Winter Resorts in Kazakhstan
Five Kazakhstani resorts where you'll forget about the hustle and bustle and immerse yourself in snowy nirvana.
Zerenda, Akmola Region
On one side - a lake lying under the ice, on the other - slopes of low snow-capped hills, covered with fragrant needles. Zerenda is beautiful! Like a convinced ascetic, it maintains a distance between itself and the bustling world. Here, even in summer, there are no huge crowds of tourists, and even less so in winter. At the same time, there are about 10 recreation areas on the shore of Lake Zerend, including new comfortable complexes with hotel and cottage rooms.
Rest in Zerenda can be budget-friendly, for 3000 tenge per person per day, or quite luxurious, in spacious and lovely rooms for 25,000 tenge. Hotels offer various health procedures: cedar barrels, massages, baths.
And outside the hotel walls, relaxing emptiness, clean air, and squeaky snow under your feet await.
Balkhash, Almaty, Zhambyl, and Karaganda regions
On the shore of the large steppe lake, stretching over three regions, there are plenty of secluded spots for quiet relaxation in the cold season. The most popular activity in Balkhash in winter is fishing. In the frozen snow-covered lake, they catch catfish, white carp, zander, and carp. Tour operators offer specialized fishing tours, and hotels organize trips to "hot" spots.
The charm of Balkhash lies not only in the cleanliness and asceticism of its spaces but also in the availability of various recreation bases and sanatoriums. Here, as in Zerenda, it is not as crowded in winter as in summer, so Balkhash is ideal for those who want to quietly and leisurely spend their winter vacation in their native lands.
Tuyuk-su, Almaty Region
Mountain lovers will find tranquility in the Tuyuk-su area. Bypassing the Shymbulak ski resort, vacationers can stay at a mountain hotel nestled among picturesque slopes. And if below, on the slopes of Shymbulak, there are queues of skiers and snowboarders, it's almost always quiet and deserted in Tuyuk-su.
You can stay in one of the log cabins here and stroll through the beautiful surroundings of the Zailiysky Alatau.
Tuyuk-su also houses a mountaineering camp, from where ascents to nearby peaks are made.
Burabay (Borovoe), Akmola Region
In Burabay, it's very lively in the summer. Hundreds and thousands of Kazakhs gather here, and guest houses lack available rooms. But in winter, the lakes empty out and become a paradise for nature admirers. The surroundings of Borovoe are amazingly beautiful. Monumental rocks, rich forests, snow-covered hills. And the lakes, snowy and frozen, like from a fairy tale.
If at some point walks along deserted paths of the pine forest seem boring to you, you can turn to mass entertainment. For example, head to the Shchuchinsk area, to the "Santa Claus House" near the Rixos hotel. There you and your children can ride on reindeer and dog sleds, and be initiated into shamanic rituals.
To ensure that your stay in Burabay is truly peaceful, it's better to spend it after the New Year and Christmas holidays – at this time, local guest houses are filled with guests.
Ridder, East Kazakhstan Region
The industrial town in Eastern Kazakhstan deserves attention not only from geologists and metallurgists but also from travelers looking to discover new winter leisure destinations.
In the suburbs of Ridder, there are quite decent hotels and recreation complexes where you can stay, including eco-hotels. The surroundings of Ridder are incredibly picturesque! Snowy mountain peaks, green coniferous trees, babbling streams. This is the region that once visited, it's impossible not to fall in love with your country all over again.