Tourism

Why Merke Should Be Next Adventure in Southern Kazakhstan

By Aiman Nakispekova on 19 July 2026

ASTANA – Hidden in the foothills of the Kyrgyz Alatau in the Zhambyl Region, the village of Merke is far more than a stop along the highway connecting Almaty and Taraz. One of Kazakhstan’s oldest settlements, Merke combines the legacy of the Silk Road, sacred archaeological landscapes and dramatic...