Kazakhstan

Kazakhstan has become one of the easiest short-haul international trips for Indian travellers, and Almaty is the reason. The city sits at the foot of the snow-capped Tian Shan range, with wide tree-lined avenues, Soviet-era landmarks, busy cafés and a relaxed, safe feel. Within an hour of the centre you can be riding the Medeu–Shymbulak cable car to over 3,000 metres or standing beside the glacier-fed Big Almaty Lake, which changes from milky green to deep turquoise through the summer.

The highlight of most itineraries is the road east towards the Chinese border. Charyn Canyon, with its red rock walls and the Valley of Castles, is often compared to a smaller Grand Canyon and is easy to walk. Further on, the village of Saty is the base for the three Kolsai lakes, ringed by spruce forest, and for Kaindy Lake, where the trunks of a sunken forest rise out of the water. Nights in Saty are simple guesthouse stays, which is part of the charm: home-cooked food, clear skies and horses grazing outside.

For Indian families and couples, Kazakhstan works because it is close, comparatively affordable and has had visa-free entry for short stays. Flights from Delhi take around four hours, the time difference is negligible and vegetarian food is available in Almaty if you plan ahead. Summer is the season for lakes and canyons, while winter turns Shymbulak into a proper ski resort with snow from December to March. A five- or six-night trip is enough to see Almaty, the canyon and the lakes without rushing, and it pairs well with a few extra days in the city for shopping and cafés.