Kazakhstan, the world's largest landlocked country, offers a captivating blend of ancient Silk Road heritage, Soviet-era architecture, and stunning natural landscapes from the Altai Mountains to the Caspian Sea. Experience nomadic traditions in Central Asia's economic powerhouse, where futuristic capital Astana meets historic Almaty at the foothills of the Tian Shan mountains.
Top food tours
Guided experiences that show you Kazakhstan through its food.
Almaty Green Bazaar and Street Food Walk
A guided exploration of Almaty's legendary Green Bazaar followed by street food stops around the bazaar neighborhood. Sample kurt, dried apricots, baursak, shashlik, and nauryz kozhe while learning about Kazakh food culture from a local guide.
Almaty Craft Beer and Kazakh Meze Evening Tour
An evening exploration of Almaty's growing craft beer and bar scene, pairing local brews with traditional Kazakh mezze dishes (cold starters) at three Almaty restaurants and bars. Includes hidden local spots not found in guidebooks.
Astana Food Market Discovery Tour
A guided tour of Astana's central market and food halls, tasting traditional Central Asian products including Uzbek samsa, Kazakh horse meat sausages (kazy), fermented dairy, and fresh-baked bread. Ideal for understanding the capital's multicultural food scene.
Nomadic Foods Deep Dive Tour
An immersive half-day dedicated to Kazakhstan's unique nomadic food heritage, visiting a yurt restaurant, trying kumis (fermented mare's milk), participating in baursak preparation, and tasting the full range of traditional Kazakh dishes with expert cultural commentary.
Tour formats
Different ways to experience Kazakhstan's food scene.
Street food tours
Street food crawls around Green Bazaar and central Almaty market neighborhoods, focusing on shashlik, baursak, samsa, and grilled meats
Market tours
Guided market tours through Green Bazaar (Almaty) and Astana Central Market focusing on dried goods, spices, and fermented dairy products
Restaurant tours
Multi-course Kazakh dining experiences at TÖR, Navat, and Gakku restaurants with cultural commentary on each traditional dish
Specialty tours
Nomadic food culture tours including kumis tasting, horse meat traditions, kurt production, and seasonal fermented dairy products
Cooking classes
Take a piece of Kazakhstan home with you.
Beshbarmak Masterclass
Learn to prepare Kazakhstan's national dish — hand-rolled pasta sheets layered with slow-braised lamb and onion sauce — in a home kitchen setting with an Almaty local host. Includes full meal and recipe book in English.
Baursak and Samsa Baking Class
A hands-on class mastering Kazakhstan's beloved fried dough balls (baursak) and the crescent-shaped baked pastries filled with lamb and onion (samsa). Perfect for learning the fundamentals of Kazakh home baking.
Nomadic Kitchen Experience
A full nomadic cooking experience at a yurt outside Almaty, preparing traditional dishes including lagman noodles, shashlik, and plov over open fire with a nomadic host family. Includes yurt visit, cooking, eating together, and cultural exchange.
DIY self-guided food tour
A self-guided food walk through Almaty's most authentic eating neighborhoods, spending 3-4 hours grazing between the bazaar, street vendors, and local restaurants
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Stop 1: Green Bazaar (Zelyony Rynok) — sample dried fruits, nuts, and kurt at 8-10 AM before crowds arrive
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Stop 2: Baursak vendor outside Green Bazaar — fresh fried dough balls straight from the oil ($0.50)
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Stop 3: Kolkhozny Bazaar canteen — simple hot lunch of lagman or manti for $2-3
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Stop 4: Arman or Daredzhani restaurant on Gogol Street — sit-down lunch of beshbarmak or shashlik ($8-12)
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Stop 5: Zhybek Zholy pedestrian street cafes — afternoon tea with Kazakh pastries and local herbal tea
Foodie tips
Get more out of every meal.
The best time to visit Green Bazaar is 8-10 AM when produce is freshest and before the main tourist crowds arrive
Always try kumis (fermented mare's milk) at least once — it's an acquired taste but central to Kazakh identity
Beshbarmak is traditionally eaten with hands from a communal dish — embrace this if invited to a local home
Street shashlik skewers are generally safe to eat when cooked fresh on a grill in front of you — trust the smoke
Many restaurants serve Central Asian plov (rice pilaf) at lunch only — arrive before 1 PM if you want the best pot
Kazakh portions are enormous — ordering one main dish is usually sufficient for one person
Kurt (dried cheese balls) vary enormously in saltiness — taste before buying; souvenir-grade varieties are milder
Look for restaurants serving traditional Kazakh cuisine in residential neighborhoods rather than tourist areas for authentic and affordable meals
Nauryz kozhe (a fermented drink made during spring New Year celebrations) is available March 21-23 at street stalls — unique opportunity
Download the 2GIS app for finding local restaurants and markets — more useful than Google Maps in Kazakhstan