Turkistan

Kazakhstan's spiritual capital, whose Mausoleum of Khoja Ahmed Yasawi, commissioned by Timur, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site; a rebuilt old town and nighttime light shows have made it a hot new destination.

Turkistan lies on the middle reaches of the Syr Darya in southern Kazakhstan and is the capital of Turkistan Region, about 170 km from Shymkent and 300 km from Tashkent. Thanks to the 12th-century Sufi poet Khoja Ahmed Yasawi, the city became a pilgrimage center for the Turkic peoples of Central Asia and is known as Kazakhstan's “spiritual capital”; the Mausoleum of Khoja Ahmed Yasawi, commissioned by Timur, was the country's first World Heritage Site. The main sights fall into three areas: first, the historic reserve around the Yasawi mausoleum, where the Rabia Sultan Begim Mausoleum, the Esim Khan Mausoleum, the underground mosque and the Kultobe archaeological site can all be explored on foot; second, the newly built Keruen Saray tourist complex to the east, where canal lights and nighttime shows are the latest highlight; and third, day trips by hired car — north to the ancient city of Sauran and the sacred well of Ukasha Ata, or south to the Arystan Bab Mausoleum and the ruins of Otrar. The best times to visit are Apr–May and Sep–Oct; summer often exceeds 40°C and winter is cold. Turkistan International Airport has flights to Almaty, Astana and Istanbul, among others, and trains run from Almaty and Shymkent. Plan on 2 days. Dress modestly at religious sites, and women should bring a headscarf; the surrounding ruins have little shade, so protect yourself from the sun and stay hydrated.

Top sights

• Mausoleum of Khoja Ahmed Yasawi – A vast mausoleum commissioned by Timur, with one of Central Asia’s largest brick domes. It was Kazakhstan’s first World Heritage Site.
• Arystan Bab Mausoleum – The mausoleum of Arystan Bab, Yasawi’s spiritual teacher. Following pilgrimage tradition, visit here before going to Yasawi’s mausoleum.
• Mausoleum of Rabiga Sultan Begim – The mausoleum of Rabia Sultan Begim, daughter of Ulugh Beg and wife of Abulkhair Khan, with a small, elegant blue dome, located just south…
• Mausoleum of Esim Khan – The resting place of Esim Khan, a 17th-century ruler of the Kazakh Khanate, with exhibits on the history of the khanate, located beside the…
• Khilvet Underground Mosque – An underground retreat where Yasawi is said to have lived in seclusion in his later years, a small semi-subterranean mosque and a must-visi…
• Juma Mosque, Turkistan – A 19th-century brick Friday mosque in the reserve, with a small, unpretentious design of wooden columns and a dome, worth a quick look on t…
• Kultobe Settlement – The ancient mound where the city of Turkistan began, with pottery and bronze mirrors excavated, offering a look at more than a thousand yea…
• Keruen Saray – A newly built tourist complex styled after Silk Road caravanserais, where canal boat rides, the Flying Theatre and a nighttime light show m…
• Sauran – A medieval ancient city on the steppe, its huge oval rammed-earth walls remarkably well preserved; it was once one of the capitals of the W…
• Otrar – The ruins of the Silk Road city of Otrar, where the 1219 Otrar incident led to Genghis Khan’s western campaign; also the hometown of the ph…
• Ukasha Ata – A tomb and deep well said to belong to one of the Prophet Muhammad’s companions; pilgrims draw water from the well for blessings, making it…

Where to eat

• Sandyq Restaurant – A Kazakh national-cuisine restaurant beside the Karavansaray complex, reviving long-lost nomadic recipes in a setting f…
• Daulet Restaurant – An affordable local eatery near the Khoja Ahmed Yasawi Mausoleum; plov, lagman and meat broth are visitors' favorites

Itineraries

• South Kazakhstan Silk Road Cities & Aksu Canyon – Visit Turkistan, Otrar, Sayram, and Shymkent, then explore the reserve in the western Tian Shan.
• Grand Kazakhstan Tour: Four Major Regions – Connect the Tian Shan, Silk Road cities, Caspian wilderness, and the capital with domestic flights to experience four d…