Baikonur
The history of humanity's space exploration begins at Baikonur, the world's first cosmodrome located in southwestern Kazakhstan, near the Syr Darya River. It was from here that the first artificial satellite of Earth was launched, dogs Laika, Belka, and Strelka were sent into Earth's orbit, and it was also from Baikonur that Yuri Gagarin made the first manned orbital flight around Earth in human history.
Today, the Baikonur complex has an interesting status – it is leased by Russia until 2050 and is a restricted city. It is surrounded by concrete walls with barbed wire, and entry is only possible through checkpoints with special permission.
How to get a permit to enter Baikonur?
If you want not only to visit the city but also to visit the cosmodrome and witness rocket launches, you will need to contact Roscosmos-accredited travel agencies. There are very few of them, and the cost of tours starts at 100,000 rubles (about $1,100). Each tourist's candidacy is thoroughly checked by the Russian side.
For citizens of Russia, Kazakhstan, and the CIS, the document submission period is 22 working days before the trip. Everyone else must submit documents at least 2 months before the intended date of entry.
Note: Although there is no official information about this, according to our sources among travel agencies, at the moment, only citizens of "friendly" countries to Russia can enter Baikonur. Citizens of the USA, Europe, and Japan are being denied entry.
The second option, without visiting the space objects, is just to visit the city. An invitation can be arranged for you by relatives or acquaintances living there, or again by a travel agency. Naturally, you will have to pay for this, but the amount will be much cheaper.
Yuri Gagarin monument
How to get to Baikonur?
There is no direct air or rail connection to the city of Baikonur. The nearest airport is in the city of Kyzylorda. From there, you can get to the station where you can take a taxi to Baikonur or take a train to the nearest station, Tyuratam. In Tyuratam, you will also have to take a taxi.
A taxi from Kyzylorda costs 2500 tenge. A taxi from Tyuratam to the city center costs 50 rubles. The taxi will stop at the checkpoint to check documents and permits.
Source: Von NASA Gemeinfrei, Link
What to see in Baikonur?
Of course, the most interesting thing in the city is the rocket launches. They usually take place several times a year, and the schedule can be obtained from travel agencies.
On launch days, several types of excursion programs are offered to tourists. These are usually tours for manned or unmanned launches. They include: observing the transportation and installation of rockets, visiting launch pads, seeing off astronauts, and witnessing rocket launches. Additionally, they may include excursions to museums or memorials.
Soyuz TMA-16 launch vehicle being transported to launchpad at Baikonur in 2009, By Bill Ingalls - Link
Which travel companies offer tours to Baikonur?
Many companies currently offer tours to Baikonur. Here are the most popular ones: Kosmodrom Space, Baikonur Tour, Turan Asia, Starcity Tours, Kompas Tour, Advant Tour, Kosmo Travel. Please contact them directly for details and conditions of the visit.
Lifehack
The simplest and most budget-friendly way to watch rocket launches from Baikonur is to do it from Tyuratam and the surrounding areas. You do not need to enter the city, get a permit, or spend a lot of money on a tour. You just need to find a spot in the steppe with a view of the rocket and arrive there during the launch. Yes, you won't be able to visit the launch pad, see off the astronauts, or witness the fantastic launch structures, but you will definitely witness a historic event – the launch of a new expedition into space.