15+ Things To Do In Almaty: Central Asia’s “Big Apple”
Almaty is the coolest city most people have never heard of. In fact, I think it’s one of the coolest cities, period.
You could easily spend a week here and still not see everything. I’ve spent more than a week exploring Almaty and honestly think it’s one of the most underrated cities in the world.
Whether you’re into food, art, architecture, or nature, there’s so much to see and do.
Here are my favourite things to do in Almaty, from local markets and mountain hikes to Soviet-era art and bathhouses.
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1. Take a walking tour
A great way to familiarise yourself with Almaty and get your bearings is to take a walking tour of the city.
Walking Almaty is a fantastic tour company owned by Dennis Keen, a Californian who has lived in the city for many years.
As well as offering tours in English, Dennis is also fluent in Kazakh and Russian, so can help with translation as you explore.
There are several tours to choose from, covering different parts of the city. Each provides a unique insight into Almaty’s history, culture, and hidden spots. Highly recommended!
(I’m not being paid to write this – these tours are just great!)
2. Sculptures, fountains, and outdoor public artwork
There are countless sculptures, fountains, mosaics, murals, and statues dotted around Almaty. Much of this dates to the Soviet era and some pieces of public artwork are still being discovered today.
Some of the best sculptures are found in the Park of 28 Panfilov Guardsmen (Panfilov Park, for short).
This green, tree-lined park in the centre of the city is named after the Panfilov heroes – 28 soldiers from Almaty who died defending Moscow from the Nazis.
Today, it’s a popular meeting place for Almaty residents, old and new.
Panfilov Park is calm and peaceful – a perfect place for a stroll. Grab some food, a coffee, or an ice cream from one of the many vendors, sit on a bench, and watch the world go by.
Don’t be surprised if people come up and start chatting to you. I found locals here to be incredibly friendly, and many will be keen to practice speaking English with you.
Besides Panfilov, there are many great sculptures and other pieces of public artwork dotted around the city.
Almaty also has more than 120 fountains, and the city hosts an annual “Day of Fountains” holiday, where all of the city’s fountains are switched on again after the winter.
For more information on Almaty’s fascinating public artwork, check out Monumental Almaty, a project which aims to “document, research, and preserve works of monumental art” in the city.
See also: Almaty Travel Guide
3. Visit Ascension Cathedral (Zenkov Cathedral)
In the centre of Panfilov Park lies Ascension Cathedral (also known as Zenkov Cathedral, after the man who built it).
This beautiful cathedral is ornate, colourful, and made entirely of wood. In fact, it’s one of the tallest wooden buildings in the world (56 metres), and was built using no nails (apparently).
Originally constructed in 1907, the cathedral has survived several devastating earthquakes.
This is largely due to its unique design, and the flexibility of the locally-sourced Tian Shan spruce wood, from which it was built.
During Soviet times it was used as a museum, though today it is once again a working Russian Orthodox church.
4. Republic Square (Respublika Alany)
Republic Square (also known as Independence Square or New Square) is Almaty’s main central square.
Prior to 1997, Almaty was the capital of Kazakhstan (and the Kazakh Soviet Socialist Republic before that). During this time, Republic Square was the political centre of the country.
Here you’ll find the former presidential palace, the Independence Monument (a tall statue with a golden warrior on top), the Mayor’s office (Akimat House), and several other government buildings.
The square itself is used for public events, celebrations, demonstrations, festivals, and military parades.
5. Medau Skating Rink & hikes
Medeu is a valley on the south-eastern outskirts of Almaty, just inside the beautiful Ile-Alatau National Park.
It’s home to the Medeu ice-skating rink, which – at 1,700 metres above sea level – is the highest skating rink in the world.
This giant complex is outdoors, and only filled with ice during the winter months. But if you’re planning to visit then, it’s one of the best things to do in Almaty.
Surrounded by towering, snow-covered mountains, it’s a really unique experience.
In the summertime, Medeu is a great place to go hiking (see below). Best of all, it’s super accessible from the centre of Almaty.
How to get to Medeu
Take bus number 12 from Dostyk Avenue (opposite the Kazakhstan Hotel). This bus goes all the way up to the Medeu skating rink, where it terminates. You can buy a ticket on the bus (bring cash).
The Four Peaks Trail – an awesome day hike from Medeu
There are some excellent day hikes in the mountains around Almaty. The Four Peaks Trail is one of the very best and conveniently starts in Medeu.
It’s a moderately strenuous hike, and at points, you’ll be hiking at an altitude of almost 3,500 metres.
Pack decent walking shoes and plenty of water. Take it easy if you’re not used to exercising at altitude.
The trail is well-maintained though, and the views over the mountains are absolutely stunning.
There’s a fantastic write-up of this hike over at The Sandy Feet.
6. Visit Shymbulak
Visiting Shymbulak is definitely one of my favourite things to do in Almaty.
Shymbulak is the largest ski resort in Central Asia and an all-round awesome place. It lies at 2,200 metres above sea level, in the upper part of the Medeu Valley.
Shymbulak is an amazing year-round destination. People flock here from far and wide in the winter to enjoy the excellent powder and ski facilities.
In the summertime, there are some fantastic hiking routes.
Think Switzerland, but at a fraction of the cost. It’s epic.
Even if you’re not into skiing or hiking, the views alone are worth coming up here for.
From Shymbulak you can enjoy incredible panoramic views over the Trans-ili-Alatau mountains, the northernmost part of the Tian Shan range.
There are several hotels located around the resort, so you can either visit as a day trip from Almaty or spend a few days here.
If you’re looking for a high-end hotel in Shymbulak, Tenir Eco Hotel is one of the best in the area.
Skiing in Shymbulak
I’ve never skied at Shymbulak, but it’s something I’m super keen to do in the future. From all accounts I’ve heard, it’s supposed to be great!
Skiing here costs a fraction of the amount compared with Europe or North America.
You can hire any equipment you need incredibly cheaply, and ski lessons and lift passes are all very affordable.
The ski season runs from November until May, and they get tons of snow. There are several pistes of varying difficulty and loads of areas for off-piste/backcountry skiing.
The Trip Goes On has a post with lots of excellent info on hiring ski gear, plus accommodation and restaurants in Shymbulak.
See here for information on multi-day guided backcountry skiing trips near Almaty.
How to get to Shymbulak
See the “How to get to Medeu” section, above.
From Medeu, you can take a series of cable cars up to Shymbulak. This is the quickest and most scenic way to get up into the mountains.
The highest cable car goes all the way up to the Talgar Pass, at 3,200 metres.
Check here for ticket prices and operating times.
A cheaper alternative is to take the shuttle bus which runs between Medeu and Shymbulak.
You can also hike from Medeu to Shymbulak, along a path which largely follows the road. It’s about 4km, though I’d suggest giving this a miss in the wintertime.
7. Relax in the Arasan Baths
The Arasan Baths is a vast complex of bathhouses in the centre of Almaty. It’s famous for being one of the best – and most exquisitely designed – bathhouses in Central Asia.
The complex contains a beautiful mix of Soviet modernist, Central Asian, and Middle Eastern architecture.
Large domed rooms are adorned with mosaics, colourful tiles, wood, and loads of polished marble. It’s pretty amazing.
Here you’ll find a collection of Turkish baths, Finnish saunas, Russian steam baths, plunge pools, a swimming pool, and even a Moroccan hammam.
It’s a perfect place to relax and unwind after a long day’s sightseeing around the city. They also offer massages and other spa treatments.
Do what the locals do and buy a bunch of dried, leafy tree branches – called a venik.
In the sauna, you slap yourself all over with this (you’ll see everyone doing it, don’t worry). This helps to improve your circulation and increases the benefits of the sauna.
Sadly, I don’t have any photos of the interior (too many naked people; too much water). But check out this post for a sense of what the place looks like on the inside.
8. Try Kazakh food
Almaty has a thriving food scene, and here you’ll find some of the best local and regional food in the country.
Traditional Kazakh cuisine is pretty meat-heavy. Kazakhs love their meat – especially mutton, lamb, and horse.
However, vegetarians: fear not, most places do have veggie options.
Vegan options are more limited, though an increasing number of establishments now also cater to vegans.
Be sure to try laghman – a delicious Central Asian/Uyghur dish made of pulled noodles, meat, vegetables and spices. (Super tasty recipe here.)
Other local specialities include:
- beshbarmak: boiled horsemeat with noodles (a lot tastier than it sounds, I promise!)
- kuurdak (/Quwyrdaq): roasted meat with onions, dumplings, tomato and yoghurt
- pilaf: meat fried with carrots, onions, garlic, and rice – a bit like a biryani
Good places to eat in Almaty
Kaganat is a great place if you’re travelling on a budget. It’s basically a self-serve cafeteria, and there are a few branches around the city.
The food here is tasty, cheap, and incredibly popular with the locals. Fine dining, it is not. But it’s fun, friendly and very good value. (Also, lots of veggie options!)
Another good option for a cheap meal is the Green Bazaar (see below). There are several vendors here selling traditional Kazakh dishes, and the laghman is delicious.
If you’re looking for something more upmarket, there are many excellent restaurants throughout the city. Some of my favourites include:
- Alasha – Uzbeki restaurant (in an awesome building)
- Navat – Kazakh / Central Asian restaurant (with a beautiful colourful interior)
- Kishlak – Central Asian / Middle Eastern restaurant (atmospheric and traditional)
- Rumi – Central Asian / Middle Eastern restaurant (modern and tasteful decor)
Unhelpfully, most restaurants in Kazakhstan don’t have websites… though you should be able to find all of the above using the Google Maps links.
9. The Green Bazaar (Zelionyj Bazar)
The Green Bazaar is a large indoor marketplace where you can buy, basically, anything.
People come here to buy and sell local produce, including vegetables, meat, spices, dried fruits, nuts, cheese, clothes, furniture, electronics, etc, etc. It’s loud, intense, and super atmospheric.
This is another great place to try traditional Kazakh food and drink. Grab a bowl of steaming laghman, or a plate of beshbarmak.
Or, if you’re feeling even braver, try some kumis (fermented, carbonated, mildly alcoholic mare’s milk), or shubat (the same, but with camel’s milk).
Almaty is known to be the birthplace of edible apples. The city’s former name, Alma-Ata, means “Father of Apples” in Kazakh, and it’s often described as “The [other] Big Apple“.
You’ll see images and symbols of apples all over Almaty, and the Green Bazaar is the best place to sample the best of the best.
10. Kok-Tobe Hill
For a great view of the city and its surrounding mountains, head to Kok-Tobe Hill.
You can either hike up to the top or take the cable car which departs from Luganskiy Street, just south of the Hotel Kazakhstan.
Kok-Tobe means “Green Hill”, and is the highest point in Almaty-proper (at 1,130 metres above sea level).
It’s also home to a small amusement park, and Almaty Tower – a 370 metre tall TV tower which is illuminated at night and visible from almost everywhere in the city.
It can get quite crowded up here, especially at the weekend, but it’s still a beautiful place to catch the sunset. There are food and drink vendors, plus a few restaurants.
11. Central State Museum of Kazakhstan
The Central State Museum of Kazakhstan is one of the largest and most comprehensive museums in Central Asia.
It contains over 300,000 artefacts, showcasing the history, archaeology, culture and politics of Kazakhstan.
Founded in 1931, the museum was originally laid out inside Ascension Cathedral (see above), which is one of the main reasons the building survived the Soviet era.
Today, it’s housed in an enormous, imposing building just off Republic Square (see here for photos).
Many of the exhibits are in Russian and Kazakh only.
But I found the sections on the Kazakh people’s nomadic heritage, traditional dress and folklore particularly interesting (and accessible, as a non-Russian speaker).
12. Drink draught beer in a British pub
Okay, as somebody from the UK, I would never usually try to seek out British pubs when travelling abroad.
But, after a long day exploring Almaty on foot, I stumbled upon The Shakespeare Pub on Dostyk Ave.
I found this place by accident and only went inside out of pure curiosity. It just seemed so bizarre. (“A British pub in Kazakhstan… I wonder what that’ll be like…?!“)
It’s actually a really great pub!
They have an excellent selection of draught beers, regular live music, friendly staff, darts, plus all the standard UK pub food (fish and chips, bangers and mash, curry club, etc, etc).
This place would put quite a few local pubs in London to shame. Bizarre, but cool.
** If you’re looking for other alternative city break destinations, check out some of my other posts, including:
Other Good Museums In Almaty
Almaty has no shortage of museums. Many of these lack English language translations (and decent curation), though there are a few notable exceptions.
13. A. Kasteyev State Museum of Arts
A. Kasteyev State Museum of Arts is the largest art museum in Kazakhstan, containing a diverse range of Kazakh artwork.
The museum frequently hosts exhibitions that feature the work of both Kazakh and foreign artists.
14. Kazakh Museum of Folk Musical Instruments
Located in a wooden house in the middle of Panfilov Park, the excellent Kazakh Museum of Folk Musical Instruments houses hundreds of traditional Kazakh instruments.
It provides a unique and fascinating insight into the country’s rich musical heritage. There’s also a wide range of folk instruments from neighbouring countries.
15. Kunaev House Museum
Kunaev House Museum is an interesting museum dedicated to the famous Soviet Kazakh politician, and longstanding First Secretary of the Communist Party of Kazakhstan, Dinmukhamed Kunaev.
The museum is located inside Kunaev’s former home and presents a fascinating snapshot of the work and personal life of this important Kazakh figure.
Day Trips From Almaty
One of my favourite things about Almaty is how close it is to stunning scenery. The city is located near several of Kazakhstan’s most scenic National Parks.
Breathtaking mountains, lakes, canyons, dunes, and ancient petroglyphs are all (relatively) easy to reach from the city.
Also, if you have a little longer to explore this beautiful corner of Central Asia, don’t miss the amazing Skazka Canyon across the border in Kyrgyzstan.
Final Thoughts
With its unique blend of culture, natural beauty, and warm hospitality, Almaty is an amazing city to explore.
From hiking in the mountains to enjoying the vibrant and cosmopolitan city life, there’s no shortage of great things to do in Almaty.
Have you ever been to Almaty? What did you think? Let me know below!
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