Security and health
The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade's Smartraveller site provides advice for business travellers and tourists going to Kazakhstan. This is regularly updated, and should be checked before planning travel.
It is strongly recommended that Australian travellers take out comprehensive travel insurance that will cover any overseas medical costs, before their departure. They should confirm that their insurance covers them for the whole time they will be away and check what circumstances and activities are not included in their policy.
It is also recommended for Australian travellers to register, before travelling, on the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade website, in case of an emergency.
Health
Often a change in diet and partaking of the local custom, vodka, is the cause of stomach complaints in Kazakhstan. The treatment usually requires a few days for acclimation. Although Kazakhstan citizens may believe that water out of the tap is drinkable, it is not recommended. Bottled water and soft drinks are readily available at stores, kiosks and hotels.
While Kazakhstan is presently not known for any particular diseases, travellers planning to spend extended periods of time in the Republic should make sure that they are up-to-date with tetanus, rabies, hepatitis, polio, cholera, typhoid inoculations and encephalitis vaccines. Even for short visits, it is strongly advisable to be appropriately vaccinated. Consult a doctor or a travel clinic before traveling to Kazakhstan, allowing time for vaccination series.
Foreigners are advised to bring ample supplies of required medications for their use in an emergency, as the medicine supply in Kazakhstan tends to differ from what foreigners are used to in their home countries.