Best time to go to Kazakhstan

2 min summary Best time to go Baikonur Cosmodrome Horse riding Nature, national parks & wildlife

Best time to go to Kazakhstan

Just about as landlocked as you can get, Kazakhstan has four very distinct seasons, although spring and autumn are particularly fleeting.

Summer and winter are extreme in Kazakhstan, with the most intense heat and cold found in the central steppe and around the capital, Astana. From June to August temperatures can soar above 40°C, plunging to -20°C in winter (December to February). The southern regions, around pleasant Almaty, are generally more hospitable, while the Altai Mountains receive the heaviest rainfall. The best time to go to Kazakhstan is consequently from April to May or September to October, between scorching heat and heavy snow.

Call us for the best time to go to Kazakhstan

A month by month guide on when to go to Kazakhstan

January in Kazakhstan

Low season

Very cold weather

Snow likely

January is one of the worst months to visit Kazakhstan. Temperatures below freezing, Siberian winds whipping across the steppe, and little to do bar sightseeing in Almaty which is very quiet at this time of year, and skiing in resorts such as Shymbulak. Visiting Kazakhstan in January? Wrap up very warm. Temperatures can fall as low as -45°C in some places.

February in Kazakhstan

Snow-dusted scenery

Hearty cuisine

Hot springs

This is one of the world’s largest countries, so the climate does vary, but wherever you go in Kazakhstan in February you can expect it to be bone-tremblingly cold, with a light dusting of snow likely, too. The capital, Almaty, can be as cold as -5°C. Tuck into hearty fare like kebabs and dumplings, and seek out hot springs like those of Chunja near the Charyn Canyon.

March in Kazakhstan

Nauryz

Traditional games

Winter easing

Winter begins to release its icy grip in March as Kazakhstan celebrates Nauryz, the New Year, with countrywide festivities that include traditional games, dancing and singing and displays of horsemanship. Visit Kazakhstan in March and enjoy the aroma of samanu, a sweet paste made from wheat, everywhere you go, as well as kozhe, a milky broth containing horsemeat.

April in Kazakhstan

Start of spring

Wildflowers

Local festivals

Small, local festivals are held across Kazakhstan in April and it’s no wonder people are in the mood to celebrate, as April heralds the end of the bitter winter and the start of Kazakhstan’s short spring. It’s still very chilly, but meadows are handsomely carpeted with wildflowers and Almaty comes to life. You may get the occasional dust storm in desert areas.

April is a great time to visit Kazakhstan on our Silk Road small group tour

May in Kazakhstan

Wild tulips

Altyn Emel National Park

Small group touring

Small group touring flourishes across Kazakhstan in May, with popular destinations including Aksu-Dzhabagly Nature Reserve, Katon-Karagay National Park and Altyn Emel National Park with its ‘singing dunes’. Wild tulips, native to Central Asia, come into bloom, followed shortly by poppies, and rivers are in full torrent as the mountain snows begin to melt.

June in Kazakhstan

Hiking

Katon-Karagay National Park

Start of peak(ish) season

June heralds the start of peak season in Kazakhstan, though you’ll very rarely encounter any crowds to speak of. Hiking season begins in Kazakhstan in June, with most passes clear of snow by now in the Tian Shan and Altai Mountains. This is also a good month to visit Katon-Karagay National Park, where the local honey is a delicacy worth seeking out.

Come May, when the snow melts and opens up the mountain pastures, herders take their flocks to graze, camping in solitude – until our travelers encounter them.

July in Kazakhstan

High summer

Wettest month

Horse riding

Kazakhstan in July is nice and warm, with temperatures frequently topping 30°C in central areas – it’s the perfect month for horse riding vacations in Katon Karagai National Park, and the Caspian Sea is even warm enough to swim in. July is the wettest month in Kazakhstan, but this landlocked country has a generally dry climate so don’t expect to face downpours.

August in Kazakhstan

Book early

Hot but low humidity

Cooler in mountains

August is about as busy as it gets, and given there’s not a great range of accommodation here, book early if you want to visit Kazakhstan in August. The weather is hot, but humidity is low, and it’s cooler in the mountains. August is a good month for hiking in Kazakhstan, but responsible walkers should stick to marked trails. Afternoon thunderstorms are not unknown.

September in Kazakhstan

Wedding season

Charyn Canyon

Autumnal foliage

September’s a good time to go to Kazakhstan, warm and with lovely autumnal colours in the forests. It’s ideal for walking in the Charyn Canyon, which gets baking hot in summer, or on the fringes of the Altai Mountains. Visiting Kazakhstan in September can be exciting, as steppe communities often schedule weddings in the autumn, and you may encounter a celebration.

October in Kazakhstan

Mild and damp

Harvest season

Almaty Apple Festival

October is mild, with rainfall likely later in the month. As autumn continues it brings with it bountiful harvest produce, and the Almaty Apple Festival on 21 October is a celebration of nature’s abundance. You can still enjoy hiking in Kazakhstan in October, as well as kayaking on lakes and cultural tours to places like Turkestan and Tamgaly, but wrap up warm.

November in Kazakhstan

Eagle hunting

Subzero temperatures

Snow likely

Kazakhstan in November sees snow, subzero temperatures and bitingly cold winds as the harsh winter descends. This is not a good month to travel but you may see Kazakh eagle hunters (berkutchi) flying their birds on the steppe. Steppe, city or mountain – all see snow at this time of year, but it’s rarely heavy enough to impede getting around.

December in Kazakhstan

Quiet and cold

Sharp winds on the steppe

Very little travel

Vanishingly few people visit Kazakhstan in December as the weather is so bleak. Sharp winds blowing out of Siberia whistle across the steppe, while snow is common with temperatures well below zero around the country. If you do go in December, keep an eye out for kokpar matches – this Kazakh version of polo uses a goat carcass instead of a ball.

Kazakhstan Weather Chart

MIN °C

MAX °C

RAIN (mm)

JAN

-20

-12

FEB

-21

-11

MAR

-13

-4

APR

-1

MAY

JUN

JUL

AUG

SEP

OCT

-1

NOV

-10

-2

DEC

-17

-9

Contact Us

Call us for a chat about our vacations. We are happy to discuss your vacation and help in any way we can. No bots, queues or awful hold music.

1-866-821-6866 1-866-821-6866

Call toll free

Calling from outside the USA

rosy@responsibletravel.com

Best times to visit Kazakhstan for festivals & events

Nauryz (March)

Nauryz, the Persian New Year, usually takes place between 19 and 22 March. Countrywide celebrations ensue, as they do across the rest of Central Asia, with song, dance, music and feasting ushering in the spring. Whether you’re in the countryside or Almaty, Nauryz is a vivid time to travel in Kazakhstan. You might witness a folk music festival, or a traditional sporting event such as wrestling or kokpar (think polo but a bit more gruesome).

Victory Day (9 May)

Victory Day, as the name suggests, marks the anniversary of the Soviet Union (of which Kazakhstan was a part until 1991) over Nazi Germany. Due to the vast numbers of Soviet soldiers killed in the war, the event is widely commemorated. Most major cities in Kazakhstan mark it with military parades, which can be quite impressive to watch if you happen to be in town.

Spirit of Tengri (June)

The Spirit of Tengri is the largest ethnic music festival in Central Asia, bringing together hundreds of performers from dozens of countries over a couple of June days in the capital, Almaty. Besides the music and the market selling international cuisine, handicrafts and costumes, one of the festival highlights is a proliferation of make-up artists doing the rounds, leading to some unique and colourful faces in the crowds.

Almaty BirdFest (August)

Almaty BirdFest is a fantastic birdwatching event taking place just outside the capital. Over an August weekend, groups of ornithologists and nature photographers (beginners are perfectly welcome) head out around the Ile River Valley from a field camp near Konayev in the company of expert naturalist guides. Sightings of some 90 species can be expected, including long-legged buzzards, ruddy shelducks and rock buntings. There are night tours, guest lectures and masterclasses and competitions.

Chabana Festival (August)

Kazakhstan has a strong nomadic tradition, and the Chabana Festival, held in August near the border with Kyrgyzstan, is an opportunity for herding communities to come together and celebrate their culture. Known as the ‘Cowboy Festival’, it features a lot of horseback events and performances, including the ‘Chasing the Bride’ race, a traditional and perhaps slightly outdated form of courtship. Elsewhere, there is music, dancing and storytelling, revealing how life has unfolded on the steppe over the centuries.

Almaty Apple Festival (October 21)

This autumn harvest festival is a testament to the humble fruit that has captured the world’s heart. The region around Almaty is home to the wild Sievers apple tree, which DNA analysis has proved to be the ancestor of all other apple varieties. So there is a good argument to be made that Kazakhstan is the birthplace of the apple. The Almaty Apple Festival is a celebration of nature’s abundance and vitality. Expect the sound of happy crunching from dawn to dusk.

Our travelers also ask…

What are the best months to visit Kazakhstan?

The best months to visit Kazakhstan are May, June and September, falling between the soaring heat of summer and the freezing cold of winter. Spring and autumn tend to be short seasons in this vast country whose climate is one of extremes, but time it right and you may hit the sweet spot of warm temperatures and sunny days. Summer (July and August) is also a popular time to travel, and it can be several degrees cooler in mountainous areas.

What is the coldest month in Kazakhstan?

January is the coldest month in Kazakhstan with very cold temperatures, dropping as low as -45°C in some areas. Combine that with fierce Siberian winds on the steppe and snow falling around the country, and January is understandably one of the least popular months to visit Kazakhstan.

What is the best time to visit Kazakhstan for hiking?

June through to September tend to be the best months for hiking in Kazakhstan, when you can expect hot, sunny weather (and the occasional shower) throughout the country, with mountain passes free of snow. Tourism in Kazakhstan is relatively undeveloped, and so in places like Katon-Karagay National Park and Altyn Emel National Park it’s important to stick to marked trails or walk with a local guide who knows the area and can ensure you’re not entering a fragile habitat.

What is the best time to visit Kazakhstan for snow?

The best time to visit Kazakhstan for snow is between November and March. Most of the country will see snow during the winter, and it is accompanied by bitterly cold temperatures. It’s rarely thick enough to prevent travel, though mountainous areas are often closed off, and Kazakhstan does have a few small ski areas, but generally the winter is a poor time to visit.

More relevant guides

Written by Rob Perkins

Best time to go to Kazakhstan

Best time to go to Kazakhstan