What are the highlights of northern Kazakhstan?

Burabay (Borovoe) — granite outcrops and pine-fringed lakes — the Kokshetau hills, the Bayanaul lakes, and the Korgalzhyn wetlands, one of the world's northernmost flamingo sites.

When is the best time to visit?

May to September for hiking and the lakes, with flamingos arriving at Korgalzhyn in late spring. The north also has a long, snowy winter suited to cross-country skiing.

Is it beginner-friendly?

Yes — Burabay's gentle marked trails, lakes and forests make it one of the easiest, most scenic regions in the country for beginner walking and family days.

Astana has a major airport, and Burabay is around three hours away by road. Operators run day trips and overnights with transfers.

Things to do in Astana & Northern Kazakhstan

The north is the capital's region and a belt of forest-steppe, granite hills and lakes — greener, cooler and wetter than the country's south. Its centrepiece is Burabay, a cluster of pine-fringed lakes and weathered rock the Kazakhs call their own Switzerland, and its wetlands host some of the world's most northerly flamingos.

Lakes and granite

Rock-and-lake trekking at Burabay and in the Kokshetau hills of Akmola, with quiet cycling and, in the long winter, cross-country skiing.

Wildlife and the capital

Flamingo and steppe-bird watching at the Korgalzhyn wetlands, the pine-and-salt-lake country of Pavlodar, and easy access from the modern capital of Astana. Open the Book here tab for dates and prices.

Lakes and granite

Rock-and-lake trekking at Burabay and in the Kokshetau hills of Akmola, with quiet cycling and, in the long winter, cross-country skiing.