By Botagoz Marabai
Published on 10/09/2025 – 15:00 GMT+2
•Updated
15:12
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A cosmic journey awaits visitors to Kazakhstan’s southern steppes – where a spaceport rich in history and mysticism is being transformed into a vibrant tourism ecosystem.
While Russia continues to lease Baikonur Cosmodrome, it has so far returned over 50 decommissioned facilities to Kazakhstan, which the government plans to convert to a year-round tourism facility to attract visitors – not just for rocket launches.
Visitor infrastructure is in the works around iconic sites like Gagarin’s launchpad – the oldest and most famous launch pad at Baikonur, where the world’s first human spaceflight took place in 1961 – with immersive experiences, hotels, glamping facilities, and a children’s camp.