Kazakhstan›Month by month

When to go

Kazakhstan, month by month

Where in Kazakhstan is at its best each month, and where to skip. Each verdict comes from the place's stated best season and the closures, weather warnings and festivals Tourisma has for it: in the middle of the season is a great month, its first or last month a good one; a weather warning (monsoon seas, smoke) moves a month down, a closure (a park shut, the boats stopped) moves it down to mixed at most, and a shut place is better avoided.

Kazakhstan in January

Plan January

At their best

Mixed: Aktau, Almaty, Altyn-Emel National Park, Big Almaty Lake, Bozzhyra & the Ustyurt Plateau, Burabay (Borovoe), Charyn Canyon, Kolsai Lakes & Kaindy (Saty), Shymkent, Turgen Gorge, Turkistan.

Better avoided

  • Astana · Extreme Cold in Astana

Kazakhstan in February

Plan February

At their best

Mixed: Aktau, Almaty, Altyn-Emel National Park, Big Almaty Lake, Bozzhyra & the Ustyurt Plateau, Burabay (Borovoe), Charyn Canyon, Kolsai Lakes & Kaindy (Saty), Shymkent, Turgen Gorge, Turkistan.

Better avoided

  • Astana · Extreme Cold in Astana

Kazakhstan in March

Plan March

At their best

No place is in the middle of its season this month.

Good, at the edge of the season

Mixed: Aktau, Almaty, Altyn-Emel National Park, Astana, Big Almaty Lake, Bozzhyra & the Ustyurt Plateau, Burabay (Borovoe), Charyn Canyon, Kolsai Lakes & Kaindy (Saty), Shymkent, Turgen Gorge.

Can fall this month

  • Nauryz (Spring New Year)

Kazakhstan in April

Plan April

At their best

Good, at the edge of the season

Mixed: Astana, Big Almaty Lake, Burabay (Borovoe), Kolsai Lakes & Kaindy (Saty), Shymbulak & Medeu, Turgen Gorge.

Kazakhstan in May

Plan May

At their best

Good, at the edge of the season

Mixed: Big Almaty Lake, Burabay (Borovoe), Kolsai Lakes & Kaindy (Saty), Shymbulak & Medeu.

Can fall this month

  • Kurban Ait (Eid al-Adha) (dates shift yearly)

Kazakhstan in June

Plan June

At their best

Good, at the edge of the season

Mixed: Aktau, Bozzhyra & the Ustyurt Plateau.

Better avoided

Can fall this month

  • Kurban Ait (Eid al-Adha) (dates shift yearly)

Kazakhstan in July

Plan July

At their best

Mixed: Almaty, Altyn-Emel National Park, Charyn Canyon.

Better avoided

Can fall this month

  • Astana Day (Capital Day)

Kazakhstan in August

Plan August

At their best

Good, at the edge of the season

Mixed: Almaty, Altyn-Emel National Park, Charyn Canyon.

Better avoided

Kazakhstan in September

Plan September

At their best

No place is in the middle of its season this month.

Good, at the edge of the season

Mixed: Burabay (Borovoe).

Kazakhstan in October

Plan October

At their best

Good, at the edge of the season

Mixed: Astana, Big Almaty Lake, Burabay (Borovoe), Kolsai Lakes & Kaindy (Saty), Shymbulak & Medeu, Turgen Gorge.

Can fall this month

  • Republic Day

Kazakhstan in November

Plan November

At their best

No place is in the middle of its season this month.

Good, at the edge of the season

Mixed: Aktau, Almaty, Altyn-Emel National Park, Astana, Big Almaty Lake, Bozzhyra & the Ustyurt Plateau, Burabay (Borovoe), Charyn Canyon, Kolsai Lakes & Kaindy (Saty), Shymbulak & Medeu, Shymkent, Turgen Gorge.

Kazakhstan in December

Plan December

At their best

No place is in the middle of its season this month.

Good, at the edge of the season

Mixed: Aktau, Almaty, Altyn-Emel National Park, Big Almaty Lake, Bozzhyra & the Ustyurt Plateau, Burabay (Borovoe), Charyn Canyon, Kolsai Lakes & Kaindy (Saty), Shymkent, Turgen Gorge, Turkistan.

Better avoided

  • Astana · Extreme Cold in Astana

Can fall this month

  • Independence Day
All of KazakhstanPlan a trip to Kazakhstan