Safety in Kazakhstan: what overland travellers should know

Our summary of the country advice published by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Viaggiare Sicuri) on 6 September 2026.

Safety

Convoy in remote areas — The country is huge and thinly populated, and travelling alone in remote areas is discouraged, above all in winter, because extreme weather and long distances make rescue very hard. For isolated zones the ministry asks you to move in a group or with more than one vehicle, use experienced local guides, and take 4x4s carrying fuel, food, water, a first-aid kit and satellite devices. Tell someone your route and your return time, and do not attempt winter trips without proper preparation.
Restricted and contaminated sites — Access to the Baikonur cosmodrome is regulated and needs prior authorisation: you can only enter on an organised tour. Stepnogorsk in the Akmola region holds residues of hazardous substances including PCBs from past military activity, with clean-up under way, and the same applies around the former Semipalatinsk nuclear test site at Semey, which the ministry advises avoiding even though urban radiation levels read normal.
Police identity checks — Identity checks are frequent, and more so on foreigners in the big cities. Carry your original passport or a copy notarised or authenticated by your embassy, because a plain photocopy may not be enough; police can stop and detain you under local law without having to show probable cause. Never offer money to officers and do not agree to such a request unless it is a penalty issued by the proper administrative authority.
Earthquakes and thaw — The highest seismic risk is in the south and south-east, near the Tien Shan and Altai ranges: the Almaty, Turkistan, Zhambyl, Kyzylorda, Zhetysu and East Kazakhstan regions. Spring and summer thaw brings avalanches, landslides, floods and rockfalls, and high-mountain trips during the peak melt are discouraged without expert guides and up-to-date information.
Crime in the cities — Violent crime against visitors is uncommon, but Astana and Almaty see pickpocketing, theft, robbery, occasional assaults, scams and card or ATM fraud, with more risk at night, near nightclubs and in isolated spots. Use ATMs inside banks, keep cash and valuables out of sight, and avoid unofficial taxis or ones already carrying passengers. The ministry also warns against meeting people contacted online, and against shared taxis around nightspots frequented by foreigners.
Protests and network cuts — Avoid demonstrations, marches and gatherings of any kind, even apparently peaceful ones. During unauthorised protests the security authorities can cut internet or mobile signal temporarily, so be ready for that. Photographing public buildings and infrastructure, strategic or government sites in particular, is discouraged.

Before you rely on this

This is our summary of advice written by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs for Italian travellers, published on 6 September 2026. We summarise in good faith, but we cannot guarantee it is accurate, current or complete, and we take no responsibility for decisions made on the basis of it. Rules change without notice and are applied by officials at the border, not by websites. Always read the original source and the travel advice your own government publishes for Kazakhstan before you travel. GuideMeet has no way of checking whether an individual guide meets any standard mentioned here — ask them directly.

Source: Viaggiare Sicuri — Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, updated 6 September 2026. Last checked by GuideMeet on 2026-09-20.