Almaty: How to make the most of your travel to one of the most ancient Central Asian cities
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Key information at a glance
| Daily budget: | ca. 20-40 EUR/person/day |
| How long to stay: | 2 - 7 days, for the highlights 2 days is enough |
| Best time to travel: | June to September |
| Top sights: | Koktobe, Central Park, Zelenyy bazar, Zenkov Cathedral, Shymbulak |
| How to get there: | Almaty is a major transportation hub in the region - there are regular flights to and from Almaty both from Europe as well as from other parts of the country. |
You can get a general overview of the country on our fact sheet about Kazakhstan.
What to do: Must sees in Almaty
Wander through the beautiful streets
This was our favourite activity in Almaty. We just set off to explore and like this happened across some lovely cafes, beautiful parks and impressive buildings. It's also a great way to start your stay in Almaty and get a feel for the city.
Koktobe
The Koktobe (or Kok Tobe) hill isn't only an amusement park, but also a great viewpoint to take in the city of Almaty. A cable car leaves from near the Hotel Kazakhstan and Republic Palace up to the hill. We loved the ride up, as you slowly see more and more of the city as well as the mountains in the distance.
On Koktobe, you can wander around a bit and if you are into these type of things, you can enjoy the large amusement park that was built on top. Pro tip: go at sunset to experience the city covered in beautiful, golden light.
Zenkov Cathedral
I am a bit embarassed to say that we did not visit the cathedral - reason being we only found out about it afterwards. Don't make the same mistake! It must be a very impressive building, with its kaleidoscopic colored domes and grand interior. It is made out of wood and at 56m is claimed to be the second largest wooden cathedral in the world. It is widely believed that the church was built entirely without metal, not even with a metal nail.
Zelenyy / Green bazar
The Zelenyy (or Green) bazaar surprised us quite a bit! We hadn't anticipated that it would be so big - the hall that you enter from the street is full of fruits, vegetables, nuts and sweets, as well as a meat section at the back. However, that is far from most of this huge bazaar: In the back, it continues to different levels and you can find clothes, furniture, spices, and much more.
Make sure you get coffee at Bowler Coffee Roasters when you're there - it's located on one of the "viewing platforms" above the bazaar and from there you have a great view of the goings-on below. Another thing not to miss is to eat apples in Almaty - it's the city of apples, after all - and what better place to do so than in a fruit and vegetable bazaar?
Medeu and Shymbulak
The highest ice-skating rink in the world - at 1691m - is just a short bus ride from central Almaty. Medeu, as the rink is called, is surrounded by beautiful mountains, so the trip is also worth it in summer. To get to Medeu, take bus no 12 that departs from Dostyk Avenue, opposite of Hotel Kazakhstan. The final stop of the bus is right in front of the ice rink.
You can do several hikes up there and - both in summer and winter - take the cable car up to Shymbulak. Shymbulak is a ski resort and hiking area and the views of the surrounding Tian Shan mountains and on Almaty are breathtaking. The highest elevation that you can get to is the Talgar Pass at 3200 meters above sea level.
Enjoy the parks
Almaty is a green city, with small parks at every corner. You can just walk around and explore the smaller ones of them. The ones you we enjoyed the most are:
- 28 Panfilov
- Park on Astana Square
- Central Park
- First President’s Park
Where to eat & drink: Culinary highlights of Almaty
JumpinGoat Coffee: In the one week we spent in Almaty, we went here three times for breakfast. They have great options (also gluten-free ones) and the coffee is to die for.
Agosto Gastro Bar: Great food, beautiful terrace and a nice ambience make this the perfect restaurant to end your day in.
Coco Fast Food: The gluten-free burgers were the reason we went, but we came again for the great taste of their different dishes. It's fast food, but it is delicious fast food.
Korean House: Yummy Korean food just across the street from Opera Apart Hotel.
Satori: Delicious asian fusion cuisine in a modern interior.
Beefeater Dostyk: Apparently the best steak in the city - go try it out if you feel like eating great meat.
Where to stay: Beautiful places for every budget
Where we stayed
Accommodation on a budget (25-30EUR/night) - Aizadas Place on AirBnB. Aizada is a true gem and was helpful far beyond our stay with her, helping us out with information on the border crossing to Kyrgyzstan as well as tips on what to see and where to eat. We can't recommend staying with her more highly!
Accommodation for a larger pocket (60-80EUR/night) - Opera Apart Hotel. The apartments are not only really cozy and stylish, they are also located right inside the city center so you can walk to most places and are surrounded by many great cafes and restaurants.
Other recommendations
Affordable
- D'Rami Hotel: 25-30EUR/night/room
- DA Hostel Almaty: 10-18EUR/night
- L.E.S. Hostel: 20-25EUR/night
Mid-range
- Hotel Uyut Almaty: 45EUR/night
- Renion Park Hotel: 60EUR/night
Luxury
- Mercure Almaty City Center: 75-85EUR/night
- Rixos Almaty Hotel: 160-180EUR/night
- DoubleTree by Hilton Almaty: 100-120EUR/night
1-day itinerary: The highlights in a day
Get up early and have breakfast at JumpinGoat Coffee. From there, take the cable car up to Kok Tobe mountain. Take the bus to the Central Park, explore it and head to Zelenyy bazaar after that. Continue onwards to the Park 28 Panfilovtsev - wander around and make sure not to miss the Zenkov Cathedral.
End you day in the Agosto Gastro Bar that is right inside the park - if the weather is good, try reserving a spot on their rooftop terrace.
2-3 day itinerary: The perfect amount of time in Almaty
Day 1
Settle into the city and wander around a bit. If you have some time left, take the cable car up to Koktobe and enjoy the views of the city. Head to Zenkov Cathedral and Park 28 Panfilovtsev. End you day in the Agosto Gastro Bar that is right inside the park - if the weather is good, try reserving a spot on their rooftop terrace.
Day 2
Head to JumpinGoat for breakfast. If you have not done so yet, walk to the cable car and take it up Koktobe mountain. After this, take the bus to the Central Park and explore it for a bit. From there, you can walk to the Zelenyy bazar and look at the many stalls, maybe get a coffee at Bowler Coffee Roasters inside the Bazar - from there, you also have a great view of the Bazar.
If you feel like it, catch a performance at the Abay Kazakh State Academic Opera and Ballet - their current program can be found on their website.
Day 3
Do a day trip to Medeu and Shymbulak. Check All trails to find a hike to do up there - there are plenty and Alltrails has something for every level.
1 week itinerary: Soak in the charme of Almaty
Spending one week in Almaty leaves you with plenty of time to explore the city at a leasurely pace. Have a look at our day 1 to 3 as described above and make sure you see all the sights detailed there.
We spend a lot of time just wandering around and sitting in Cafes. Consider doing a day trip to Kaindy and Kolsai lakes or/and to Charyn Canyon - that is, if these stops aren't already part of your itinerary.
P.S: We know this destination - and central Asia in general - is still a lesser travelled region of the world. So don't hesitate to reach out if you have any questions, we're happy to help!