West Kazakhstan Region · Kazakhstan
Oral travel guide
Oral is a city in West Kazakhstan Region, Kazakhstan, home to about 236,000 people.
- Best months
- May, June and September
- Nearest airport
- URA14 km · Manshuk Mametova International Airport
- Currency
- KZTKazakhstani tenge
- Time zone
- Asia/Oral
- Language
- Kazakh, Russian
About
About Oral
Oral, also known as Uralsk, is a city in northwestern Kazakhstan and Eastern Europe at the confluence of the Ural and Chagan rivers close to the Russian border. Oral is considered geographically in Europe as it is located on the western bank of the Ural river.
Oral is a city in northwestern Kazakhstan, at the confluence of the Ural and Chagan Rivers close to the Russian border. As it is located on the western side of the Ural river, it is considered geographically in Europe. It has a population of 330,000 (2019). It is the capital of the West Kazakhstan Province. While the majority of the population is made up of ethnic Kazakhs, ethnic Russians also make up a large percent of the populations, and many other ethnic groups such as Tatars, Bashkirs, and Azaris are also represented.
Wikipedia and Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
Things to do
What to see and do in Oral
See
Traditional Russian architecture dating back to the 17th century can be seen throughout the center of the city. The main pedestrian street of Dina Nurpeisova (previously Teatralnaya) is like a mini version of Moscow's Arbat. Kazakhstan's first drama theatre, 150 years old, is located in this street. This theatre is now known as the Russian drama theatre. A larger, modern drama theatre, known as the Kazakh drama theatre, is located nearby on the main boulevard, Nazarbayev Avenue (previously Dostyk). Beautiful architecture, including two Russian Orthodox churches (one which is quite old), can also be found along Nazarbayev Avenue.
- Museum of Yemelyan Pugachev
- Natural History Museum
- Museum Of Manshuk Mametova
- WW II Memorial Complex
- Karev House
- Old Uralsk Museum
- Church of Christ the Saviour
- Church of Archangel Michael
Do
- Station of Young Naturalists
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
Where to stay
Which part of Oral to stay in
Aidana is a new hotel complex which offers quality accommodation at a low price. Located in front of city's indoor skating ring. Sayakhat Hotel is in the very center close to the Rai (The Heaven) night club.
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
Where to stay
Hotels in Oral
1 hotel within 25 km of the centre, as recorded in Wikidata. Each name links to its encyclopedia article where there is one.
| Hotel | Opened | From centre |
|---|---|---|
| Chagala Hotel Uralsk | 1.3 km |
When to go
The best time to visit Oral
The most comfortable months for a city stay in Oral are May, June and September. July is the warmest month, with average highs of 31 °C; October is the wettest, with about 36 mm of rain.
Comfortable means average daytime high between 18 °C and 29 °C and under 80 mm of rain in the month. Averages for 1991–2020 over the surrounding area, a grid square about 50 km across, so a coast or a nearby mountain can make the town itself warmer or cooler. Data: CRU TS v4.10, Climatic Research Unit, University of East Anglia (Open Database License).
Getting there
Getting to Oral: airports and arrival
The nearest airport with scheduled flights is Manshuk Mametova International Airport (URA), about 14 km from the city centre in a straight line.
Getting around
The city has a functioning transportation network including buses and marshrutkas (mini-vans that drive along a set route). However, getting a map of the transportation network may be difficult for travelers to the city. Taxis services are also available. As in many countries of the former Soviet Union, gypsy cabs can be easily hailed from the street. Like in many other cities in Kazakhstan, many streets have been renamed in the 2010s and early 2020s. Older guides or advice might still point to old names; Google Maps also often shows outdated names.
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
URA · Manshuk Mametova International Airport
Questions
Oral: questions travellers ask
When is the best time to visit Oral?
The most comfortable months for a city stay in Oral are May, June and September. July is the warmest month, with average highs of 31 °C; October is the wettest, with about 36 mm of rain.
Which airport is closest to Oral?
The nearest airport with scheduled flights is Manshuk Mametova International Airport (URA), about 14 km from the city centre in a straight line.
What currency is used in Oral?
Kazakhstani tenge (KZT).
Nearby
Destinations near Oral
Sources: city facts from Wikidata and Wikipedia; airports from OurAirports; climate from CRU TS v4.10 (University of East Anglia Climatic Research Unit), 1991–2020 monthly means, 0.5° grid; places to stay, guest scores and amenities from each operator's own public pages. How this guide is made.