Considering the Intercontinental Almaty in Almaty?
A VT member wrote the following comment about visiting Almaty:
To Alma-Ata by train by aliante1981
Going by train: Now the most likely option. Though the journey from Moscow is long and rather tiring (and uncomfortable, if you do not book a deluxe compartment), you will get closer to several things you are not likely to see otherwise. First is the Baikonur space launch system and the second - the shores of the Aral Sea, or what's left of it.