DESTINATIONS ACTIVE & ADVENTURE |KAZAKHSTAN
CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT: Mausoleum of Khoja Ahmed Yasawi; wood carver and musician Gauharbek; writer Laura French
making tandyr nan; Lake Kaindy; camel farm
PICTURES: Daniyar Berdali; Jamilya Mukhamed-Rakhimova; Global Air
expert ASK THE rt
Andrea Godfrey, head of Regent Holidays
“Kazakhstan is still relatively unknown, but it’s gaining popularity as travellers seek more off-the-beaten-path
destinations. We’ve seen an increase in bookings over the past year, and I believe it has immense potential.
The country is a melting pot of different cultures, has a
FAIRYTALE LANDSCAPES Beyond the canyon, Kazakhstan has plenty more to offer on the nature front – not least Lake Kaindy. A two-hour drive away, this ‘sunken forest’ is one of the country’s most extraordinary draws, set in the heart of the Tian-Shan mountains. Tree branches rise from a pool of deep teal water, a haunting remnant of the 1911 earthquake, which caused the valley to flood and turned the forest into a natural dam. Today it’s an ethereal scene, a mirror-flat sheet of water flecked with turquoise and gold, tucked between fir-lined slopes and punctuated by a ghostly cluster of branches – and it is nothing short of mesmerising. It’s not just Kazakhstan’s landscapes that charm,
however. This is a country of myriad cultures, and on a visit to a nearby Uyghur family home that night, we learnt more about the country’s nomadic heritage, huddling in a colourful yurt to sample the likes of beshbarmak – a hearty meat noodle stew, which is Kazakhstan’s national dish – before gathering round a campfire with our gracious hosts, a blanket of stars glistening overhead.
CULTURAL ENCOUNTERS These touches elevated the tour well beyond the ordinary, yet there was more to come farther south as we flew to the city of Turkistan, considered the country’s spiritual capital.
Outside the city, a slice of
rural life gave me a sense of the many cultural layers that make up modern-day Kazakhstan
Here, we were welcomed into another local home to learn how to make traditional tandyr nan – a type of flatbread – kneading mounds of dough before cooking them in an outdoor tandoor oven, then sampling our creations as we heard from local saddle-maker Zhanbolat and his son, Nurdaulet. On another evening, we visited a wood
carver’s workshop, learning more about the carving process as well as the meaning behind the various pieces while our host, Gauharbek, played traditional Kazakh songs on a handcrafted, stringed instrument known as a dombrya. Just outside the city, we stopped at a family-run camel farm passed down through five generations, sampling fresh camel’s milk and local delicacies as we got a glimpse into the ongoing significance of camel herding in the country. This slice of rural life gave me an appreciation for the respect for tradition that still rules here, and a sense of the many cultural layers that make up modern-day Kazakhstan.
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very rich history and is also great for nature lovers with its diverse landscapes. We launched our new Culture & Cuisine of Kazakhstan
itinerary because we wanted to emphasise cultural
experiences such as sharing home-cooked meals with
local families, participating in wine tastings, taking cookery classes and visiting markets.
Kazakh people are known for their warmth and generosity, and I’ve always felt very welcome there.”
Kazakh home cooking
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