Looking for a new destination to experience off the beaten trail? Kazakhstan wants you. Thanks to a new Memorandum of Understanding signed by the National Association of Travel Agents Singapore and the Embassy of Kazakhstan, tour agents in Singapore will soon be offering packages to the world’s ninth largest country, and direct flights are in the pipeline.
One of the first travel agents to get on board is exotic trip specialist United Travel Corporation. UTC will be rolling out an 11-day Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan package in the coming weeks. As part of the tour, you’ll explore Kazakhstan’s former capital, Almaty, and its current capital, Astana. You’ll spend an afternoon at a falcon farm, visit the spectacular Charyn Canyon and shop at Khan Shatyr, a massive tent that stands over a space the size of 10 football fields. Along the way, you’ll discover Kazakh and Kyrgyz culture and cuisine. Pricing is still being confirmed.
Thinking of making the trip on your own? You can get to Almaty via Kuala Lumpur and Tashkent aboard Uzbekistan Airways. Since July 2015, Singapore passport holders have enjoyed visa-free entry to Kazakhstan for 15 days as part of a pilot program that’s scheduled to last until the end of 2017.
