The world’s ninth biggest country is one of its last great travel unknowns. The leafy commercial and social hub, Almaty, has an almost European feel. Astana, in the north, is being transformed into a 21st-century capital with a unique mix of Islamic, Western, Soviet and wacky futuristic architecture. Around the fringes of the great steppes, Kazakhstan presents an array of surprising adventures. You can trek on foot or go on horseback in the spectacular Tian Shan or Altay Mountains, watch flamingos on steppe lakes or discover mysterious underground mosques near the Caspian Sea.