Sightseeing in Kazakhstan: What to See
Kazakhstan’s two cities show a hundred years apart in a single trip: Almaty’s wooden churches and mountain foothills, and Astana’s skyline built almost entirely since the capital moved there in 1997.
Zenkov Cathedral, Almaty
At 56 meters tall in Panfilov Park, this Russian Orthodox cathedral was built in 1907 from Tian Shan spruce without a single metal nail, and it survived the 7.7-magnitude 1911 earthquake standing. Open daily 07:00 to 19:00, free admission, headscarves for women available at the door.
Memorial of Glory, Almaty
A 1975 bronze triptych and eternal flame in the same park, honoring the 28 Panfilov Guardsmen who died defending Moscow in 1941. GetYourGuide lists guided Panfilov Park walking tours .
Baiterek Monument, Astana
This 97-meter tower on Nurzhol Boulevard marks the 1997 capital move and represents the mythical Tree of Life; its 86-meter observation deck holds a gilded handprint of the first president. Open daily, summer 10:00 to 22:00, winter 10:00 to 21:00. Adult tickets run 2,500 KZT, child 1,250 KZT. Official ticketing runs through ticketon.kz .
Astana Grand Mosque
Opened in August 2022 on Mangilik El Avenue, the largest mosque in Central Asia has an 83.2-meter dome, four 130-meter minarets, and room for 30,000 worshippers inside, with 235,000 across the full courtyard. Free admission outside prayer times; robes are provided.
Palace of Peace and Reconciliation
Norman Foster’s 62-meter glass pyramid hosts the Triennial Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions and runs English-language guided tours for 2,000 KZT. Viator lists Astana city tours that include the Pyramid and Khan Shatyr .
Khan Shatyr
This 150-meter translucent tent, also by Foster, covers 140,000 square meters and houses the Sky Beach Club, an indoor tropical pool held at 35°C year-round with sand shipped in from the Maldives. Day passes run 10,000 to 15,000 KZT.
The verdict
Give Almaty and Astana each a full day of sightseeing on their own; the two cities’ landmarks don’t share a route, and a rushed single day in either misses half of what’s there.
Before you go
Skip Lake Balkhash as a sightseeing stop unless you have several extra days; it sits well outside either city’s day-trip range with limited tourist infrastructure, mosquitoes in summer, and few services for visitors passing through. Kazakhstan’s official tourism portal, kazakhstan.travel , keeps current hours for the mosque and the Pyramid. See the walking tours guide for routes linking these landmarks on foot, one city at a time.