The nature of Kazakhstan and Almaty Region as an investment resource

Nature near Almaty earns money through tourist flow: the Trans-Ili Alatau mountains 30–60 minutes from the city, Charyn Canyon 195 km away, Kolsai and Kaindy within a day's drive, and the beaches of Konaev and Alakol in summer. The state is investing in roads and beaches, and in 2025 hotels hosted 8.6 million domestic tourists. But the most beautiful places often lie inside national parks, where land isn't sold, so an investor should look for plots on the approaches to these spots rather than inside them.

In short

Kazakhstan covers about 2.72 million km² and is among the ten largest countries in the world by area
Charyn Canyon stretches for about 154 km and is about 195 km from Almaty; the national park was created in 2004 (Wikipedia)
Lake Kaindy, with its sunken spruce forest, formed after the 1911 Kemin earthquake; it lies at about 1,667 m
The Alatau Amanaty route, more than 1,500 km from the Kastek gorge to Charyn, has been added to 2GIS, Yandex and Google Maps (Government of Kazakhstan, 2026)
Landscaping 1 km of Beach No. 5 in Konaev cost 4.5 billion ₸, and another 2.4 billion ₸ is going into Beaches No. 6 and No. 7
Ile-Alatau National Park covers about 199,000 ha, of which about 200 ha, or 0.1%, has been allocated to private operators (Tengrinews)

Why Kazakhstan's nature interests tourists and investors

Kazakhstan is huge: about 2.72 million km², the ninth-largest country in the world. For an investor, though, something else matters more: within 300 km of Almaty you have high mountains with glaciers, desert canyons, mountain lakes, steppe and a large reservoir with beaches. A tourist doesn't have to choose between the mountains and the beach, it all fits into one trip.

In its June 2026 tourism review, the government lists the most popular domestic destinations: Almaty, Almaty Region, Konaev, Lakes Kolsai and Kaindy, Charyn, Alakol, Balkhash. Almost half of the list is in my region. For foreigners, according to the same document, the priorities are nature, eco and food routes.

Demand is already coming from abroad. According to Kapital.kz, 962,000 tourists from China visited Kazakhstan in 2025, 47% more than a year earlier. Visa-free travel with China has been in place since November 2023.

Mountains near Almaty: the Trans-Ili Alatau and national parks

Almaty sits at the foot of the Trans-Ili Alatau. The gorges begin right outside the city limits, and ski slopes and a high-altitude ice rink are 30 minutes to an hour away by car. That's rare for a city of 2.3 million, and it's the source of demand for country houses, bathhouse complexes and guesthouses in the foothills.

Most of the mountains around the city belong to Ile-Alatau National Park, about 199,000 ha in size. The land there stays in state ownership. According to Tengrinews, about 200 ha, roughly 0.1% of the park, has been handed to private companies, and only for long-term use for tourism. According to the park's management, permanent construction on such plots isn't allowed.

What this means for an investor

You can't buy the most scenic spots in the mountains. The real plots for a project lie along the park boundary, in villages on the approaches to the gorges, in the Talgar, Enbekshikazakh and Karasai districts. There I check the land category and whether part of the plot falls into a protected zone.

Kolsai, Kaindy and Charyn Canyon: the eastern tourist route

The route east from Almaty has become the main one for the city's visitors. Charyn Canyon stretches for about 154 km along the Charyn River, with walls 150–300 m high. The most visited part, the Valley of Castles, is about 2 km long. It's about 195 km from Almaty.

The Kolsai Lakes are three lakes at different altitudes in the Kungei Alatau mountains, and Kaindy lies nearby. That lake formed after the 1911 Kemin earthquake, when a landslide blocked the valley, and the trunks of drowned spruce trees still stick out of the water. It lies at about 1,667 m.

The state is investing in access. According to the government, major repairs on 9.9 km of the road to Kaindy continue in 2026, and an eco-staircase, a pier and a viewing platform have been built in Kolsai Lakes National Park.

Where the business opportunity is

Tourists go east for a day or two and look for a bed, food and a bathhouse after the road. The villages of Saty, Kegen, Zhalanash and the area around Charyn still have little quality accommodation. A guesthouse or glamping site with 6–10 units by the highway can fill up in summer and the shoulder season, if there's water, electricity and decent road access nearby.

Konaev, Alakol and Balkhash: where people holiday in summer

Konaev (formerly Kapchagay) sits on a reservoir an hour's drive from Almaty and in 2022 became the administrative centre of Almaty Region. In 2025, with private business involved, 1 km of Beach No. 5 was landscaped there for 4.5 billion ₸, and Beaches No. 6 and No. 7 are now being built for 2.4 billion ₸. The government mentions plans for international-brand hotels in Konaev.

Alakol in Zhetysu Region is popular with families. In 2026 the budget allocated 289 million ₸ to subsidise summer flights Almaty–Usharal–Almaty, and a design for a new terminal at Usharal airport has been drawn up. On the shore of Lake Balkhash, water supply, sewerage and power lines worth 7.4 billion ₸ are being completed.

How a natural location affects the choice of plot

A beautiful view sells once, but the road, power and water are needed every day. When a client sends me a plot "with a mountain view", I first check five things, and only then calculate the return.

Road: asphalt up to the plot, or at least access for a car in winter
Electricity: how many kilowatts you can get and what the connection costs. A bathhouse with a pool needs a lot of capacity
Water: a well, mains or delivered water. In dry years this is the main question
Land category and protected zones: national park, a river's water protection strip, mudflow zone
Travel time from Almaty: up to 1.5 hours brings weekend guests, beyond that you need tourists who stay overnight

Risks of nature-based projects: what to watch

Seasonality: at lakes and beaches most of the money comes from June to August; in the mountains in winter and summer, with a dip in spring and November
Specially protected natural areas: you can't buy land in a national park, and use rights go through a tender with strict restrictions
Mudflows, landslides and earthquakes in the foothills: some of Almaty's gorges are dangerous, so you need surveys and a check of the risk map
Water protection zones: near rivers and lakes you can't build everywhere or build anything you like
Environmental protests: projects in the mountains around Almaty have been stopped more than once after residents complained
Distance: the farther from the city, the more expensive it is to deliver materials and the harder it is to hire staff

I'll find a plot near the mountains or a lake and check it

Describe what you want to build: a guesthouse, a bathhouse, glamping. I'll find options on the approaches to tourist spots and check the road, power capacity, water and land category before you pay a deposit.

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Questions and answers

Which natural sites in Almaty Region are most popular with tourists?

According to the Government of Kazakhstan's 2026 list, they are Konaev, Lakes Kolsai and Kaindy, Charyn Canyon, the mountains around Almaty, and Alakol and Balkhash. The eastern Charyn–Kolsai–Kaindy route is usually done in one or two days.

Can you buy land in a national park near Almaty?

No. National park land stays in state ownership. Plots there are sometimes handed over for long-term use for tourism through a tender, but with a ban on permanent construction and strict conditions.

How long is the drive from Almaty to Charyn Canyon?

About 195 km, usually 3–3.5 hours by car. The canyon stretches for about 154 km, and the most visited part is called the Valley of Castles.

Where is the best place to build a guesthouse near Almaty?

On the approaches to popular spots: in foothill villages 40–90 minutes from the city, in Konaev, and on the eastern route near Saty and Kegen. The road, grid capacity, water and land category decide it, not just the view.

How was Lake Kaindy formed?

After the 1911 Kemin earthquake, a rockfall blocked the valley and water flooded a spruce forest. The spruce trunks still stand in the water. The lake lies at about 1,667 m.

Is the state investing in tourist infrastructure in Almaty Region?

Yes. In recent years Beach No. 5 in Konaev was landscaped for 4.5 billion ₸, Beaches No. 6 and No. 7 are being built, the road to Kaindy is being repaired and national parks are being equipped. For an investor that improves access but doesn't guarantee occupancy.