Space Tourism in Kazakhstan
Launch pad “Gagarin’s start”, Baikonur Cosmodrome
Space tourism in Kazakhstan is a once-in-a-lifetime experience which starts and ends at Baikonur, the world’s first and largest space launch facility perhaps best known for sending Yuri Gagarin, the first man to travel into outer space, on his epic journey. Today, Baikonur tourism equips you with everything you need to explore space yourself – without ever leaving the ground.
Located in south Kazakhstan, the massive Baikonur complex has only been open to the public since the end of the 20th century, yet the facility has been setting records for decades – apart from Gagarin’s monumental launch, the complex sent the first woman and the first manmade satellite into space.
Your tour of the cosmos can begin before you even reach the spaceport, as the nearby town of Baikonur welcomes you with space murals, monuments of astronauts and rocket scientists and a life-size model of the famous Soyuz rocket. Cosmodrome History Museum is a 4-storey walk through the founding of Baikonur, Soviet and international space travel, rocket development and even customs of Kazakhstan.
Baikonur Cosmodrome* itself will bring you closer to cutting-edge science and space exploration with a stellar tour through the modular space station of Buran Orbital Complex, a visit to a functioning aerodrome and thousands of impressive exhibits at Baikonur Cosmodrome Museum. Explore a real space shuttle and see the former living quarters of Gagarin and Sergei Korolev, a leading 20th-century rocket engineer.
The highlight for many on a Baikonur tour, however, is getting to see a space launch up close. Watch as the rocket is transported to its launching pad and prepared for liftoff. Wave to the space crew as they prepare for take-off and cheer as a Soyuz rocket is launched before your eyes, an absolutely unforgettable event.
Stay up-to-date on space tourism in Kazakhstan with the Soyuz Rocket Launch Schedule.
*Note: Official permission is needed to visit Baikonur Cosmodrome, which should be obtained at least two months in advance through Advantour or another licensed agency.