Kazakhstan · AUH → ALA → CIT · 2026

Kazakhstan

One trip, two cities, and a lot of steppe in between — Almaty under the mountains, then south to Shymkent. Told day by day.

Almaty, after dark day 01 · 43.22°N

Boarded an afternoon flight out of Abu Dhabi and touched down in Almaty well after dark — three and a half hours, and about a twenty-degree drop waiting on the other end. Dropped the bags and headed straight back out anyway.

First night was just walking the streets: cold air, a proper good meal, and that easy late-evening hum a city has before you really know it. No agenda, no monument to tick off — just Almaty at night. The good kind of first day.

Up into the mountains day 02 · 43.22°N

Writing this one — the cable car, the lake above the city, the cold. Photos and the full day coming.

South across the steppe day 03

Writing this one — the leg from Almaty down to Shymkent. Coming soon.

Shymkent day 04 · 42.34°N

Writing this one — the south, the bazaar, the warmth after the mountains. Coming soon.

1 of 4 days written · the rest as I get to them