Go, but pay attention.
Kazakhstan's sketch score rose to 79 today, though the US, UK, and Canada all maintain their lowest level 1 advisory. Watch for the global measles outbreak while you travel.
Governments, one trip
What they're telling their own citizens about Kazakhstan
The real score
The breakdown
See it from your perspective
Go, but pay attention.
The general Sketch Score, unweighted for any specific traveler.
Don't fall for it
Scams to know
Police extortion
Police may demand money from foreigners on trains or buses. Avoid payment by claiming poverty or pretending not to understand the officers.
False accusation
Police may falsely accuse foreigners of petty crimes to extract a cash fine. Use a mobile phone to call a local-language speaking friend for assistance.
Don't do this
Laws that jail tourists
Passport requirement
You must carry your passport or a certified copy of your passport and visa with you at all times.
Staying healthy
What to watch out for, health-wise
Active notices
- • Global Measles
Vaccines
Recommended:
From people who've been there
Local know-how
Staying safe
- •Generally, Kazakh cities are safe during the day, but certain parts of major cities should be avoided at night to reduce risk, namely, all parts of Almaty below Tashkentskaya street and all…
- •In smaller towns, e.g.
- •Keep your passport (or a certified copy of your passport and visa) with you at all times.
- •The risk of violent crime is comparable with Eastern European countries and rougher parts of major US cities.
- •Excessive consumption of alcohol and visiting a nightclub will always present a higher risk, especially if a person goes out alone.
- •A foreign man soliciting a local woman on the streets or in a nightclub may draw unwanted attention from locals, or might result in arguments.
Staying healthy
- •In general, the level of health care and hygiene is not up to Western standards.
- •In an emergency, call an ambulance at the general hospital on duty on 103. However, you should consider using local hospitals.
- •When travelling to forested and mountainous areas, especially in the early summer months, tick-borne encephalitis should be taken into account.
- •In order to avoid stomach infections and food poisoning, particular attention should be paid to hygiene when preparing food and drinks, especially during the summer months.
- •Travellers should have comprehensive travel insurance, including cover for aircraft evacuation in the event of serious illness or accident.
Adapted from Wikivoyage, CC BY-SA — edited by travelers, not us.
Pack this, know this
The little things that trip people up
Plug & voltage
C / F · 230V
Driving side
right
Emergency
police: 112 / ambulance: 112 / fire: 112
Zoom in
2 Kazakhstan cities on SKETCH.WORLD
Real, resident-submitted Numbeo crime data at the city level — the same national picture above, with crime swapped for what people who actually live there report.
Show the receipts (11 sources)
- us-state — observed 2026-07-12
- uk-fcdo — observed 2026-07-12
- ca-gac — observed 2026-07-12
- worldbank-political — observed 2026-07-12
- worldbank-policeTrust — observed 2026-07-12
- cdc-health — observed 2026-07-12
- wikivoyage — observed 2026-07-12
- reddit — observed 2026-07-12
- unodc — observed 2026-07-12
- acled-hdx — observed 2026-07-12
- lgbtq-legal-wikipedia — observed 2026-07-12