Kazakhstan is vast, and its two main cities feel unrelated. Almaty sits under the Tian Shan mountains with tree-lined streets and ski slopes within reach of the city; Astana was built up rapidly as the new capital on open steppe, and its architecture reflects that deliberate construction.
The guides on this page cover Almaty, Astana and Kazakhstan overall. The climate is continental and extreme in both directions — steppe winters are severely cold and summers hot, with spring and autumn the mildest windows. The distance between the two cities is covered by air or a long overnight train. Mountain routes near Almaty, including Shymbulak and the Big Almaty Lake, are the usual reason to extend a stay there.