Kazakhstan

Is Kazakhstan safe to visit?

Yes. Kazakhstan has a US Level 1 advisory, ranks 44th of 163 countries on the 2026 Global Peace IndexGlobal Peace IndexAn annual ranking of 163 countries by how peaceful they are, based on conflict, crime, militarisation and political instability.More in the glossary, and violent crime against visitors is uncommon. What deserves attention is more ordinary: about 2,300 people died on its roads in 2025, pickpockets work the markets and buses, and the distances and winters are extreme. Most trips to Almaty, Astana, the Charyn Canyon or the Tian Shan lakes go without trouble. We score it 74, level with Georgia and a little above China.

Crime: low, with a few late-night hotspots

UNODC recorded 2.6 homicides per 100,000Homicide rateThe number of people killed on purpose each year for every 100,000 residents. It is the most comparable crime figure between countries.More in the glossary people in 2022, below Russia and roughly in line with Georgia. Most violence happens between people who know each other.

The FCDOFCDO travel adviceThe UK government's travel advice for each country, which can advise against all travel or all but essential travel to specific areas.More in the glossary names one pattern visitors should know: violent thefts in the expatriate communities of Atyrau and Aktau, the oil towns in the west, and in Astana and Almaty. They mostly happen at night around nightclubs and bars, or when someone gets home late. Drink spiking is also a risk in bars and can lead to sexual assault. Pre-book transport home and do not get into a taxi that already has a passenger in it.

Petty theft is the more common problem. The FCDO calls pickpocketing very common in crowded places such as markets and on public transport, and says thieves may assume foreigners carry valuables. Luggage on overnight trains is a target, so lock the compartment. Use ATMs inside banks, as card skimming happens.

Carry your original passport. Police can ask for ID on the street and do not accept copies.

The roads are the biggest risk

About 2,300 people died on Kazakhstan's roads in 2025, or roughly 11 per 100,000 people, according to statistics reported by Orda.kz. That is about six deaths a day and more than four times the rate in Germany. The WHO's last estimate, for 2019, was 12.7 per 100,000.

The FCDOFCDO travel adviceThe UK government's travel advice for each country, which can advise against all travel or all but essential travel to specific areas.More in the glossary describes erratic driving, many poorly maintained cars without rear seat belts, unsignposted roadworks and livestock on rural roads. Distances between cities are huge and fuel stations are sparse outside them. In winter, snow, ice and blowing snow cut visibility and cause pile-ups on the steppe highways.

For long journeys, the train or a domestic flight is safer than the road. If you drive, you need a 1968 International Driving Permit, and you should avoid driving at night or in bad weather.

The January 2022 unrest and politics today

In January 2022, protests that began over fuel prices spread across the country and turned violent in Almaty. Troops from a Russian-led alliance were briefly deployed. The Prosecutor General's Office later put the death toll at 238, including 19 members of the security forces and six people who died from torture in custody. Some critics say the true toll is higher.

The country has been calm since. Demonstrations still need advance permission, and the FCDOFCDO travel adviceThe UK government's travel advice for each country, which can advise against all travel or all but essential travel to specific areas.More in the glossary warns that joining an unauthorised protest can lead to arrest. It also says terrorist attacks cannot be ruled out, although there has been no recent attack on visitors. The US advisoryUS travel advisoryThe US State Department's rating of each country from Level 1 (exercise normal precautions) to Level 4 (do not travel).More in the glossary, updated in August 2026, mentions only flooding.

A few laws catch visitors out. Vapes and e-cigarettes are illegal to sell or import, posts that insult religion or the national flag can bring fines or prison, and a law passed in December 2025 bans the "promotion" of LGBT+ identities, with fines, detention or deportation for breaches.

Weather, earthquakes and remote travel

Almaty lies in an active earthquake zone below the Tian Shan, and mudflows and avalanches affect the mountains to the south of the city. In April 2024, floods hit much of the north and west of the country.

The cold is the risk most visitors underestimate. Astana is one of the coldest capitals in the world, and winter nights on the northern steppe often fall below minus 30°C, with wind on top. Summers in the south and west are hot and dry.

Trekking means remote country, fast weather changes and little phone signal. The FCDOFCDO travel adviceThe UK government's travel advice for each country, which can advise against all travel or all but essential travel to specific areas.More in the glossary advises using a reputable agency, never trekking alone and telling someone when you expect to be back. Almaty has rescue teams at Shymbulak and Big Almaty Lake, and 18 mountain shelters with SOS buttons.

Closed areas, including Baikonur

Four places are closed to visitors without prior permission from the Foreign Ministry, the Interior Ministry and the National Security Committee: the town of Baikonur, which serves the Russian-leased cosmodrome; the Karmakchi and Kazalinsk districts of the Kyzylorda region around it; and the village of Gvardeyskiy in the Almaty region. Launch tours to Baikonur arrange the permits. Do not photograph military sites, border posts or airports, even without warning signs.

Health care

The FCDOFCDO travel adviceThe UK government's travel advice for each country, which can advise against all travel or all but essential travel to specific areas.More in the glossary says medical facilities are less advanced than in the UK and staff rarely speak English. Private clinics in Almaty and Astana are the best option. Get insurance that covers air evacuation, bring enough of your own medicine, and ask about tick-borne disease before hiking in spring and early summer.

How we scored it

Violent crime (83) and conflict (82) are the strongest factors: crime is moderate and the country has been stable since 2022. Road safety (62) is the weakest, followed by natural hazards (68) and health care (68). The homicide figure is from 2022 and the latest road toll comes from press reports of national data, so confidence is medium.