Karaganda, Karagandy or Qaraghandy is famous for being home to Nurken Abdirov, a Kazakh World War II hero, with a statue made in his honour that can be found within the city compounds at the centre. As the capital of the Karaganda Region, the city is the fourth most populous city in Kazakhstan. Once inhabited majorly by the ethnic Germans, the city is driven by the coal industry, with labour camps being set up during the Stalin era to get the detainees to work at the mines. It is no longer the case in present-day, even though coal remains a significant economic driver of the city. Present-day Karaganda is very much alive and cheerful, with plenty of cultures, good dining scenes and places to go around to explore.

Airports in Karaganda

Sary-Arka Airport

Sary-Arka Airport is the main international airport in Karaganda that majorly serves the city as well as the nearby areas. The airport is located about 24 kilometres southeast of Karaganda. It was built in 1934 in a different place and was only moved to the current location in 1944, and later granted the international status in 1992. Till present day, it still shares some space with the military, having utilized as home to the 610^th Air Base of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Kazakhstan. At an elevation of 538 meters, the airport has a runway made of reinforced concrete and is 3,600 meters long. Owned by JSC “Sary-Arka International Airport” and operated by Sky Service LLP, there are several connecting flights to and from Kuala Lumpur via airlines such as Aeroflot, Bangkok Airways Cathay Dragon, China Southern and Malaysian Airlines among others with ticket prices ranging from as low as 7,755 ringgit to 24,128 ringgit.

How to Get Cheap Flights to Karaganda?

Traveloka is a travel search engine that makes it easy for travellers to find the cheapest flights to Karaganda. All you need to do is key in the information in the search box, and the application will recommend the best trip according to your budget. It compares flight prices across some trusted airlines to help you to get the best possible deal. Use Traveloka’s price alert feature to be notified of

When is the Best Time to Fly to Karaganda?

The best time to visit Karaganda is usually around May to September, which is around the end of spring to the beginning of fall that is said to be the beach season. Around this time, temperatures are much warmer and more comfortable to travel around the city to explore its beauty. However, expect flight and hotel prices to rise around these periods. Typically, the month of February, which is during the end of winter, would see a lower amount of tourists in Karaganda. Therefore, flight and hotel prices tend to be lower around this period. If you do not mind, then you can save a lot by going to Karaganda around the time period.

Karaganda has a humid continental climate according to the Koppen climate classification which indicates warm summers and very cold winters with frequent light snow. The average temperature is ranging from - 12.9 degree Celsius during winter in January to 20.4 degree Celsius during the summer in July. Meanwhile, the annual precipitation is fairly low, around 352 mm in which the heaviest precipitation would typically occur during the summer season. When it comes to extreme temperatures, the coldest temperature ever reached is at - 42.9 degree Celsius, last recorded in 1938; while the hottest temperature ever reached is at 40.2 degree Celsius, last recorded in 2002.

Due to its distance from Astana, Karaganda is among the most regarded place when it comes to events and festivals around Kazakhstan. Therefore in Karaganda, expect to look forward to join the celebrations and get the chance to experience the festivities, just like the locals do. For instance, Karaganda will observe the national events such as Constitution Day, Victory Day, Capital City Day, Republic Day and many more on an annual basis, with the celebrations done here being just as vibrant as they usually do at the capital of Astana. If you happen to be in town during these occasions, be sure to look forward to observe the locals and take part when possible!

What are the Top 3 Things to Do in Karaganda?

The capital of the Karaganda region has a handful of places around town that can be explored by tourists.

Karaganda Ecological Museum – The Karaganda Ecological Museum or EcoMuseum is an educational museum for the young generation to explore as they tour the museum. Among the highlights here include the rocket parts that fall off during the Baykonur space launch, as well as the debris collected from the Semipalatinsk Polygon. Note that tours are typically done in Russian and you need to request for English tours in advance.

Karagandy Zoo – The Karagandy Zoo is the state zoo that covers around 43.5 hectares, having located just 7 kilometres away from the city centre. It is one of the largest and oldest zoological parks that can be found in the entire country, featuring some of the local animals and popular ones like the elephants and deers.

Shakhter Stadium – Some cities are defined by its football scenes and Karaganda is not one to be left out, having a passionate fan base of its local club, FC Shakhter Karagandy. While it is usually used for football matches, it is worth checking out while you are in town.