Walking Kazakhstan: 2 City Routes
Lace up comfortable shoes for these two: one runs through leafy Soviet-era Almaty at street level, the other down a purpose-built ceremonial boulevard in Astana. They don’t connect (1,200 kilometers apart), so pick a city and commit.
Almaty: gardens, cathedral, bazaar (4 to 5 km, about 3 hours)
Begin in Panfilov Park under pine and birch alleys, arriving at the 1907 wooden Zenkov Cathedral , then head east to the bronze Memorial of Glory and its eternal flame. From there, detour to the Museum of Folk Musical Instruments named after Ykylas on Zenkov Street 24: over 1,000 traditional instruments, including dombras and kobyz, housed inside a carved 1908 wooden garrison building, 1,000 KZT entry. Walk 500 meters north to the Green Bazaar and work your way through the covered pavilion, tasting smoked horse sausage kazy, dried sheep’s curd kurt, and fresh Aport apples that only really taste right here. Finish along pedestrianized Zhibek Zholy Street, Almaty’s “Arbat,” where street musicians and portrait artists set up most afternoons. GetYourGuide lists guided Almaty walking tours covering this exact route .
Astana: the ceremonial axis (about 3 km, 2.5 hours)
Start at Khan Shatyr and walk the length of Nurzhol Boulevard, designed by architect Kisho Kurokawa and flanked by government ministries and flower gardens on both sides. Stop to ascend Baiterek Monument (2,500 KZT) for the golden sphere view at 86 meters, then continue past the “Northern Lights” residential towers and the emerald-domed Supreme Court building toward the Ak Orda Presidential Palace and the blue-tiled Kazakhstan Central Concert Hall. Monument ticket counters along the route, including Baiterek’s, also sell through ticketon.kz . Viator lists guided Astana boulevard and architecture walks .
What not to plan on foot
Don’t try to string First President’s Park into the Almaty route above on foot; the two sit roughly 11 kilometers apart on opposite sides of the city, and treating them as one connected walk will wreck your afternoon. Medeu belongs on a day trip, not a city walking tour either. It’s 15 kilometers out in a mountain canyon, reachable by bus #12 rather than on foot from downtown.
Before you go
Pack water and sun protection for either route; Almaty’s tree cover thins out fast past the park, and Astana’s boulevard offers almost none. Both cities are flat and paved along these specific routes, so no technical gear is needed, just stamina for a few hours of steady walking. Once you’ve covered the city on foot, the day trips guide has the mountain and steppe excursions that come next, and the sightseeing guide fills in the landmarks this route only touches briefly.