Kazakhstan

Before visiting Kazakhstan, I knew it more from Borat than anything else. The film became so controversial that Kazakhstan’s government initially threatened legal action against Sacha Baron Cohen before eventually embracing the publicity and even using the movie’s famous catchphrase in a tourism campaign. I wasn’t sure what to expect, but it ended up being one of the biggest surprises of my travels.

To make the most of my time, I joined a day trip from Almaty through some of southeastern Kazakhstan’s spectacular landscapes. It turned into one of the longest day trips I’ve ever done, but every stop was worth it. We visited the flooded forest of Lake Kaindy, where the tops of ancient spruce trees rise eerily from crystal-clear water, hiked through the dramatic rock formations of Charyn Canyon, and drove for hours across wide-open plains framed by snow-capped mountains. The sheer scale of the landscape made the country feel almost endless.

Back in Almaty, I was also fortunate to meet up with Alish, a mutual friend, who welcomed me with incredible hospitality. He introduced me to traditional Kazakh cuisine, including horse meat, and proudly shared stories about his country and its culture. Before I left, he even insisted on giving me a gift, despite my attempts to refuse. Kazakhstan may be famous because of Borat, but I left with a far greater appreciation for the country, its people, and everything it has to offer.