astana are offered a flight via…
Kazakhstan aims to develop its film tourism industry, positioning itself as an attractive destination for international filmmakers. Potential filming locations include the forests of Eastern Kazakhstan, the outskirts of Ridder and Ust-Kamenogorsk and the Burabay National Park, according to Kazakh Tourism. What is film tourism? Film tourism is a form…
Kazakhstani superstar Dimash Qudaibergen recently shared memories of his first meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping during the show “Idei Menyayut” (Ideas Change the World), filmed at Nazarbayev University. According to Dimashnews.com, the meeting took place in 2017, when Dimash performed at a special event in Astana in honor of…
On June 16, Shymbulak, a well-known ski resort in Almaty, is launching a special promotional offer: people are invited to hike up to the resort on foot before 11 a.m. each morning until June 30 in exchange for a discounted cable descend ticket and a free cup of flavored tea…
Russia has been developing a new space station called the Russian Orbital Service Station, which is set to replace the International Space Station (ISS). The new orbital station will consist of several modules. The first is scheduled for launch in December 2027 from the Vostochny Cosmodrome in Russia’s Far East,…
Kazakh singer Dimash Qudaibergen made a special guest appearance at French music legend Lara Fabian’s solo concert at London’s OVO Arena Wembley. A video of the two stars performing the iconic song «Adagio» on stage has since surfaced online. Fabian’s concert was part of her Voices world tour. In addition…
Bayan Alaguzova, a well-known Kazakhstani movie producer, has announced plans to make the final movie in her trilogy — following the acclaimed “Baqyt” (Happiness) and “Zhauap Ber” (Give an Answer) — about strong women fighting male-driven injustice. She offered a sneak peek at her plans via Instagram Stories. Even though…
Till Lindemann — German musician, poet and actor, best known as the frontman of Rammstein, Lindemann and Na Chui — is set to perform in Almaty on Jan. 7, 2026, as part of his solo tour Meine Welt across Central Asia. Lindemann is also recognized for his collaborations with a…
Russia-administered Baikonur, a city in Kazakhstan famous for its spaceport, is unlikely to see new hotels unless tourists begin visiting the site more often, according to the Russian news agency RIA Novosti, citing the city’s mayor Konstantin Busygin. According to him, the recent launch of the Soyuz MS-27 spacecraft attracted…
Emin Agalarov, a well-known Azerbaijani singer and entrepreneur, visited Mangystau, admiring the natural beauty of the region. «What an amazing planet we live on! Thank you for the warm welcome, Kazakhstan,» Agalarov captioned the vivid video from the region. The footage shows the singer visiting Bozzhyra and Aktau. Although it…
According to the Tourism Industry Committee under the Ministry of Tourism and Sports of Kazakhstan, the Almaty Mountain Cluster (AMC) is expected to become the largest year-round tourism project in Central Asia by 2029. On May 23, Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov was shown the project development plan. He also took…
Azerbaijani singer and businessman Emin Agalarov plans to develop a resort zone on the Caspian coastline in Mangystau, Kazakhstan. The project aligns with Azerbaijan’s Sea Breeze Resort and will feature beaches, residential developments and recreational areas. A corresponding memorandum of cooperation between the resort and Kazakh Tourism has already been…
Kazakhstan has gradually become a more popular destination for Chinese travelers. Over the past five years, the influx of tourists from this country has risen ninefold, making the Chinese the second-biggest group of foreigners staying in Kazakhstan’s hotels, as reported by Kazakh Tourism. In 2024, more than 650,000 guests from…
The East Kazakhstan region is set to build a new cross-border road for tourists from China. The road will span from Kanas Lake in China to Lake Markakol in the Katon-Karagay district of Kazakhstan, as reported by the Ministry of Tourism and Sports of Kazakhstan, citing the administration of the…
