Kazakhstan

2025: The year in six photos

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It’s almost time to ring in 2026, so it’s time to look back on the year that’s been.

2025 is sharply defined by photographs for me, which bring back places I’ve visited and moments that have created a lasting impact.

I was lucky enough to travel far and wide again, although the summer was marked by a lull with staycations closer to home.

I hope you enjoy exploring those locations. A Happy New Year to you and may 2026 prove healthy and rewarding.

1) North African island

A stretch of Djerban coast, the blue of the Mediterranean and the Spring sky.

A winter sunshine holiday to the Tunisian island of Djerba outdid expectations. Rarely content with beachside relaxation, I hired a bike to explore the island’s compelling architecture and landscapes, meeting Tunisians along the way. The holiday grew into a fully-fledged trip.

• Explore stunning Djerba here

2) Seaside sunsets

A summer sunset on St Anne's beach on the Lancashire coast.

This summer I turned my regular day trips to England’s north-west coast into little staycations. I was rewarded with blazing, rich sunsets on St Annes Beach in Lancashire and went on a 20km hike along the Fylde Coast. Don’t head home, book a hotel.

• Enjoy more Lancashire summer sun here

3) Purpose-built capital

A cluster of high rise buildings on the Astana skyline, including the iconic Bayterek Tower.

2025’s long distance adventure took me to the vast Central Asian nation of Kazakhstan. It boasts monumental landscapes but the new capital of Astana impressed me the most with its bold, modern architecture. You just have to look up in this city.

• See the riches of Kazakhstan here

4) Memorable stay by the bay

A group paddling in the water seen on Morecambe South Beach in the last light of day.

I turned regular day trips to the Lancashire seaside town of Morecambe into a short break, staying at Art Deco landmark The Midland Hotel. I captured the bay’s legendary dawns and dusks, with a walk to neighbouring Heysham thrown in. This was so much more rewarding than rushing home to Manchester.

• Enjoy more of Morecambe’s marvels here

5) Far flung mountains

A yurt encampment nestling in the mountainous landscape of Kyrgyzstan.

Mighty Kazakhstan was followed by a visit to far smaller, rugged Kyrgyzstan in Central Asia. Valleys studded with yurts and a vast lake posing as this landlocked country’s seaside made this a memorable short stay.

• Discover more of Kyrgyzstan here

6) Manchester keeps on growing

The high rise tower of new development Square Gardens in Manchester.

The development of Manchester city centre continued at speed in 2025, and I was in the right place to capture it. Square Gardens with its sleek blue towers became a new favourite – a preference likely to change in 2026?

• Explore more of Manchester here

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Kazakhstan: Natural wonders

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If you visit Kazakhstan, you’ll definitely see some of this vast country’s impressive landscapes.

Between the contrasting cities of Astana and Almaty, my trip was filled with geographical highlights of a nation blessed by nature.

Lakes, canyons, mountains and water give Kazakhstan a lot to boast about. Here’s just a brief glance of views making the long journey to Central Asia worth every mile.

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The vast Kazakh steppe seen from a train

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Almaty: Heart of Kazakhstan

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Kazakhstan. One of the few countries to replace its capital city and build a brand spanking new one.

Almaty was the capital of Soviet and independent Kazakhstan from 1929-97 when the government upped sticks north to Astana.

The city still boasts a population of two million and is always on every Kazakhstan tour itinerary.

How does Almaty compare to its shiny replacement Astana? Here’s what I found on my trip to Kazakhstan. CONTINUE READING BELOW

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When you arrive in Almaty on a sleeper train from Shymkent, it takes time to adjust to your new settings.

But this is a walkable city with a view of the mighty Tien Shan mountains never far away. On foot you soon discover Almaty is very different to purpose-built Astana.

The opulent interior of the Orthodox Ascension Cathedral in Almaty, Kazakhstan.

The warmth and spirituality of Almaty’s Ascension Cathedral

The architecture stretches a lot further back, from well-worn but interesting apartment blocks from the Soviet era, to the multi-coloured confection of Almaty’s main Orthodox cathedral.

We were in Kazakhstan in time for commemorations to mark the Second World War’s end, and Almaty’s Memorial of Glory was carpeted in red flowers and decorated with Soviet symbolism. A bygone age that still casts a shadow over this city.

One legacy of the USSR sits deep beneath the surface of the city. The underground rail system is a cheap way to zip around Almaty and a tourist must-see with its elaborate and ornate stations.

The city’s vast Green Market groans under the weight of fresh produce (including horse meat – this is Central Asia). The colour, noise, people and aromas make it a place to explore and get a snapshot of a country.

Tour leader Nazira Rakhmetova giving expert guidance around Almaty, Kazakhstan.

Discover Almaty with a local: expert guide Nazira in full flow

And if you want a memorable evening out, some city restaurants offer a robust range of national dishes accompanied by the mesmerising, haunting sound of live Kazakh music. This place turned out to be an excellent choice.

Time in Almaty was limited as we tried to cover the vastness of Kazakhstan (and smaller neighbour Kyrgyzstan).

But a solo Sunday afternoon stroll along Zhibek Zholi, one of Almaty’s thoroughfares, was very telling. It was relaxed with locals stopping for an ice-cream and enjoying a day off.

Almaty feels very lived in and like it has evolved over decades. It may no longer have the status of a national capital, but still has all the hallmarks of Kazakhstan’s most important city.

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Kazakhstan’s mystical city

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Kazakhstan is vast. After being wowed by the country’s showpiece capital Astana, it took a two-hour flight to reach my next destination.

Turkistan is a city in the south of the country and the resting place of Khoja Ahmed Yasawi, a Sufi teacher and mystic revered by Central Asian Muslims.

His mausoleum is a beautiful old building in a place that celebrates ancient traditions. But Turkistan has a thoroughly modern side and is geared up for floods of visitors.

Is this a tourist trap or an essential stop on your Kazakh adventure? CONTINUE READING BELOW

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The Yasawi mausoleum is the star of Turkistan with its ornate blue dome, beautifully tiled exterior and a deep sense of history.

Other roots of Kazakh tradition are on show nearby, including an ancient bath house and a covered bazaar street (now selling an array of souvenirs).

Old gives way to the brand spanking new in the Karavansaray development, a complex offering shops, restaurants serving Kazakh dishes and other leisure pursuits. There’s even a Venetian-style waterway where you can take a boat trip.

While it’s easy to be a little cynical about what Turkistan has to offer, there’s one attraction which blew my socks off.

Housed under a sparkling gold dome, the flying theatre uses spectacular footage and shifting chairs to take you on a magic carpet ride over Kazakhstan.

Two young waitresses photographed at a traditional restaurant in the Kazakh city of Turkistan.

Steppe smiles: Staff at a Turkistan restaurant serving hearty Kazakh food

It was like a thinking man’s thrill ride and an unexpectedly moving experience which you must do if you land in this city.

Turkistan was just a quick stop between Astana and an overnight train ride to Kazakhstan’s biggest city Almaty. 

It broke up the long hours of travel and was a startling contrast between modern attractions and its ancient mausoleum, which is worth seeing if Uzbekistan and its Silk Road treasures are not part of your Central Asia itinerary.

Forgettable travel isn’t worth doing and Turkistan had its memorable moments.

Next time: Almaty, displaced by Astana as Kazakhstan’s capital, but still arguably the beating heart of the country.

Astana: Pride of Kazakhstan

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After a 15-hour journey from my home in Manchester, I arrived in Astana, the shiny purpose-built capital of Kazakhstan.

This first taste of Central Asia promised to be far from the myths created by Borat.

Astana became the Kazakh capital and seat of government in 1997, a thousand miles north of biggest city Almaty.

It bristles with tall, ambitious landmark buildings and wide avenues. Is Astana a strange folly or an architecture fan’s wet dream? CONTINUE READING BELOW

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My initial impression of Astana was like any other big city – snarled up with traffic. A light monorail is being built to take some pressure off the roads.

Some of Astana’s landmarks loomed large on the drive to the hotel, including the huge gold orb of the totemic Bayterek Tower.

My first little trip out with my camera ended stickily. I was photographing the blue dome of the Presidential Palace and was promptly apprehended by a police officer, asked for my passport and told to delete the image.

Nur-Astana mosque has to be visited

But me and my camera were never questioned again, which was welcome in this sparklingly photogenic new capital city.

It’s hard to walk around Astana without looking up at the vast collection of lofty architecture, from the symbolic to government ministries and very large modern apartment blocks.

Meanwhile, a visit to Nur-Astana mosque outside of the centre is a must with its many domes, palatial hallways and an awe-inspiring prayer room prompting more looking up.

Mike Osborn in Independence Square in Kazakhstan's capital Astana.

Independence Square is a place for peering up

Astana may seem like an architectural playground, but is the heart of Kazakhstan’s government and the people who keep it running and live there.

There are plenty of restaurants and cultural amenities to visit in the evening, while the city is fond of its caffeine with coffee shops in abundance. It’s a fully fledged metropolis less than 25 years after it took shape.

As a visitor it feels fresh, new and exciting. But it has some big distances which you might prefer to cover with a trusty taxi app. Worth the lengthy journey to get to this capital city on the steppes? That’s a yes from me.

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