Nearly 4 Million People Visited Kazakhstan’s National Parks in One Year

Over the past three years, the number of visitors to Kazakhstan’s specially protected natural areas (SPNAs) has increased from 2.4 million to more than 3.9 million, according to the press service of the Central Asia Climate Change and Green Energy Project Office.

“Over the past three years, the number of tourists visiting Kazakhstan’s specially protected natural areas has grown by 1.5 million. Tourism infrastructure in the country’s national parks continues to improve steadily. According to official statistics, more than 2.4 million people visited SPNAs in 2023, over 2.8 million in 2024, and more than 3.9 million in 2025,” the statement said.

As of January 1, 2026, Kazakhstan’s specially protected natural areas cover a total of 31.1 million hectares, representing 11.4% of the country’s territory.

The SPNA system includes nationally and locally significant protected areas such as state nature reserves, national parks, nature reserves, botanical gardens, protected zones, wildlife sanctuaries, natural monuments, and dendrological parks.

Currently, Kazakhstan’s national parks offer 121 tourist routes and 35 ecological trails. Work is ongoing to improve tourism infrastructure, develop new routes, and modernize park entrance checkpoints.

“To familiarize visitors with national park regulations, safety requirements for турист routes, and biodiversity conservation, visitor centers built by private investors operate in the Ile-Alatau, Charyn, and Altyn-Emel National Parks.

The Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources, together with JSC Zhasyl Damu, is implementing the ‘Clean Tourism’ program. The initiative includes installing separate waste collection containers and bins, informational banners, and reverse vending machines (fandomats), as well as providing visitors with biodegradable bags for collecting and carrying out their own waste.

Environmental campaigns under the ‘Taza Kazakhstan’ initiative are also regularly held in national parks with the participation of schoolchildren, students, local residents, and public organizations. In 2025, a total of 874 environmental campaigns were organized, involving more than 283,300 participants,” the Project Office noted.

Photo source: caclimate.fund