Overview: Kazakhstan holiday packages from the UAE reach Central Asia's largest country — the futuristic capital Astana with its Bayterek Tower and Khan Shatyr, cosmopolitan Almaty backed by the Tian Shan, the turquoise Big Almaty Lake, and the otherworldly rock formations of Charyn Canyon. Direct flights connect the UAE to Almaty and Astana in around four to five hours, opening a country that blends Soviet-modernist cities, nomadic Silk Road heritage, and high-altitude mountain landscapes. Best travelled April–October for city touring and mountain access.

Kazakhstan Holiday Packages from UAE

Kazakhstan spans 2.7 million square kilometres - the world's ninth-largest country by area, and the largest landlocked country anywhere. The Tien Shan range rises above Almaty to 7,000+ metres at its highest peaks; Charyn Canyon cuts 154 metres deep into red sandstone 200 kilometres east of Almaty; and the Kolsai Lakes sit at 1,800 metres elevation inside the Ile-Alatau National Park. Kazakhstan holiday packages from the UAE route travellers through this scale with logistics most self-drivers would struggle to arrange independently - including permits for the Singing Dune and transfers to remote lake clusters.

Kazakhstan absorbs distinct traveller profiles. Mountain and adventure travellers anchor in Almaty for Shymbulak skiing in winter (December–April) or Tien Shan trekking in summer (June–September); architecture and urban travellers build around the capital Astana's modernist skyline including the Bayterek Tower and Norman Foster's Khan Shatyr; heritage travellers visit Turkistan's Mausoleum of Khoja Ahmed Yasawi (UNESCO, 14th century); and food travellers route through Almaty's Green Bazaar and Astana's contemporary restaurant scene. A Kazakhstan tour package bundles the flight, internal transfers, and guide-led excursions into one booking - useful given Kazakhstan's limited English-language signage outside major cities.

Why Travel to Kazakhstan?

Kazakhstan delivers an atypical combination of scale, modernity, and wilderness:

• Tien Shan mountain access: Shymbulak ski resort sits 25 minutes from Almaty city centre - one of the shortest city-to-mountain transitions of any major destination. Summer trekking through the Kolsai lakes and Kaindy (the submerged-forest lake) is equally accessible.
• Short flight time from UAE: Almaty reaches Dubai in 4.5 hours, and Astana in 5.5 hours - shorter than most European destinations. Direct flights operate on flydubai, Air Astana, and Emirates.
• Astana's modernist architecture: Built almost entirely since 1997 when Kazakhstan moved its capital from Almaty. The Bayterek Tower, Khan Shatyr (the world's largest tensile structure at 150 metres tall), and the Palace of Peace and Reconciliation form a signature skyline.
• Silk Road heritage: Turkistan holds the Khoja Ahmed Yasawi Mausoleum, built by Timur in the 1390s and added to the UNESCO list in 2003. The broader Silk Road route through Kazakhstan includes the Otrar and Sauran archaeological sites.
• Nomadic cultural continuity: Traditional yurt-stay experiences, eagle hunting demonstrations (Kazakh berkutchi tradition), and horse-based pastoralism continue in rural regions. Kyz Kuu (the girl-chase horse ritual) is still performed at festivals.

When is the best time to visit Kazakhstan throughout the year?

Kazakhstan's continental climate produces pronounced seasonal extremes:

• March–May (Spring): Almaty apple blossoms in late April (the city's name derives from ""alma,"" the Kazakh word for apple), steppe wildflowers peak in May, and daytime temperatures climb from 10 to 22°C.
• June–August (Summer): Mountain trekking and lake season. Tien Shan trails open fully, Kolsai and Big Almaty Lake are accessible, and daytime sits at 25–32°C in the lowlands. Steppe temperatures can exceed 35°C.
• September–October (Autumn): Optimal trekking conditions - cool daytime temperatures (15–22°C), autumnal colours across the mountain forests, and peak visibility for landscape photography.
• November–February (Winter): Ski season at Shymbulak, the Medeu skating rink (the highest-altitude skating venue in the world at 1,691 metres), and Astana's sub-zero weeks often dropping below -20°C. Almaty stays milder at 0 to -10°C.

What's Included in Our Kazakhstan Tour Packages

Each Kazakhstan travel package from Travelwings wraps in:

• Return flights from Dubai (DXB) and Abu Dhabi (AUH) to Almaty (ALA) or Astana (NQZ), via Emirates, flydubai, Air Astana, or Etihad direct service.
• Hotel accommodation across 3- to 5-star properties - international-brand hotels in Almaty and Astana, boutique options in Shymkent and Turkistan, and yurt or ecolodge stays for rural extensions.
• Daily breakfast included, with half-board and full-board upgrades available for mountain and Kolsai Lake excursions where restaurant options are limited.
• Guided tours including Almaty city (Panfilov Park, Zenkov Cathedral, Green Bazaar), Medeu and Shymbulak, Charyn Canyon day excursion, and an Astana architectural circuit.
• Destination-specific activities such as the Kolsai and Kaindy lakes multi-day excursion, Turkistan UNESCO mausoleum visit, Big Almaty Lake trek, and optional Baikonur Cosmodrome visit (permit-required).
• Private transfers covering airport pickups, Almaty-Astana internal flight coordination, and off-road vehicle transfers for Charyn Canyon and mountain destinations.
• 24/7 Travelwings support with a UAE-based account manager plus Kazakh ground partners in Almaty and Astana.

Sample Itineraries

• 3-Day Almaty: City tour covering Panfilov Park and the Green Bazaar on arrival, Medeu skating rink and Shymbulak mountain day on day two, Charyn Canyon day excursion on day three - designed for long-weekend departures from the UAE.
• 5-Day Almaty & Mountains: Almaty city, Shymbulak and Medeu, Charyn Canyon, Kolsai Lake overnight with a local homestay, and Kaindy Lake on the final day - the most-booked Kazakhstan trip packages format from Dubai.
• 7-Day Kazakhstan Grand Tour: Almaty, Charyn Canyon, Kolsai Lake, flight to Astana, Astana architectural tour (Bayterek, Khan Shatyr), and a Turkistan UNESCO mausoleum visit on the closing day.

Family-Friendly & Couple Getaways

Families find Almaty a straightforward base - the city's Kok Tobe hill funicular, Medeu skating rink (active October–May), and Shymbulak summer chairlift rides work for mixed-age groups. Couples typically combine a Shymbulak or Kolsai Lakes mountain stay with an Almaty-Astana city double-header, and many extend to include a Turkistan UNESCO-heritage day trip. Boutique hotels in Almaty's central districts and the more modern Astana skyline hotels balance the two halves of a Kazakhstan trip cleanly.

Travel Planning Tips

• Visa: UAE passport holders can enter Kazakhstan visa-free for stays up to 30 days. Other UAE residents typically need a tourist visa - apply through the Kazakhstan consulate or an authorised visa service with processing running 7–10 working days.
• Currency: The Kazakhstani Tenge (KZT) is the local currency. Cards work in Almaty and Astana hotels and restaurants; carry cash for bazaar purchases, taxis, and rural stops. ATMs from Halyk Bank and Kaspi Bank are reliable.
• Getting Around: Internal flights (Air Astana, SCAT Airlines) connect Almaty and Astana in 90 minutes. Trains cover the Turkistan southern route. Driver-guides are the most practical option for mountain and Charyn Canyon destinations.
• Connectivity: 5G across Almaty and Astana; 4G in regional cities. Beeline and Kcell sell tourist SIMs at Almaty and Astana airports.

Why Book with Travelwings UAE

• Kazakhstan holiday packages can be split across 3-, 6-, or 12-month payments through UAE credit cards and approved BNPL partners.
• Every Kazakhstan tour packages quote separates flights, hotel category, driver-guide fees, and permit costs for Baikonur or restricted-area access from quote stage - no hidden supplements.
• Directly contracted hotels in Almaty, Astana, Shymkent, and Turkistan, plus experienced mountain guides for Charyn Canyon and Kolsai Lake excursions, are booked directly rather than through wholesalers.
• Arabic, English, Hindi, Urdu, Russian, and Tagalog consultants are available across UAE business hours.
• A dedicated 24/7 WhatsApp line handles permit complications, weather-driven itinerary adjustments, and medical referrals while you're on the ground.

Book Your Kazakhstan Holiday Today

Confirm a Kazakhstan itinerary ahead of the peak June–August mountain season or the December–February ski window. Whether you're targeting Charyn Canyon, Kolsai Lake's alpine clarity, or Astana's Bayterek Tower, Travelwings UAE builds the trip from Dubai or Abu Dhabi under one booking. A Kazakhstan trip combining Almaty and Astana works best booked 10–12 weeks in advance to hold internal-flight pricing.

More Holiday Destinations to Consider from the UAE

Azerbaijan

Across the Caspian, Azerbaijan pairs naturally with a Kazakhstan trip — Baku's walled old city and Flame Towers add a coastal, oil-boom-era city dimension to a broader Caspian-and-Central-Asia itinerary, and the short flight between the two countries keeps the routing simple. discover Azerbaijan holiday packages.

Uzbekistan

For travellers drawn to the Silk Road thread running through Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan delivers its grandest chapter — the blue-tiled madrasas of Samarkand, Bukhara, and Khiva sit a short regional flight from Almaty. plan an Uzbekistan tour.

Closer to Home

After the long distances of a Central Asian itinerary, a warm-weather break closer to the Gulf makes an easy follow-up when the European summer feels too far. Travelwings curates short cool-climate Europe escapes alongside Indian Ocean island stays — both kinds of summer trip live on the dedicated theme page. explore UAE summer breaks.

Browse All Destinations

For UAE travellers building a 12-month travel plan around a Kazakhstan trip, the wider Travelwings portfolio spans short-haul Caucasus tours, Indian Ocean beaches, European city circuits, and Far East discoveries. The full holidays index lays out every country with price ranges and seasonality so you can sequence multiple trips through the year. browse the full Travelwings holidays index.

All prices, inclusions, availability, and offers shown are indicative and subject to change without notice based on seasonal demand, supplier terms, and travel dates. Final pricing is confirmed at the time of booking with Travelwings.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. How much does a Kazakhstan trip from the UAE cost?

A 5- to 6-night Kazakhstan package currently starts around AED 3,200 per person on twin-sharing in shoulder season (April–May or September–October). Almaty-plus-Astana routes with internal flights push pricing toward AED 5,400. Winter ski packages with Shymbulak access sit at AED 4,500–6,500 depending on resort tier.

2. Do UAE residents need a visa to visit Kazakhstan?

UAE passport holders can enter Kazakhstan visa-free for stays up to 30 days. Other UAE residents typically need to apply for a tourist visa through the Kazakhstan consulate or an accredited visa service - processing runs 7–10 working days. Confirm specific passport nationality requirements at time of booking.

3. How long should I spend in Kazakhstan?

Five days covers Almaty with mountain day trips (Shymbulak, Charyn Canyon, Kolsai Lakes) at a reasonable pace. Seven days adds Astana via internal flight, and 10 days accommodates a Turkistan UNESCO extension plus deeper mountain touring.

4. When is the best time to visit Kazakhstan?

May–June and September–October deliver the best balance of weather and access - mountain trails open, Charyn Canyon at comfortable temperature, and airfare in shoulder ranges. December–February is the ski priority window for Shymbulak. Avoid July–August in the steppe unless heat tolerance is high.

5. Is Kazakhstan safe for families and solo travellers?

Kazakhstan maintains a strong domestic security profile with low violent-crime rates in tourist areas. Families find Almaty particularly manageable - the city is compact, walkable, and English signage is improving across tourist districts. Solo travellers (including women) navigate Almaty and Astana without significant issues, though English proficiency drops sharply in rural areas, making driver-guide arrangements the safer approach for remote excursions.