WELCOME TO KAZAKHSTAN

Kazakhstan often surprises even those who have lived here their entire lives. Steppes, mountains, canyons, salt marshes, waterfalls, deserts, and lakes in various regions of the country create a landscape that is difficult to describe in a single word. But even more challenging is conveying it in a way that makes viewers on the other side of the world want to stop watching, watch the video to the end, and one day see these places for themselves.Today, social media is becoming one of the fastest ways to introduce the country to the world. A single, well-timed shot from an unexpected angle can tell more about Kazakhstan than a lengthy travel brochure. In this sense, travel bloggers are increasingly becoming not just creators of beautiful content, but guides to the country's culture, nature, and atmosphere.One such author is Dastan Mukhamedrakhim. He was recently named the best travel blogger in the world at the international WIBA Awards, often called the "Oscars" of the blogging industry. His videos about Kazakhstan attract millions of views, appear on major international sites, and attract the interest of viewers from around the world. Currently, together with renowned content makers Joe Hattab and MegaAmerican, Dastan is traveling through the picturesque corners of Kazakhstan, filming natural locations that many international viewers are discovering for the first time. During the filming expedition, he gave an exclusive interview to the Qazaq Culture portal and discussed why Kazakhstan can surprise the world, what lies behind a minute-long video, and which places in the country are still waiting to be discovered.– What do you think is most attractive about Kazakhstan to international audiences, and how do you manage to show our country from a new perspective?– Foreign viewers are primarily amazed by Kazakhstan's natural diversity. We have mountains that can remind us of Switzerland, salt lakes reminiscent of Bolivia, deserts with a Saudi Arabian atmosphere, and canyons that many compare to American landscapes. So, by showing just Kazakhstan, you're opening up several different worlds to the viewer.But for me, it's not just about capturing a beautiful location. I try to find a creative idea for each video: an unusual angle, camera movement, a moment of light, a visual technique. Even a familiar place can be shown in a way that makes people see it anew.After such videos, foreigners often write to me. They ask where this location is, how to get there, and when is the best time to visit. Many admit that they knew almost nothing about Kazakhstan before, but after watching the videos, they want to include our country in their travel itineraries. When videos are picked up by major international sites, they are seen by millions of people. And this is no longer just content – ​​it's a real promotion of Kazakhstan abroad.– You were recently named the best travel blogger at the international WIBA Awards. What does this award mean to you?– The WIBA Awards are a special award for me. For eight years now, this award has been recognizing the world's best bloggers, and in our industry, it is often referred to as the "Oscar." The ceremony takes place in Cannes during the Cannes Film Festival, so the atmosphere is truly grand: famous personalities, influencers, and content creators from around the world attend.I'm not an actor or a singer, so of course I can't claim a cinematic Oscar. But in travel blogging, the WIBA Awards are one of the highest peaks. For me, it's my greatest professional achievement to date.What's especially valuable is that I found myself among creators with tens and even hundreds of millions of followers. For example, among the participants were bloggers like Habi Leymah, whose combined audience is approaching 300 million. Against this backdrop, I currently have less than two million followers, but I've received international recognition. For me, this is not only a personal victory but also confirmation that content about Kazakhstan is truly interesting to the world.– Is there a place among the regions you've already photographed that's particularly close to your heart? Which little-known corners of Kazakhstan, in your opinion, deserve global promotion?– I get this question often, and my answer varies slightly each time. Because the more I travel around Kazakhstan, the more I realize: each region has its own character. The same place can reveal itself completely differently at a different time of year, in a different light, or after a new trip.If I were to name three destinations that are especially close to my heart right now, the first would be Mangystau. We returned from there just a few days ago, and this trip once again demonstrated how unique this region is. Mangystau has places that are little known, not only to foreigners but also to Kazakhstanis themselves. Each time, it feels like you've already seen this region, but it surprises you again.Second place goes to Katon-Karagay. Its nature, in my opinion, is on par with Switzerland, and in some places even surpasses it. There are many hard-to-reach corners where you can feel the natural beauty of the region is practically untouched. The region is home to one of the largest waterfalls in Asia. And in summer, especially in early July, when the meadows bloom at the foot of the snow-capped mountains, the landscape looks like a living painting.The third destination is the Almaty region. Its strength lies in its incredible diversity. Here you can see mountains, desert expanses, the Singing Dune, and if you head towards the Tien Shan, you can reach Narynkol, near which lies Khan Tengri Peak, the highest point in Kazakhstan.Among the lesser-known places, I would highlight the Ushkol Lakes in the Dzungarian Alatau. Getting there is difficult, so there are almost no people there. Before the trip, I myself had seen almost no photos or videos of this area. But the video about Ushkol has garnered over eight million views on my page. This shows that even little-known locations can be a real discovery for a large audience.Another place is the Karynzharyk Depression in Mangystau. We visited there during our last expedition. Its beauty rivals that of Bolivia: salt flats, canyons, unusual landforms. When you're there, you feel like you've entered another world. Places like these should definitely be shown to an international audience.– You often say that every place has its "golden hour." How do you prepare for filming to capture this moment? And what kind of work, usually behind the scenes, goes into a single video?– I've already traveled around Kazakhstan three times, so to speak. Thanks to this, we have a good understanding of when it's best to visit a particular region, where the season is important, where you need to wait for a certain light, and where much depends on the weather. Now we plan our trips not just based on a map, but taking into account natural phenomena and the right time for filming.My subscribers are also a great help. Every day I receive dozens of messages – sometimes as many as 50. People tell me where the fields are blooming, where unusual fog has appeared, where they can see a rare natural phenomenon. Thanks to such tips, we often discover new locations. A minute-long video requires much more work than it might seem. Sometimes, to convey the height of a mountain or the scale of a landscape, you need to climb a difficult section, choose the right vantage point, and wait for the right light. From the outside, such shots can look risky, and viewers often worry. But there's always a team behind the camera monitoring safety. For example, when we filmed a video on the roof of the Pana Hotel in Semey, there were three people nearby monitoring my every move.Drone filming is a different story. Strong winds, trees, and difficult terrain all pose risks to the equipment. Over the course of our work, we've lost or crashed over 20 drones. Therefore, a short one-minute video isn't just a pretty shot. It requires preparation, a team, time, sometimes risk, and a lot of work.– You began your career as a teacher of Kazakh language and literature. Does your teaching experience help you create content and build communication with your audience?– Yes, my teaching experience helps a lot. Working as a teacher teaches you to articulate your thoughts clearly, build rapport with people, and feel responsible for every word. This is also important on social media. I try to pay close attention not only to images but also to text: stories, captions, and reels. It's important for me to write correctly, clearly, and respectfully to the audience. When someone has a large audience, their language also becomes part of the content.Sometimes I see bloggers with large followings who make a lot of mistakes in their texts. I don't want to criticize anyone, but I think that an author who is addressing a wide audience should be attentive to language. A beautiful video attracts attention, but literate language helps maintain trust.– What, in your opinion, should be the first priority to attract more tourists to Kazakhstan's regions with picturesque nature and rich historical heritage?– Today, one of the most powerful tools for promoting tourism is social media. People increasingly learn about countries and routes through their phones. They see a short video, save it, send it to friends, and start searching for information. This is how interest in a place is generated.Large advertising campaigns are not always necessary for this. Sometimes it's enough to present a location in a way that makes people want to go there. An unusual angle, beautiful lighting, a genuine impression—and the video begins to spread on its own. I can see from the audience's reaction that interest in Kazakhstan is growing. In recent years, more and more foreigners have written that they want to visit precisely after watching videos like this.But interest alone isn't enough. Once someone has decided to come, it's important for them to have a comfortable travel experience. We need infrastructure, clear navigation, service, safety, and accessible route information. And, of course, it's crucial to maintain our traditional hospitality. If a tourist leaves with good impressions, they will not only want to return but will also tell others about Kazakhstan.—You said that you've only shown about 30 percent of Kazakhstan's natural beauty so far. What other regions would you like to visit and film? And if you had to introduce our country to the world in just one minute, what places and images would you include in this video?—Kazakhstan cannot be fully captured in one minute. We are a vast country, and each region has its own landscape, its own atmosphere, its own history. It's difficult to show mountains, steppes, deserts, canyons, and lakes in a single video so that the viewer feels the full scale.Currently, one of the places I want to visit is the Aktolagay Mountains in the Aktobe region. Their landscape is reminiscent of Bozzhyra in Mangistau, and I think some very powerful footage could be captured there. I'm also interested in the area around Ridder. I often hear that the nature there is no less picturesque than the route to Belukha in Katon-Karagay. Some bloggers have already filmed bears there. In the future, I would also like to visit this region and show its wildlife using a drone.The Turgay region is also interesting. At first glance, it may seem like an endless plain, but this area has its own unique beauty. The Ulytau region deserves special attention. It can attract tourists not only with its natural beauty but also with its historical heritage, including the Zhoshy Khan Mausoleum. If I had to introduce Kazakhstan to the world in one minute, I would choose not just the most beautiful shots, but images that reveal the country from every angle. These would be mountains and steppes, canyons and salt marshes, ancient monuments and people who welcome guests with open hearts. Because Kazakhstan is more than just nature. It is space, history, culture, and a sense of freedom that cannot be conveyed in a single frame, but can be conveyed through genuine emotion.