Travel Essentials › Kazakhstan
Travel Essentials
Plugs: Types C and F, 220 V. Emergency: One number for everything 112, Police 102, Ambulance 103, Fire 101. Tipping: Around 10% in restaurants, often added as a service charge; small tips for drivers are optional. Tap water: Drink bottled or treated water outside major cities.
Types C and F, 220 V
| One number for everything | 112 |
| Police | 102 |
| Ambulance | 103 |
| Fire | 101 |
Around 10% in restaurants, often added as a service charge; small tips for drivers are optional.
Greetings. Men shake hands warmly, often with both hands, and ask after health and family. Wait for a woman to offer her hand; in cities handshakes between men and women are common. Greet the eldest person first.
Hospitality and guests. Hosting and hospitality are highly valued; if invited for tea or a meal, accepting at least a little is polite, and guests are often served the best food available.
Removing shoes indoors. Take off shoes when entering someone's home; house slippers are often provided.
Respect for elders. Elders are shown particular respect through greetings, seating priority and deference in conversation.
Kazakhstan is generally safe for tourists, with low rates of violent crime against visitors; petty scams, unlicensed taxis and occasional fake-police shakedowns are the more common concerns.
"Lost wallet" scam. A stranger claims to find cash and offers to split it with you, then an accomplice arrives claiming ownership and pressures you for money; walk away from unsolicited "found money" situations.
Fake police demanding money. Individuals posing as police may stop tourists and demand fines or bribes; ask to see identification/badge and insist on going to an official police station if in doubt.
Unlicensed taxis. Agree on a fare before getting in, or use a ride-hailing app, to avoid overcharging.
Women travelers. Solo women travelers report a generally low but real risk of verbal harassment; most encounters are respectful, though some persistence from men can occur.
Partly legal · Use Caution
Same-sex relations are legal, but a 2025 law prohibiting the "promotion" of non-traditional sexual orientation carries fines, detention or deportation risk, and social attitudes are often hostile outside a discreet scene in Almaty; LGBTQ+ travelers should be very discreet, especially outside the two largest cities.
| Coffee (café) | 800 KZT | $1.70 |
| Local bus or metro ride | 100 KZT | $0.20 |
| Mid-range restaurant meal | 3,500 KZT | $7.50 |
| Hostel bed / budget room (night) | 6,000 KZT | $13 |
| Mid-range hotel (night) | 16,000 KZT | $35 |
| Daily budget, mid-range traveler | 28,000 KZT | $60 |
2026-09
April-May and September-October offer the most comfortable weather for sightseeing and hiking around Almaty; summer is warm and good for the mountains and lakes, while winter is cold with smog common in Almaty's valley.