In addition to beautiful natural landscape, Kazakhstan is interesting in terms of its historic, cultural and architectural heritage. Located at the crossroads of ancient civilizations and the intersection of the major transportation routes between Europe and Asia, Kazakhstan retains a unique complex of historical, archeological and cultural monuments.
Totally, Kazakhstan has over twenty two ancient sites of settlements whereas South of Kazakhstan as a part of the Great Silk Road that connected Europe and Asia in our distant past has more historic treasures than any other part of the country. South Kazakhstan travel brings visitors back to hundreds and thousands years of history, art and religion.
Here are some of the most interesting places that can be a part of perfect Kazakhstan travel itinerary.
•Turkistan, dating back over 1500 years back when it was a thriving center of civilization during the time of the Great Silk Road, offers you more historic relics and sites than any other city or town of Kazakhstan. One of most remarkable historic and religious monuments is Khodja Akhmed Yassaui mausoleum. The mausoleum has become a sacred place for Moslems from all over the world. Nowadays, the mausoleum is visited by up to three hundred people every day and during religious holidays the number of pilgrims increases up to one thousand people a day.
•Taraz is the town located on the way of the ancient Great Silk Road and dates back to the 6th century. Some of the famous sites here are the small mausoleums of potentate Aulie-Ata Karahan and Dautbek Shahamansur, Mongol viceroy, both are located in the city centre and date back to 11-13 centuries.
•Tamgaly Tash Valley produces on its visitors a very special impression. Tamgaly Tash is valley of dense accumulation of about four thousand unique petroglyphs thus it looks like a prehistoric open-air art gallery. Each rock carving is a message from the mist of the ages that describes gods, rituals and lifestyle of ancient Kazakhs. Some inscriptions are made over three thousand years ago.
•Sairam, or the White Town is located ten km east of Chimkent. Centuries ago, Saram built as a mighty fortress, was one of the most famous cities in the Syr Darya region. The town is also home and birthplace of the famous holy man Hodja Ahmed Yassaui. There is a mosque and three small 14th century mausoleums for Hodja's sons and his mother.
It is better to plan Kazakhstan travel for summer or autumn, as the country has continental dry climate with cold winters and hot summers. In winter, the temperature may fall -39 C and it rises to 26-29 C above zero in summer. June, July, August, September and the beginning of October are the best months for travel to Kazakhstan.
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