Mausoleum of Khoja Ahmed Yasawi
Turkestan, Kazakhstan
1 h5,000 ₸ foreigners, 2,000 ₸ CISmosqueshistorymuseums
Things to do in Turkestan: top sights and where to go
Turkestan is the Hazret Sultan reserve: the turquoise-domed Mausoleum of Khoja Ahmed Yasawi, the Rabiya Sultan Begim mausoleum, the underground Hilvet mosque and the old bathhouse stand 2–5 minutes' walk apart inside the citadel walls, with the canal-side Keruen Saray complex 10 minutes east — half a day to a full day covers them. Keep a second day for a car trip to the ruined Silk Road cities of Sauran and Otrar, the Arystan Bab mausoleum and the Ukasha Ata well, 35–60 km away.
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Turkestan itineraries
Turkestan travel guide
Before you go: the Mausoleum of Khoja Ahmed Yasawi, Keruen-Saray, ancient Otrar and Sauran, weather by month.
Turkestan on your own: the essentials
- How many days
- 1–2 days with Otrar and Sauran
- When to go
- April–May and September–October
- From Shymkent
- Train or car ≈ 2–2.5 h
- Airport
- Turkistan (HSA) — flights from Almaty and Astana
- Time zone
- UTC+5
officiali
Confirmed by an official source: the venue, a ministry or the operator.
Key facts
2003the Mausoleum of Khoja Ahmed Yasawi joined the UNESCO World Heritage List
Sourcei
UNESCO World Heritage List, No. 11031389–1405Timur ordered the mausoleum built — its dome is among the largest in Central Asia
Sourcei
Wikipedia, “Mausoleum of Khoja Ahmed Yasawi”Otraran ancient Silk Road city, birthplace of the philosopher al-Farabi
Sourcei
Wikipedia, “Otrar”2019the Keruen-Saray complex opened, with canals and shows
Sourcei
Wikipedia, “Turkistan”Things to do in Turkestan
Turkestan’s highlights are the Mausoleum of Khoja Ahmed Yasawi inside the citadel, the Rabiya Sultan Begim mausoleum, the underground Hilvet mosque and the old bathhouse. Nearby is the Keruen-Saray complex, and around the city the Arystan Bab mausoleum, Otrar and Sauran. Every place with its YesGo score is in the list above; the “Map” button shows them on a map.
| Citadel | Yasawi, Citadel, Rabiya Sultan | 2 h |
|---|---|---|
| Nearby | Hilvet, Bathhouse, Keruen-Saray | 2 h |
| Surroundings | Arystan Bab, Otrar | ½ day |
| Ancient towns | Sauran, Ukasha Ata | ½ day |
Rather not plan it yourself? The list above has a ready itinerary, with places in a sensible order.
Turkestan weather by month
Turkestan lies in the southern Kazakh steppe: summers are very hot, up to 37 °C, and winters cold but short. April–May and September–October are best.
°CiLong-term averages, °C: day and night air, sea water near the shore, rain — rainy days a month. Any given year can be warmer or cooler. Tap a month for details below. | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Day | 3° | 6° | 14° | 23° | 29° | 35° | 37° | 35° | 28° | 19° | 10° | 4° |
| Night | -7° | -6° | 1° | 8° | 14° | 19° | 21° | 18° | 11° | 4° | -2° | -6° |
| Rain | 6 | 7 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 5 | 6 |
Warm — 20 °C and above by dayBest time to go: April–May and September–October
January in TurkestanSun and clouds
- day ≈ 3°
- night ≈ -7°
- rain 6 days
Cold.
February in TurkestanSun and clouds
- day ≈ 6°
- night ≈ -6°
- rain 7 days
Cold.
March in TurkestanSun and clouds
- day ≈ 14°
- night ≈ 1°
- rain 8 days
Spring, Nauryz.
April in TurkestanSun and clouds · best time
- day ≈ 23°
- night ≈ 8°
- rain 7 days
Warm — a great time.
May in TurkestanSun and clouds · best time
- day ≈ 29°
- night ≈ 14°
- rain 6 days
Warm, hot by day.
June in TurkestanSunny
- day ≈ 35°
- night ≈ 19°
- rain 2 days
Heat.
July in TurkestanSunny
- day ≈ 37°
- night ≈ 21°
- rain 1 days
Peak heat.
August in TurkestanSunny
- day ≈ 35°
- night ≈ 18°
- rain 1 days
Hot.
September in TurkestanSunny · best time
- day ≈ 28°
- night ≈ 11°
- rain 1 days
Warm — the best month.
October in TurkestanSunny · best time
- day ≈ 19°
- night ≈ 4°
- rain 4 days
About 19°.
November in TurkestanSunny
- day ≈ 10°
- night ≈ -2°
- rain 5 days
Cool.
December in TurkestanSun and clouds
- day ≈ 4°
- night ≈ -6°
- rain 6 days
Cold.
The Yasawi mausoleum is lit up in the evening — come after sunset.
Turkestan ticket prices
The citadel grounds are free. You pay to enter the mausoleum museum, Keruen-Saray and for trips to Otrar.
| Mausoleum of Khoja Ahmed Yasawi | 45 | 1 h | 5,000 ₸ foreigners, 2,000 ₸ CIS |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mausoleum of Rabiya Sultan Begim | 45 | 15 min | Yasawi zone ticket · 2,000–5,000 ₸ |
| Turkestan Citadel Walls | 44 | 45 min | Reserve ticket: 5,000 ₸ for foreigners |
| Hilvet Underground Mosque | 40 | 20 min | 5,000 ₸ foreigners · 2,000 ₸ CIS |
| Turkestan Oriental Bathhouse | 40 | 20 min | 5,000 ₸ foreigners · 2,000 ₸ CIS |
| Arystan Bab Mausoleum | 30 | 40 min | Small fee · amount not published |
| Otrar | 30 | 1 h 30 min | KZT 500, children KZT 200 |
| Ukasha Ata | 29 | 1 h | Free entry (unofficial) |
| Sauran | 28 | 1 h 30 min | Free (unofficial) |
Free — 1 places: Keruen Saray.
Tips
- The Yasawi mausoleum is a shrine: cover shoulders and knees; women cover their hair.
FAQ
Is Turkestan worth visiting?
Yes — the UNESCO-listed Yasawi mausoleum is one of the masterpieces of Timurid architecture, with Silk Road sites like Otrar nearby.
Sources and fact-check
- UNESCO World Heritage List, No. 1103
- Wikipedia, “Turkistan”; “Mausoleum of Khoja Ahmed Yasawi”; “Otrar”