What to bring from Kazakhstan: ideas of interesting gifts and souvenirs | Guides Club

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If you are vacationing in Kazakhstan, you will easily find interesting gifts here. Old traditions are preserved in this country. In shops, markets and craft shops, you can buy handmade dishes, clothes, jewelry or musical instruments. And there are cheeses and sausages, sweets and fragrant tea. You just need to decide which of this variety you like the most. We will tell you what you can bring from Kazakhstan to Russia to make it easier for you to make a choice. The list includes delicious goodies, practical things, and curiosities that are found only in this country.

What should I bring from Kazakhstan from food and drinks?

Kazakhstan has a long and hot summer, so delicious nuts and sweet fruits ripen here. Animal husbandry is developed in this country, so there are a lot of meat and dairy products of excellent quality. Kazakhs also know a lot about sweets, whether it’s exotic honey from camel thorn or more familiar chocolate. Let’s tell you in more detail what delicious things to bring from Kazakhstan.

Sweets for yourself and as a gift to your loved ones

There are several large confectionery factories in Kazakhstan that produce all kinds of sweets: sweets of different varieties, marshmallows, marshmallows, marmalade, cookies, waffles. Chocolate wrapped in the color of the national flag has become the country’s business card. It is sold in the form of tiles and sweets, it is exported and bought as a souvenir. What else can I bring?

• Halva. Most often it is made from sunflower seeds, but there are varieties of peanuts and other nuts. Almaty halva is especially famous, but many other types and flavors are offered on the market. All of them are good as a hearty snack for tea.
• Marshmallows. Mashed potatoes are made from various fruits that grow in Kazakhstan. Sugar and egg white are added to it, then this mass is dried in thin layers. It turns out a delicious product that preserves the beneficial properties of fruits and berries.
• Chuck-chuck. The dessert melting in your mouth is made from long pieces of dough fried in oil and poured with honey syrup. Sometimes it is decorated with nuts or powdered sugar.
• Condensed milk. What else should I bring from Kazakhstan from sweets? Condensed milk is not an obvious option, but it is often bought as a gift. It is very tasty and does not cause difficulties on the road.
• Grape sugar. This is a natural sugar, which has more beneficial properties compared to ordinary sugar. It can be added to tea and desserts or simply eaten as lollipops.
• Honey from camel thorn. Camel thorn grows in the arid regions of Kazakhstan, from which honey of a light shade is obtained. It is appreciated for its healing, toning and hypoallergenic properties.

Fruits and nuts

Everyone loves these products, but they are much cheaper in Kazakhstan than in Russian cities. Nuts are sold in markets in any form: peeled and in the shell, raw and fried. There are nuts in paprika, sesame seeds and other spices — a great snack. There are sweet varieties for children, including mixtures with candied fruits. Walnuts, hazelnuts and almonds are especially common. There are also cashews and pistachios.

What kind of gifts are brought from Kazakhstan from fruits? This country is famous for apples, because even the name of the largest city of Almaty means “Apple” in translation. The most famous variety and symbol of the city is the Almaty aport. Large red apples with great taste are sold from September to February. Both apples and other fruits and berries can be bought in dried form. They are stored for a long time and easily carry the road. You can bring raisins, dried apricots, prunes, sweet figs or healthy sour dogwood.

Kazy and shuzhuk

What else should I bring from Kazakhstan from the products? Pay attention to such a meat delicacy as horse sausage. Two varieties are considered the best: kazy and shuzhuk. They are similar, only the shuzhuk is fatter. Both contain spices, due to which the taste becomes brighter. Buy these sausages in a vacuum-packed store, so they carry the road better. It is even better to choose the smoked variety. If you don’t want to try horse sausage, buy another one — there is a large selection in any grocery store.

Cheeses and kurt

It is impossible to present a list of what can be brought from Kazakhstan from food, without different varieties of cheese and products based on it. Fine homemade cheeses and sweet cottage cheese delicacy irimshik are sold here. But more often, salty cheese balls, called kurt, are bought as a souvenir. Kurt is a national product, and it is still being made in the same way as centuries ago. It tastes like cheese, only very hard, because it is dried in the sun. In the old days, they took it with them on the road or kept it in reserve in case there was no other food. It can be used in much the same way now. This is a healthy snack that does not take up much space and does not spoil for a long time, even in the heat.

Spices

As elsewhere in Asia, markets in Kazakhstan are full of fragrant spices — local and imported. They can be bought by weight, and supermarkets have a large selection of spices in packages. The prices are low, so you can pick up what you like more for the future. You can also try something new to give familiar dishes an unusual taste. In addition to individual herbs and seeds, you can buy ready-made mixes for meat, fish, and vegetables. Spices take up little space, and even long transportation is not terrible for them. They will be useful to everyone, so this is a good gift from Kazakhstan.

Fermented milk drinks

If you like kefir and fermented baked milk, do not pass by the shelves with fermented milk drinks in Kazakh stores. There are a lot more of them here than in Russia, so you can try unusual flavors and bring something home from Kazakhstan. The most famous and widespread drink is koumiss. It is sold everywhere, including on tap. It is made from mare’s milk, it tastes sweet and sour and quenches thirst well. Natural koumiss contains up to 4.5% alcohol, so it gives strength and invigorates in the heat. What else is worth trying?

• Ayran. A mixture of several types of milk is used for its preparation. It turns out to be a cross between unsweetened yogurt and salty kefir.
• Tan. Traditional tan is made from matzoni, similar to thick yogurt. Matsoni is convenient to eat with a spoon, but if you dilute it with water, you will get a tan that you can drink. In addition to water, salt is also added, and sometimes herbs.
• Shubat. It resembles koumiss, but it is a thicker and greasier drink, and therefore more nutritious. They make it from camel milk. It is believed that there are three times more useful substances in shubat than in cow’s milk.

Tea

Tea is loved in Kazakhstan no less than in Russia. Although, perhaps it is better to compare the Kazakh tea culture with the British, because black tea with milk is most loved here. Therefore, it is black tea without additives that is most widely represented on store shelves. But you can find any other, including green and flavored — mint, lemon, thyme, chamomile and other additives.

Tea is brought to Kazakhstan from almost everywhere where it grows. You can buy Chinese Da Hong Pao, Shu Pu’er, Teguanyin, ginseng or jasmine oolong. There is tea from India, Kenya, and Middle Eastern countries. A significant part of it is purchased in bulk and packaged in factories in Kazakhstan. There are many popular brands here, which are also found in Russia. You can buy tea by weight or in a simple package for yourself, and it is easy to choose a beautiful set as a gift.

National clothes

Different types of national clothes are sold both in markets and in shops. This is a good souvenir from Kazakhstan, which weighs little and will not be damaged during transportation. The easiest way is to choose a beautiful silk scarf, such a thing will appeal to every woman. If you want something more original, buy a takiya headdress. This is a skullcap worn by men and unmarried girls in the past. It is small, colorful and usually embroidered with silver, beads or golden plaques.

Another variant of national clothing, resembling a robe in cut, is the chapan. It is usually sewn from camel’s hair with a cotton lining, so that it breathes and warms well in the cold. There are simple chapans for everyday wear, there are beautiful ones for a gift and meeting guests.

The Corps

The Kazakh house cannot be imagined without blankets and bedspreads made in the technique of patchwork. They are also being brought from Kazakhstan as a gift. A small blanket or bedspread will easily fit in your luggage. It can be laid at home on a chair or armchair, you can take it with you to nature or sew decorative pillowcases. Such needlework will decorate the house and make it more comfortable.

Felt and wool products

In Kazakhstan, sheep have been bred for a long time and felt is made from their wool. And a variety of things are made of felt — warm, soft, comfortable. A good idea that you can bring from Kazakhstan as a gift is felt slippers for home or bath. They are decorated with traditional ornaments, so they look unusual. They also make warm hats and soft toys out of felt — elephants, camels, horses, giraffes. A great gift for a child. You can also buy a small rug.

In addition to felt, knitted or woven wool items are sold in markets and shops. Angora socks are always useful, so you can buy them with a stock. You can also buy something more substantial, for example, a woolen vest.

Leather products

Developed animal husbandry provides not only meat, milk and wool. Among the souvenirs that can be brought from Kazakhstan, leather items occupy an important place. For example, you can buy a leather flask. In the past, nomads carried with them such flasks filled with water and kumis. They can still serve as a good substitute for a thermos, since they keep drinks cool in hot weather. In Kazakhstan, they make different types of leather flasks, it can be torsyk or saba. There are gift sets with cups.

In addition to flasks, many other leather goods are sold in Kazakhstan. Belts, wallets, bracelets, key rings, housekeepers. There are beautiful embossed cases and caskets. These are practical and original gifts that will last for many years.

Clay and wooden dishes

Kazakhstan is proud of its ceramics, which are made using ancient technologies from terracotta and chamotte clay. This is a beautiful and good-quality tableware that can retain heat for a long time. It is usually decorated with bright national ornaments, but you can find something modern. If you are thinking about which gift to bring from Kazakhstan, feel free to choose a set of bowls. It is one of the symbols of the country. Small bowls are suitable for tea, and larger ones for soup and other dishes. You can buy a large painted dish or a souvenir plate with a drawing of a landmark or historical scene.

In addition to ceramics, wooden tableware will be a good souvenir. Carved ladles and spoons of all sizes are especially common, but wooden bowls, plates and dishes are found.

Jewelry made of silver

What should I bring from Kazakhstan, including Almaty, as a gift to a girl? Why not choose a bright piece of jewelry — it will surely delight your relative or friend. You should not be afraid of excessive expenses: silver, popular in Kazakhstan, in the technique of hot enamel, is inexpensive. You can buy such things anywhere, but it’s better to go to a branded jewelry store.

The most common jewelry are coin—like sholpa earrings, which are considered a talisman, and wide bilezik bracelets. Such bracelets can be worn on both wrists and ankles. There are also pendants, rings, and necklaces. They are usually decorated with either bright colors — yellow, orange, turquoise — or subtle traditional ornaments.

Dombra

Among the folk musical instruments of Kazakhstan, the most common is the dombra. Once it was found in every yurt, and every self-respecting Kazakh knew how to play it. And now its sounds can be heard at festivals and concerts of traditional music. This lute-like instrument can be brought from Kazakhstan as a souvenir. Dombra has a soft sound, it looks elegant and is even included in the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage list. It is easy to master, because the dombra has only two strings. But even if you don’t play it, it will decorate your home and surprise your guests.

This is not a complete list of gifts that can be brought from Kazakhstan. There are also carpets, dolls in national costumes, paintings, souvenir coins. The best way to find all the fun and avoid fakes is to travel with an experienced guide who knows good places and craftsmen. You can find such a guide on our website. Choose a tour on suitable dates and book it before you run out of places!

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