From Bergamo airport, I took two consecutive overnight flights on Ukraine Airlines, from Milan, passing through Kiev, Ukraine towards Almaty, Kazakhstan.
Both flights are on B737 aircrafts featuring rectangular windows from years ago. There is seatback literature but no PTVs or power socket. Both flights turned out to be uneventful. Although Ukraine Airlines is a full service carrier, no food is served, as I recall, on the first flight. A hot meal is served only on the second flight from Kiev to Almaty, probably since the second flight is longer.
So I made the decision to stay within the airport terminal for the day. The airport terminal is fairly small but crowded as it functions as a hub airport, connecting people between Europe and Asia. There are few amenities however, aside from shops and eateries. The only entertainment is the view of planes belonging to different airlines on the tarmac, many of which I have not seen or heard of before. Power sockets can be found free of charge around seating areas.
Landing in Almaty, Kazakhstan gets me excited as this is the first time I'm visiting the country and Central Asia as a whole.
Immigration queue is long and the immigration card needs to be completed, stamped and retained for departure purposes. Prior to arrival, I have done online research on the procedures and filling the card. It can be somewhat complicated.
Some time before, I have read up and realized that Kazakhstan cannot be easily explored using public transport, so I had to hire a guide and driver from an online tour company. Other than flight tickets, it is the most expensive expenditure on this trip, but turns out, the driver-cum-guide were wonderful for my two-day tour in Almaty.
I met up with my young driver at the airport arrivals hall. He can speak a bit of English but he used a mobile translator to communicate with me. Haha! As it was in the early morning when I landed, I headed to my accommodation, a modest hostel, for a few hours' rest. As day breaks, he picked me up in the car and we headed to a canteen selling local food for breakfast:
After breakfast at a pizza shop, I was on my way to Charyn Canyon, another major tourist attraction in Almaty. I guess it's a smaller version of the Grand Canyon in the United States.
Both flights are on B737 aircrafts featuring rectangular windows from years ago. There is seatback literature but no PTVs or power socket. Both flights turned out to be uneventful. Although Ukraine Airlines is a full service carrier, no food is served, as I recall, on the first flight. A hot meal is served only on the second flight from Kiev to Almaty, probably since the second flight is longer.
Almost every other passenger around me ordered tea after the meal, so I tried it out too.
Landing at Ukraine airport. Covered in snow.
I transited in Kiev airport for the day. Initially, I wanted to leave the airport and explore Kiev, Ukraine, a country I have yet been to. However, I would require a costly visa. In addition, online reviews of the visa on arrival application process hasn't been exactly positive, in my opinion.
So I made the decision to stay within the airport terminal for the day. The airport terminal is fairly small but crowded as it functions as a hub airport, connecting people between Europe and Asia. There are few amenities however, aside from shops and eateries. The only entertainment is the view of planes belonging to different airlines on the tarmac, many of which I have not seen or heard of before. Power sockets can be found free of charge around seating areas.
Ukraine Airlines planes
Landing in Almaty, Kazakhstan gets me excited as this is the first time I'm visiting the country and Central Asia as a whole.
Immigration queue is long and the immigration card needs to be completed, stamped and retained for departure purposes. Prior to arrival, I have done online research on the procedures and filling the card. It can be somewhat complicated.
Some time before, I have read up and realized that Kazakhstan cannot be easily explored using public transport, so I had to hire a guide and driver from an online tour company. Other than flight tickets, it is the most expensive expenditure on this trip, but turns out, the driver-cum-guide were wonderful for my two-day tour in Almaty.
I met up with my young driver at the airport arrivals hall. He can speak a bit of English but he used a mobile translator to communicate with me. Haha! As it was in the early morning when I landed, I headed to my accommodation, a modest hostel, for a few hours' rest. As day breaks, he picked me up in the car and we headed to a canteen selling local food for breakfast:
I ordered these dishes to try and they were great !
After a sumptuous and affordable breakfast, I was off to the mountains to visit the Almaty Lake.
The Almaty Lake. The views were simply amazing. I literally had the place to myself since there were hardly any other tourists around.
To reach the lake, I need to transfer midway from a normal car to a 4WD as the roads can get slippery from the snow.
On the way back, the guide pointed out some other attractions such as the cable car and he dropped me off at a central location. I used google maps to guide myself back to the hostel. It was a pleasant walk through a shopping street.
On the second day, I was surprisingly picked up by another much older driver-cum-guide. He spoke fluent English so there's no communication issues.
After breakfast at a pizza shop, I was on my way to Charyn Canyon, another major tourist attraction in Almaty. I guess it's a smaller version of the Grand Canyon in the United States.
While the road ends at the top of the canyon, there is a staircase leading to the bottom to begin my trek.
It feels surreal to be walking among the canyon😀
After the canyon, I headed straight to the airport with plenty of time to spare for my flight. Along the way, I asked to stop by a supermarket to stock up on food.
Almaty, Kazakhstan is a fascinating place to visit. I felt safe on both days that I were there. Most locals do not speak English, other than those working in the tourist sector such as tour guide and accommodation staff. Highly recommend a visit!
