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Kazakhstan, served by Air Astana, is an interesting Central Asian stopover for clients heading to the likes of Beijing, Ho Chi Minh, Bangkok and Hong Kong. Mike Pickup flies in for a tour of Almaty and Astana.
The largest landlocked country in the world and the ninth largest overall, the central Asian country of Kazakhstan is home to just 17 million people. It shares its borders with Russia, China, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan. It’s where apples and garlic originated
and it’s home to some of the world’s rarest tulips; wildlife includes red bears, snow leopards and a wide variety of birdlife including golden eagles, flamingos and falcons. It should be on the bucket list of every twitcher client.
The two major cities are traditional Almaty, the former capital, and brand-new Astana, the current capital, and it is these two cities that are on my itinerary. Visa requirements for British visitors have been waived until the end of 2017 for stays of fewer than 15 days.
My flight on Air Astana, the national carrier and only airline offering direct flights, leaves Heathrow at 6.10pm and lands in Astana seven hours later. From there I have a 90-minute connecting flight to Almaty and my luggage is booked through to the final destination. There are currently four flights a week but the airline wants seven, underlining the importance of UK traffic.
On flights from Heathrow to Astana, the airline offers economy sleeper seats, which I try. I have three seats to myself and receive comprehensive toiletries pack. A mattress is laid across the seats and topped with a duvet; a pillow completes the set-up. Being a six-footer,
I have to curl up a little to prevent my feet from obstructing the aisle but I manage to get a good rest It’s a great concept – ideal for clients who want to sleep but whose budget doesn’t stretch to business class.
This article first appeared in Routes News
Kazakhstan gained independence from the USSR in 1991 and Almaty was the capital until 1997. It is the most developed city in the country and has numerous hotels and restaurants. I take lunches and dinners at a variety of restaurants along with other visitors. The food is good but the service a little haphazard. Customers are served when their food is ready, regardless of others at the table.
The local currency, the Tenge, has suffered a devaluation so prices are reasonably inexpensive. Many places also accept US dollars and, of course, plastic. I join a guided tour the next day and we visit Panfilov Park, home to the magnificent Russian Orthodox Zenkov Cathedral, probably the only wooden cathedral in the world. It was traditionally built using just a few nails. I am as impressed with the interior as with the exterior. It’s an oasis of calm with the smell of incense, the gentle chanting of a priest and magnificent painted screens.
Almaty is close to a mountain range and narrowly lost out to Beijing to host the 2022 Winter Olympics. The Medeu Dam was built to protect the city from major mudslides and next to it sits the Medeu skating rink, at over 5,500ft above sea level, it’s the world’s highest.
Conditions are so good that about 200 world records have been broken here. Surrounding hills make it a winter sun trap and the temperature can reach 15C.
“Girls skate in bikinis and many boys meet their future wives here,” says our guide – I’m thinking speed skating meets speed dating. The main ski centre Shymbulak is reached by cable car, and another two take skiers to the top of the runs at 10,500ft. For clients wanting somewhere unique for a winter sports holiday, Almaty is an ideal destination – in any case, Prince Harry enjoyed it.
Next day it’s back to the airport for a flight from the old capital to the new. Air Astana is itself a relatively new airline, its maiden flight was on May 12, 2002. It is a 51/49 joint venture between the government’s National Welfare Fund and BAE Systems. Its chairman and chief executive is Peter Foster, who received an OBE in 2015 for his services to British aviation in Kazakhstan. Foster’s background includes Cathay Pacific, Philippine Airlines and Royal Brunei, where he served as chief executive.
The airline is recognised by Skytrax as a four-star airline, it has won the title “Best Airline in Central Asia and India” for five consecutive years and “Best Airline Staff Service in Central Asia/India” for the past four years. Clients can expect excellent onboard service.
Its fleet of 30 western aircraft, with more on order, serves over 60 destinations with 72% of its traffic international. The average age of the fleet is just over seven years, making it one of the youngest fleets worldwide.
Its central Asian location means that it is within seven hours’ flying distance of many international destinations and it targets stopover passengers with an attractive offer of a night’s hotel accommodation with breakfast and transfers for just $1, via Air Astana Holidays.
Available in both Almaty and Astana, it makes them very attractive hubs for clients travelling to onward destinations such as Bangkok, Beijing, Bishkek, Delhi, Dushanbe, Ho Chi Minh, Hong Kong, Kuala Lumpur, Seoul, Tashkent, Urumqi and many more besides.
For point-to-point and leisure travellers, stopover accommodation can be extended to provide tailor-made packages. For example, three nights in Almaty and three in Astana with all flights, transfers and hotels on a B&B basis costs from just £729pp. This includes city tours of Almaty and Astana and a seasonal bonus, such as a visit to the Arasan Baths or a day skiing at Shymbulak. Optional extras include trekking, mountain biking and a round of golf with clubs and balls included.
Astana, my second destination is, like Brasilia and Canberra, a new purpose-built capital. Architect Norman Foster is responsible for some of its amazing structures.
Across the road from my Marriott hotel is the Khan Shatyr shopping mall, whose design could be described as a wonky cone. There are three levels of shops, mostly familiar brands, but on the fourth floor is the indoor Sky Beach Club. Foster also designed the pyramid shaped Palace of Peace and Reconciliation. Because the temperature in Astana ranges from 30C in summer to -40C in winter, two sides of the pyramid are on roller bearings to allow for contraction and expansion.
I get as close as I’m allowed to the presidential palace, a cross between the White House and a mosque, and visit a nearby futuristic-looking concert hall, Baiterek, which looks like a 300ft-high football trophy, an art gallery designed like a doggy bowl and the opera house built in the style of a Roman temple. The ultra-modern museum has a gold room with many amazing items in perfect condition, including Golden Man, whose costume dates back to the third century BC.
I’m reluctant to leave this mesmerising place, convinced there is much more to see. Kazakhstan is an ideal destination for clients looking for somewhere unique and with two very contrasting cities to explore.
However, my afternoon flight beckons. I leave at 2.45pm local time and arrive at Heathrow at 4.45pm. Waiting at the luggage carousel, I am approached by Peter Foster, the airline’s chief executive, who was on the same flight. “Sorry I couldn’t get you into business class,” he apologises, “but it was full.” Now you don’t usually get that from the boss of an airline.
Book it: Air Astana offers return flights between Heathrow and Astana from £492 year-round. You can make online reservations via GDS, at airastana.com/uk/en-US (including hotel accommodation) or contact the London office on 020 7333 0196, Monday-Friday.
