Kazakhstan wasn’t exactly a destination I had pictured myself traveling to anytime soon. In fact, before attending TBEX in Almaty, I knew very little about the country, and even less about Zhetysu.

Then I was selected for a post-conference adventure through the region, and suddenly my itinerary included rafting down the Koksu River, exploring some of the most surreal landscapes I’d ever seen and finally checking paragliding off my bucket list.

I’ll admit, when I saw the word “Adventure” in the trip name, I may have underestimated just how much adventure we were actually talking about.

But that’s exactly what made Zhetysu one of the biggest surprises of my first trip to Kazakhstan. From colorful mountains and massive sand dunes to rivers, open landscapes and experiences that pushed me slightlyyyy outside my comfort zone, this is a part of Central Asia I honestly hadn’t known much about before visiting.

And if you’re the kind of traveler who would rather spend a trip rafting, hiking and flying over the landscape than sitting beside a hotel pool all week, Zhetysu deserves to be on your radar.

Where Is Zhetysu, Kazakhstan?

Zhetysu, also written as Zhetisu, is a region in southeastern Kazakhstan. Its administrative center is Taldykorgan, and the present-day Zhetysu Region was officially established in 2022 after the former Almaty Region was divided.

The region covers around 118,000 square kilometers, so we’re not talking about one little destination you can see in an afternoon. Its geography is incredibly varied, with everything from deserts and rivers to lakes and mountain landscapes. It’s also home to major natural areas including Altyn-Emel National Park and the Zhongar Alatau mountain system.

That diversity is one of the things that makes Zhetysu such an interesting destination for adventure travelers. You can go from climbing a giant…

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