Kazakhstan
🇰🇿
eSIM for Almaty
Almaty is a green city under snow mountains in the south of Kazakhstan, with skiing, canyons and lakes within a day. Kazakhstan is a large country, and coverage thins quickly outside the cities.
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1 GB
7 days
$2.49 $2.49/GB
3 GB
30 days −47%
$3.99 $1.29/GB
5 GB
Popular30 days −52%
$5.99 $1.19/GB
10 GB
30 days −58%
$10.49 $1.09/GB
20 GB
Best value30 days −65%
$17.49 $0.89/GB
Almaty: what to know before you go
- Arriving
- Almaty Airport (ALA) is about 20 km from the centre. Ride apps like Yandex Go are widely used.
- Skiing
- Shymbulak is a ski resort reached by cable car from the city. Coverage is good on the lifts and weaker on remote slopes.
- Day trips
- Charyn Canyon, Kolsay Lakes and Kaindy Lake are long drives with gaps in signal. Download maps and tell someone your route.
- Outside EU roaming
- Kazakhstan is not in the EU roaming area, so a prepaid eSIM can cost less than a day pass from your operator.
How much data you need
Five days of maps, rides and photos takes about 3 GB.
Written . Opening rules, fees, prices at attractions and event dates change, so check the official site before you rely on them.
Almaty: when people go
- Late November 2026 to March 2027: ski season and winter smog
- Shymbulak usually opens its season in late November or early December and runs to late March or April, depending on the snow. The cold half of the year is also when Almaty's air is at its worst, because coal heating and temperature inversions trap smoke in the valley, so keep an air quality app on your phone.
- 21 to 23 March 2027: Nauryz
- The spring festival is a public holiday from 21 to 23 March 2027, and some calendars add a day off on 24 March. Almaty has held city events for several days around it, so offices and some businesses are closed and the centre is busy; check opening hours online and book rides ahead.
- May to October 2027: Charyn, Kolsay and Kaindy season
- Guided trips to the canyon and the lakes run from May to October. Charyn is about three and a half to four hours from the city, Kolsay is about 300 kilometres to the southeast with the last stretch off-road, and many trips take two or three days with a night in the village of Saty, so book the stay and download maps before you leave.
Kazakhstan eSIM 2026: prices, network and coverage
9 plans, from $2.49 (1 GB, 7 days) to $17.49 (20 GB, 30 days). Network: Beeline 4G.
| Data | Validity | Price | Per GB |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 GB | 7 days | $2.49 | $2.49 |
| 3 GB | 30 days | $3.99 | $1.33 |
| 5 GB | 30 days | $5.99 | $1.20 |
| 10 GB | 30 days | $10.49 | $1.05 |
| 20 GB | 30 days | $17.49 | $0.87 |
| Unlimited | 3 days | $7.17 | $2.39 per day |
| Unlimited | 7 days | $16.04 | $2.29 per day |
| Unlimited | 15 days | $33.24 | $2.22 per day |
| Unlimited | 30 days | $61.25 | $2.04 per day |
- Network
- Beeline 4G
- Top-up
- Yes, from the app, on the same eSIM
- Validity starts
- At the first connection at your destination
- Install by
- Shown on your order. An eSIM that is never installed expires
- Your number
- Stays active, plans are data only
- Hotspot
- Uses the same plan data, no separate charge
- After the daily allowance
- Day passes slow down to 512 Kbps
Questions about Almaty
- Is there signal at the canyons and lakes?
- Often not for long stretches. Download offline maps before the drive, and carry water and a charger.
- How much does an eSIM for Almaty cost?
- Almaty uses the Kazakhstan plans, because an eSIM belongs to a country and not to a city. Plans start at $2.49 for 1 GB, valid for 7 days. There are 9 plans, from 1 GB to 20 GB, plus unlimited day passes.
- Do I need a local SIM card in Almaty?
- No. The eSIM is a SIM card in digital form: you install it from a QR code before you leave, and there is nothing to buy at the airport or swap in your phone.
- How is it different from roaming in Almaty?
- With roaming, your own carrier bills the data you use abroad, usually by the day or by the megabyte, at the prices of your plan. The eSIM is prepaid: you know the cost before you leave and nothing is added later. Keep data roaming off on your usual line, so it cannot charge you.
- Which networks does the Almaty eSIM use?
- Wigoo connects to Beeline. Each plan lists the operators it uses.
- Can I add more data?
- Yes. You top up the same eSIM from the app, without installing a new one.
- Do I keep my phone number?
- Yes. Plans are data only, so your usual line stays active for calls and texts, and WhatsApp keeps working as always.
- When do the validity days start?
- Not when you buy and not when you install: the days start counting when the eSIM connects to a network at your destination for the first time. A 30 day plan gives you 30 days from that first connection.
- How long do I have to install the eSIM?
- An eSIM that is never installed expires. The "Install by" date is shown on your order, on the site and in the app, so you can buy ahead of your trip. Install it before that date, on Wi-Fi.
- Can I use the eSIM as a hotspot?
- Data used through a personal hotspot comes out of the same plan, and Wigoo does not charge it separately. A laptop uses far more data than a phone, so for work a day pass or a bigger plan is safer.
- What happens when the data runs out?
- Plans are prepaid, so there are no extra charges: when the data is used up, the connection stops until you add more from the app. Day passes give a daily allowance at full speed, then continue at reduced speed (512 Kbps) until the next day.
- When should I install the eSIM?
- Before you leave, on Wi-Fi. When you land, set the Wigoo line for mobile data and turn on data roaming for it.