Tour from Kostanay to Arkalyk
Sights of Arkalyk
Arkalyk is an industrial city in Central Kazakhstan with a population of about 26,000 people. The city is located 400 km from the capital of the region, Kostanay. Arkalyk was founded in 1956 and received city status in 1965. In 1970, the city became the center of the new Torgai region, which existed as part of the Kazakh SSR until 1988.
The city of Arkalyk was the center of the Soviet space program. Many cosmonauts landed here, nearby, in the Kazakh steppe, and first got to Arkalyk before going to Baikonur. Even today, Russian Soyuz space capsules are still landing in the vicinity of the city of Arkalyk. In addition, there was a launcher for anti-aircraft missiles, the only installation from which the units of the FLA armies of the Eastern Bloc could actually shoot down flying targets. Today, the bauxite mine is the largest employer in the city. It belongs to the Aluminum Kazakhstan company. The city itself is very secluded. The regional airport was closed, and the nearest city is 15 hours away by train, because Arkalyk is at the end of the railway line.
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