Baikonur

Baikonur is located on the territory of Kazakhstan, but until 2050, it is rented by Russia. That is why Russian legislation applies on the territory of the city and the cosmodrome. Russian rouble is used as the currency.

Despite the fact that Baikonur is not a secret military object anymore, it is still necessary to obtain a permission from Roscosmos (Russian organization responsible for the space exploration) for getting in to the city and the space center. You will be asked to provide the permission at all checkpoints upon entry and exit. Moreover, it is required to apply for this paper 2 months before the trip to Baikonur. There are 40 travel agencies around the world eligible to apply, Advantour is in the list.

Baikonur travel guide won’t be full without the details of attractions. The city is related exceptionally with the space, and thus all sights of the city and the cosmodrome are tied with the history of rocket construction and the space. There are few exceptions though: old locomotive, an Orthodox Church and a rather new Muslim mosque.

Main attractions of Baikonur include two museums (one in the city and one at the cosmodrome), and numerous monuments scattered around the city. The city has many busts of famous rocket designers and astronauts; however, the brightest monument of all is the model of the rocket Soyuz.