About City
Almaty, Kazakhstan’s largest metropolis, is set in the foothills of the Trans-Ili Alatau mountains. It served as the country’s capital until 1997 and remains Kazakhstan’s trading and cultural hub. Landmarks include the Central State Museum, displaying thousands of historic Kazakh artifacts. In the center is Panfilov Park, home to the bright-yellow towers of Zenkov Cathedral, a tsarist-era Russian Orthodox church.
The leafy city of Almaty (Alma-Ata), with a backdrop of the snowcapped Zailiysky Alatau, has always been among the more appealing Russian creations in Central Asia. Today Almaty’s new rich have expensive suburban apartments, large SUVs, glitzy shopping malls, Western-style coffee lounges, expensive restaurants, dance-till-dawn nightclubs and new ski resorts to help them enjoy life to the full. Meanwhile, others from the city’s outer districts and the countryside squeeze into packed buses and rickety marshrutkas around the Green Market (Zelyony Bazar) or Sayakhat bus station.
Almaty is Kazakhstan’s main transport hub and a place many travellers pass through. Stay a few days and you’ll find that it is a sophisticated place – one for enjoying green parks and excellent museums, shops and markets, and for eating, drinking and partying in Central Asia’s best selection of restaurants, cafes, bars and clubs. And great mountain hiking and skiing are right on the doorstep.
What attracts travellers and tourists is that the city retains its historically well-planned structures, with wide avenues, meticulously planned residential areas, and a profusion of scenic lakes and forested parks. The joy of walking along the winding roads, and discovering historical monuments hidden in plain view, is almost comparable to childlike wonder. Almaty is known not only for its beautiful sights but also for a variety of adventures that you can embark upon. Sitting on the shores and skipping stones on the Big Almaty Lake might serve as blissful relaxation, while the particularly adventurous souls can pay a visit to the Medeu Ski Resort and Skating Rink. The Kok-Tobe Hill and the White Mountains of Altyn-Emel are star attractions in Almaty.
Almaty bears slight snowfall in the months of October to April. However, the snow is thin, and melts easily, causing almost no problems for the city-dwellers. The best time for tourism is June to September when the temperature remains a standard 20-30 degrees Celsius.
Place to visit in Almaty
1. Kok-Tobe
One of the most enthralling places to visit in Almaty is Kok-tobe. It is a hill located at a height of 1100 metres. The hill offers picturesque views of the city and can be reached by a cable car. As soon as you will reach the top, you will get excited to see n number of cafes, restaurants, minizoo and a lot more. The viewpoint from Kok-tobe is well worth a visit with panoramic views of the city in all directions.
2. Central State Museum
This is one of the major museums in the city. The museum houses the most significant collection of Kazakh historical, archaeological, and modern cultural and political artifacts. The museum showcases the history of Almaty from the bronze age to the modern day. There are many beautiful artifacts in the museum that will leave you awe-inspired. So, make sure you add this to your itinerary while visiting Almaty.
3. Panfilov Park
This park is one of the popular areas amongst the locals as well as tourists. People stroll and hang out with friends and family in the park. The park provides lush greenery and is named after Panfilov Heroes. If you want to spend some peaceful and quality time with your loved ones during your holiday, then do visit this park.
4. WWII War Memorial
This memorial is located in Panfilov park and is dedicated to the soldiers who died due to the nazi tanks. It is a huge black monument. The memorial will take you back to the history of the city like never before!
5. Zenkov Cathedral
This cathedral will grab your attention by its appearance itself. The Ascension Cathedral, also known as Zenkov Cathedral, is a Russian Orthodox cathedral located in Panfilov Park in Almaty, Kazakhstan. Completed in 1907, the cathedral is made out of wood but without nails. It is a candy-colored church and dates back to the Tsar era. You can explore the church that is completely made of wood and seek blessings while you are on your expedition in the city. Its height is 56 meters tall, and is claimed to be the second tallest wooden building in the world. The historical monument is one of the main sights of the city.
6. Independence Monument
This is one of the best places to visit in Almaty that you must visit while you are holidaying in Almaty. The monument is dedicated to the independence of the Kazakhs. There is a stone column upon which there is a golden man who stands as the symbol of the identity of the people of Kazakhstan.
7. The Big Almaty Lake
Big Almaty Lake is natural alpine reservoir. It is located in the Trans-Ili Alatau Mountains, 15 km south from the center of Almaty in Kazakhstan. The lake is 2511 meters above sea level. The lake takes on a more milky blue hue during spring due to the melting snow is one of the most beautiful lakes we have ever seen. If it was located somewhere in Europe, it would definitely be one of the most visited natural attractions, especially considering the fact how easy it is to reach it.
8. Ile-Alatau National Park
Ile-Alatau National Park is a national park in Kazakhstan. It was created in 1996 and covers about 200,000 ha. It is situated in the mountains south of Almaty between Gorge Turgen in the east and Chemolgan River in the west. The National Park borders Almaty Nature Reserve, which is located around Peak Talgar. The landscape includes woodlands, alpine meadows, glaciers and lakes, including Big Almaty Lake. Remarkable trees include apricot, maple, and apple. A total of 300 species of birds and animals have been recorded from the Ile-Alatau National Park. The park is home to snow leopards, Central Asian lynx, Tian Shan brown bears, Central Asian stone martens, Siberian ibexes, bearded vultures and golden eagles. Other notable bird species found in Ile-Alatau National Park include Himalayan snowcock, ibisbill, Eurasian scops owl, and Eurasian three-toed woodpecker. The park also protects specific species of deer whose antlers are believed to have medicinal properties.
9. Almaty Tower
The Almaty Television Tower, or simply Almaty Tower, is a 371.5-metre-high steel television tower built between 1975 and 1983 in Almaty, Kazakhstan. The tower is located on high slopes of Kok Tobe mountain south-east of downtown Almaty. Unlike other similar TV towers, it is not a concrete, but a steel tubular structure. It is the tallest free-standing tubular steel structure in the world. The tower was built by the architects Terziev, Savchenko, Akimov and Ostroumov.
10. Palace of the Republic
Palace of the Republic is a concert hall building located in Almaty, Kazakhstan. It is intended for concerts, festivals and other cultural events. It was one of the premiere sites for the Eurasia film festival. Outside, with the fountains on the square in front of the Palace and the monument of the Kazakh poet Abai, Palace of the Republic is one of the main known attractions of Almaty from the Kunaev era. The building is located at the cross road section of Prospekt Dostyk and Abai Avenue. It is considered as a monument based on an urban planning and architecture since January 26, 1982.
11. Central Park
Central Park, also known as Gorky Park, is an urban park located in the Medeusky district of Almaty. It was founded in 1856, and was originally called The State Garden. The park includes different tree types such as elm, oak, aspen, maple, pine, spruce, poplar, and birch; artificial water reservoirs, attractions such as a water park, Rodina cinema, sports complex, cultural venues, and public catering establishments. There are also children’s attractions, which include a children’s railway, an aqua park and other entertainment venues.
12. Medeo Skating Rink
The Medeu, is an outdoor speed skating and bandy rink. It is located in a mountain valley on the south-eastern outskirts of Almaty, Kazakhstan. Medeu sits 1,691 metres above sea level. It consists of 10.5 thousand square meters of ice and utilizes a sophisticated freezing and watering system to ensure the quality of the ice. Consisting of 10,500 square meters (over 110,000 square feet) of ice, it was one of the top speed skating venues in the world from its opening in 1951 right up until the disintegration of the USSR. During that period, some 120 world records were set at Medeu.
13. Shymbulak Ski Resort
Shymbulak is the largest ski resort in Central Asia with powdered slopes and one of the top Almaty tourist attractions all year round. On your journey to the top of Shymbulak resort area, you will find various accommodations, restaurants, cafés where you can have tea in a traditional yurt so high in the mountains and enjoy many other attractions like horse riding, a rope park, trampolines and OFCOURSE FRESH MOUNTAIN AIR!
Shop at the Green Bazar
The Green Bazaar is the most popular of the city’s markets and you can find here all sorts of local goodies and their world famous dry fruits.
Besides the typical fruits, vegetables, cheese, spices, or meat you can also buy here products typical for Central Asia, such as kumys (fermented dairy product made from mare’s milk). In other parts of the bazaar, you can find clothes, furniture, and other random things but the food hall is the place you don’t want to miss!
Also did you know that Almaty is the birthplace of modern apples? Even the former name of the city, Alma-Ata, means “Father of Apples” in the Kazakh language. So be sure to eat local apples when you visit Almaty, the best ones can be found within the Green Bazaar.
Relive the nomadic past of ethnic Kazakhs
If you seek to learn about the nomadic history of ethnic Kazakhs, make a beeline for The Huns Ethno village. The ancient mountainous village is famous for horseback riding, among other adventures. The place offers spectacular views of the mountains and is bustling with several traditional Soviet-looking hubs and Kazakh yurts. The locals will be more than happy to demonstrate the traditions and customs of the Kazakhs to you. This surely is a once in a lifetime time experience.
Enjoy the Nightlife in Almaty
Another thing that is undeniably attractive about Almaty is its incredibly wonderful nightlife. If you and your friends are planning to go for a fun trip and have the best time of their life, then there is no way you can get the best nightlife anywhere else than this spectacular country. Almaty’s nightlife gives its tourists the best nights with its colourful clubs, bars, music, parties and beautiful people. Give it a shot and you will surely become a fan.
The best time to visit
The best time to visit Almaty are the summer months from June to September when the temperatures are moderate around 20 to 30 degrees Celsius, hence it is the best time for sightseeing also.
In April and May, everything blooms and turns green. At the same time, rains form a mild climate, clearing the air for the unique beauty and purity of the city and mountains, showing the contrast of spring's greenery and the snow-covered mountain peaks. In the spring, most exhibitions are held at the Atakent Exhibition Center. Travel to the mountain gorges, to the alpine lakes Big Almaty and Issyk becomes possible. You can visit the ancient rock paintings in the places of Tamgaly UNESCO and Tamgaly tas on the Ili River. These objects are located in the dry steppes, and because of this, in the daytime during summer, it is challenging to visit the rocks under the sweltering heat.
In summer in June, the heat has not yet entered into force, but the spring rainy season has passed (temperatures + 25-27 ° celsius). In the city, all parks and recreation areas are open, the swim season begins. There are city water parks in the Almaty region, visitor are starting to visit recreation areas on the Kapchagai reservoir, Lake Alakol.
Autumn in September and October is also pleasant for your visit to Almaty. Summer heat passes, natural sites welcome guests with their beauty. Autumn in the Almaty region is usually not the rainy season, so you can safely plan a trip for these months.
In winter, late December to early January is good. Short frosts have not yet entered into power, rarely down to -28 ° celsius, but winter in its beauty is already visible. This season mainly attracts fans of active winter sports: skiing, snowboarding, ice skating. Here are the main popular complexes: Medeo, Shymbulak, Akbulak and Tabagan ice rink.
