The great steppe, from tower to canyon

Kazakhstan is the largest landlocked country on Earth, a land of endless grass steppe, desert, and the snowy Tian Shan mountains in the south-east. Its sights are far apart, so it rewards planning around a few regions.

This guide covers fifteen places: the futuristic capital Astana, the lakes, canyons and steppe around Almaty, Silk Road shrines in Turkistan, the spaceport at Baikonur and the white cliffs of Mangystau.