About the Blog: This is our account of visiting Almaty in Kazakhstan. Read the blog to know about the biggest Kazakh city, best time to visit, how to move around, places to visit and top things to do in Almaty.

Almaty in Kazakhstan was our second foray into the Central Asian countries. When we reached Almaty from Delhi, it was past midnight. Even though we were excited to arrive at our second Stan country, we were also a bit tired. After collecting our luggage, we exchanged our currencies, got out of the airport and took a local cab to our Airbnb.  

Unlike Tashkent, where we were surrounded by cab drivers demanding various amounts to take us to our hostel, Almaty was comparatively calmer. Only a couple of Taxi drivers approached us and quoted a reasonable fare compared to the distance. Perhaps, this was because it was almost 1 AM. It could have been different if it were some other busy time of the day!

I did not quite register how the surroundings were while we were traveling from the airport to the AirBnb. The area where our stay was located looked quite chic. I simply thought that I would explore the place the next morning.

It took a bit of looking around to find our stay. And we were really glad to finally find it. Within a few minutes we were ready to hit the bed and with thoughts of exploring Kazakhstan and seeing tulips, I was fast asleep.

Did I say tulips?

Well, Kazakhstan is considered to be the source of the world’s most diverse types of tulips. Contrary to the popular belief, it is in Central Asia and not the Netherlands, where tulips originated. From Central Asia, they were cultivated in Persia (Iran) in as early as the 10th century. From there, tulips were taken to Turkey and then to the Dutch kingdom.

Wild tulips are seen blossoming in the steppes of Kazakhstan from late March. And since we were visiting in April, it was the season of Tulips. And Almaty has several curated tulip gardens!

Let’s talk about Almaty now.

Almaty was the former capital of Kazakhstan before it was shifted to Nur Sultan. It is also the largest city in the country and is often the first stop for your Central Asia tour.

The city has some fascinating architecture, surrounded by a beautiful landscape. In fact, we could see the Alatau ranges from the window of our AirBnb. Almaty also has a great food scene and a buzzing nightlife. These are reasons enough to make your stay in Almaty worthwhile.

Where is Almaty located?

Almaty, the largest city of Kazakhstan is located in the south eastern part of the country, bordering Kyrgyzstan and China. It is the largest city in Kazakhstan and was its capital till 1995, when the capital was shifted to Nur-Sultan, formerly known as Astana.

Almaty means the “father of apples” and after modern genome sequencing projects, Almaty and its surrounding areas were officially recognised as the origin of all apples.

A Brief History of Almaty

Whenever we visit a place, we try to know about its past as much as possible. Almaty was no different. The modern city was founded in 1854 by the Russians when they built fortifications of Zailiyskoye, which was later renamed Verny in 1855. The ancient settlement was destroyed by the Mongol forces. Soviet rule was established here in 1918.

In 1921, the city was renamed Alma-Ata, alluding to the numerous apple trees in the locality. After Kazakhstan obtained its independence from Russia in 1991, the city’s name was changed from the Russian Alma-Ata to the Kazakh form Almaty. It was the capital city then.

Almaty was an industrial hub for Russia during World War II. Even today, the city is one of the industrial and scientific centres of Central Asia.

Almaty is a diverse and cultural city having people of various nationalities claiming it to be their home. A large number of magnificent Russian architecture, squares, memorials and green parks are seen across the city, making it quite an interesting place to visit.

Now, let’s talk about some important facts about Almaty travel.

What is the Best time to Visit Almaty?

The best and peak time to visit Almaty is between late spring and early autumn. Monthwise, it is between June to September. During this time, the weather is at its best, the parks and gardens are lush and you can easily take in the beauty of the city.

During the summer (July and August), the weather is perfect for exploring the areas surrounding the city for trekking and hiking to the mountains, waterfalls and lakes.

The winters (December to February) are temperamental in Almaty. Temperatures can go as low as -20 degrees. But if you like snow and related activities, it is a good time to visit. However, places like the big Almaty Lake and other trekking options might not be accessible during this time.

The best part of visiting Almaty in winter is that you can visit and go skiing at Shymbulak, one of the biggest ski resorts in Kazakhstan.

The shoulder seasons are the advent of spring (late March to April) and the late autumn (October and November). Both this time are quite beautiful. Spring brings with itself a lot of blooming flowers and tulips in Kazakhstan. And the fall colors during autumn are spectacular.

We visited in mid-April. It was a lovely time to visit Almaty. The crowd was less, hotel rates were reasonable and there were tulips! However, we could not visit Big Almaty lake as the road was closed during that time.

How to Reach Almaty?

The easiest and most convenient way to get to Almaty is by flying into Almaty International Airport.

The airport is located quite close to the city centre. You can take a local bus or taxi to the city. If you have the Go Yandex app downloaded on your phone, then you can book a cab as well. Go Yandex is equivalent to the Uber app. However, to access the Yandex app you need a local phone number. The taxi fare will be around 3000 KZT (Kazakh Tenge) or $7. If you get a taxi from Yandex, it might cost you even less.

From India, Indigo Airlines have direct flights to Almaty from New Delhi. It takes around 3 hours to reach Almaty from New Delhi.

If you are traveling to the neighboring Stan countries, then you can travel to Almaty by either train, bus or marshrutka.

You can arrive at Almaty by train from Astana and Shymkent in Kazakhstan as well as from Tashkent in Uzbekistan and Urumqi in China.

You can travel between Bishkek in Kyrgyzstan and Almaty by marshrutka (mini bus) or Taxi.

How to get around Almaty?

Many of the sites and places to visit in Almaty are scattered around the city. There are buses, taxis and metros to help you navigate the place.

You can get around Almaty by buses. We saw larger buses and the smaller marshrutka going around the city. Bus fares are reasonable. However, you need to have a working knowledge of Russian in order to navigate by the buses.

Taxis and Yandex

Taxis are always there to take you around. And if you download the Yandex go app on your phone, then you can book your taxis at a very reasonable rate.

Almaty Metro

Like Tashkent, Almaty also has an extensive metro network that will take you to various parts of the city. It is one of the cheapest and efficient ways of exploring Almaty. You might have to walk around a bit if you commute by metros.

The construction of Almaty Metro was started in 1988 and was completed by 2011. The metro stations are quite beautifully designed having their own character. They had their own unique Kazakh designs and symbols.

Walking around Almaty

Almaty is a beautiful city to walk around. The city is green with huge trees and parks and gardens. Walking around the city feels great and sometimes, quite therapeutic (after coming from India!).

You can also cycle around the city. There are automated bike stations across the city where you can pick up a bicycle, use it to travel around the city and then return it to another station. Pretty cool, isn’t it?

Where to Stay in Almaty?

There are hotels, hostels and Airbnb to choose from. The people are friendly and you can choose any according to your budget. The famous Kazakh hospitality can be seen everywhere.

We stayed at an AirBnb at Zhibek Zholy Street. The area was great, close to Panfilov Park. Arbat Street was also close by.

How We Spent our Time in Almaty

The first thing that we noticed when we woke up the next morning was a snow clad peak from the window. And it made our day. The tiredness, jet lags and excuses vanished and we were ready to explore Almaty.

We hadn’t realised the previous day, our AirBnb was located in quite a nice area. We found out that the Zenkov Cathedral was only a walking distance from there.

Almaty is a beautiful city. With a green cover and parks and gardens around squares, it was a pleasure to walk around. Our Kazakhstan trip was for 7 days and we spent 3 days in Almaty, 2 days for the Kolsai, Kaindy Lake and Charyn Canyon Trip and the rest at Shymkent.

We explored the city by foot, traveled by the metro and also took the Yandex cab. Here;’s sharing with you the best things to do at Almaty

Places to Visit in Almaty

Kok Tobe and Kok Tobe Cable Car

Kok Tobe is actually a hill in the middle of the city with great views of the surroundings and the Tien Shan mountains. It literally means “Blue hills”, visiting this place and taking a cable car ride is one of the most popular things to do in Almaty. There is a zoo and an amusement park at the top of the hill. At the top of the hill stands a 372m high TV tower that can be seen from far and wide. These TV towers seem to be quite a common attraction in the Central Asian cities. It reminded me of the ones in Tashkent and Bukhara. 

There is a cable car ride that starts from beside the Palace of Republic taking you to the Kok Tobe Hill. It is a 6 minute ride above the city to the top of the hill. You can also walk up the hill, or take a bus (Bus no. 95 and 99) to the terminus and then take a marshrutka from there to the top of the hill. 

Zenkov Cathedral

Zenkov cathedral was the first place we visited in Almaty. Coming out from our stay, we simply walked for 15 minutes and found Panfilov Park. Walking through the green park, we reached Zenkov Cathedral. And on the way, we saw tulips.

Zenkov Cathedral is a Russian orthodox church sitting in the middle of Panfilov Park. The yellow colored wooden cathedral is just spectacular. It was designed in 1904 and is claimed to be the second tallest wooden building in the world.

This was one of the few orthodox churches to survive the Soviet Union. It was restored after the dissolution of Soviet rule in 1995 and since then it stands brightly in the middle of the Panfilov Park.

The interior is beautiful with stained glasses and several murals. This is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful places to visit in Almaty.

Panfilov Park and War Memorial

Panfilov Park is perhaps Almaty’s greenest and lushest place. The place is cool, green and shady where you can simply spend some time strolling around. The  park is named after the 28 soldiers (Panfilov guardsmen) from Almaty who fell at the Second World War.

There is a memorial at the end of the park dedicated to all the Kazakh soldiers who lost their lives in both the first and second world wars.

Kazakh Museum of Folk Musical Instruments

Kazakh Museum of Folk Musical Instruments is also located inside the Panfilov Park and was designed by the same architect who made Zenkov cathedral. Outwardly, it looks like another quaint building.

If you are interested in music, then this is a must visit place for you. Displayed inside the museum are several Kazakh traditional musical instruments. There are musical instruments from other countries as well.  Turkish, Kyrgyz, Uzbek, and Pakistani folk instruments are also displayed there. Infact, I also found the Indian Sitar amongst the musical instruments.

Entry Fee: 350 Tengge (less than $1)

Timings: 10.00 AM to 7.00 PM

Arasan Bath

Arasan Baths is located very close to Panfilov Park. They offer a luxury spa experience at an affordable price and will be your ultimate spa experience at Almaty. The building is enormous and built in a modernist style. The building combines traditional oriental architecture with modern forms.

So if you are looking to destress and rejuvenate, you can definitely head for the Arasan Baths.

Entry Fee: 1500 – 2000 Tenge per hour (around $5)

Abai Opera House

The Abai Opera House is one of the oldest buildings at Almaty, built in 1934. It was named after the Kazakh poet, musician and philosopher Abai Kunanbayev. He had captured and preserved Kazakh folklore through his words, poems and music.

If you are in the mood to indulge yourself, get a ticket and watch an opera performance. There are ballet, classical music and other performances to choose from. You can check their website for their latest schedules and other information.

Timings: Monday to Sunday (10.00 AM to 6.00 PM)

Green Bazaar

Bazaars or markets in post-Soviet countries are usually striking and extravagant. The Green Bazaar is no different. Just like Chorsu Bazaar in Tashkent, Green Bazaar is also one of the most important markets in Central Asia. It covers a large area and is split over two storeys.

The market is like a sensory exploration. We were struck with the colors, odors and sound. The main hall is divided into various sections, where you will find vendors selling fruits and vegetables, dry fruits, spices, medicinal herbs, fermented food, dairy products, plants and flowers and so many more. There is an entire section for various kinds of fishes and meat – chicken, goat, lamb, horses and so on.

There are restaurants and eateries inside the main hall serving local food. We went to one of the eateries and had one of the best Laghman and kebabs.

In other parts of the bazaar, you will find clothes, shoes, furniture, household items and anything and everything.

Exploring Green Bazaar was the highlight of our day. It was the first day of our tri and yet we bought dry fruits from there. We tasted kumys, a fermented dairy product made from mare’s milk, bought Almaty apples and ate some local dishes. I could understand that markets are one of the best places to understand the locality and its people. 

The market remains open everyday except Monday from 8.00 AM to 6.00 PM.

Central Mosque

After exploring Green Bazar and having our lunch, we decided to visit the Central Mosque. And we decided to walk. On the way, we saw tulips of different colors planted on the pavements and at a square in the middle of the road. The entire place looked so beautiful. We stopped and started taking pictures. I am sure the locals looked strangely at us! Who are these people giving crazy poses and taking pictures?

Here are a few pictures of tulips for you. I hope you have understood by now I am quite crazy about tulips!

After the tryst with tulips, we kept walking towards our destination. From a distance I saw the golden dome of the Central Mosque. The setting sun light was falling gloriously on the domes.

Central Mosque is the largest mosque in Almaty and is one of the largest in the country. Built of pristine marble, the domes of the minarets are covered in real gold and look absolutely spectacular.

The mosque was rebuilt in 1999 on its previous site and can accommodate nearly 3000 people.

The Central Mosque is a beautiful place to visit. But please remember to cover your arms, legs and head if you wish to enter inside the mosque.

Republic Square

Republic Square, also known as the Independence Square is an interesting place and has a special significance in Kazakhstan’s journey for independence. There are several architectural landmarks surrounding this square like the Independence Monument, Presidential Palace, “Dawn of Freedom” monument. You will stumble across  more such buildings if you walk around a bit.

Independence Square is a place for parades, demonstrations, festivals and gatherings.

Central State Museum

One of the largest museums in Central Asia, the Central State Museum houses several valuable collections related to the rich history of Kazakhstan. The building itself is quite impressive to look at. At the entrance there is a statue of a large Golden man (a symbol of Kazakhstan). It is a statue of a 3^rd century warrior and was unearthed in the late 1960’s.

Opening Time: Wednesday to Monday, 9.30 AM to 6.30 PM

Entry Fee: 500 Tenge ($1 approx)

Zhibek Zholy (Arbat Street)

The pedestrian street of Zhibek Zholy is a wonderful place to wander around and take a stroll. There are several cafes in this place where you can chill out and watch entertaining street performers.

The most popular zone is a section of the Zhibek Zholy Street, also known as Arbat (the name comes from the famous Arbat Street in Moscow). It was the first pedestrian street in the city, made in the late 1980’s.

This place is like a cultural hub famous among the locals and also a cool place to visit for the tourists and travelers. There are plenty of restaurant and cafes, shops and stores and stalls selling paintings. At night, the street lights up and become quiet a happening place in Almaty.

We visited to Arbat Street in the evening and enjoyed looking around the lights and watching the well-dressed Kazakh people chilling out. We had our dinner at one of the cafes there while enjoying the lights and sound in the street.

Metro Stations

While the metro stations in Almaty are not as grand as in Tashkent, they are pretty impressive in their own way. The construction of the metros began during the Soviet era, but they were opened only in 2011. There are 9 metro stations as of now, but an expansion is expected.

Parks and Gardens

There is plenty of green space in Almaty. There are parks and gardens, some big and some small. And in the spring, you will see a lot of well-manicured paved gardens of tulips of various colors scattered around the city.

The most popular in the city is the Panfilov Park. Then there is the first President’s Park, Botanical Garden and Gorki Park. Gorki Park is quite famous among the locals.

Day Trips from Almaty

Most of the important places to visit in Almaty can be done in a day. But, if you are an outdoor lover like us, Almaty has a lot of options for you. Being located close to some of the most beautiful national parks in Kazakhstan, there are several day trips from Almaty to choose from.

Big Almaty Lake

A day trip to the Big Almaty Lake (Bao) is the most famous and sought after. The lake is located in the middle of Ili Alatau mountains and is merely an hour drive from the city.

Big Almaty Lake is known for its unique turquoise color and is a popular spot for locals and tourists alike. Big Almaty Lake is also the source for drinking water in Almaty and so swimming is strictly not allowed.

You can take a shared taxi, or hire a taxi for the trip. If you want to take a bus, then Bus No 28 leaves from President Park and will take you to the entrance of Ili Alatau National Park. From there, you can take another taxi to the lake.

Alternatively, you can hitchhike or go on an organized trip to the Big Almaty Lake.

When we had visited, unfortunately Big Almaty Lake was closed for visitors due to road block.

Shymbulak Ice Resort and Medeu Ice Rink

Located at an altitude of 1691 meters, Medeu is the highest located ice-rink in the world. It is an absolutely gorgeous place to visit, if you happen to be in Almaty during the winters. From Medeu, take the cable car to Shymbulak Ice Resort. This is a popular ski resort near Almaty.

The views from here are spectacular. You get to see the panorama of the Tien Shan mountains.

Summer is also a great time to visit these places as there are many interesting routes for hiking.

Issyk Lake

This is another beautiful lake almost 2 hours drive from Almaty. The turquoise water of the lake and the surrounding scenery are an added treat to the eyes.

You can visit the lake by an organized tour.

Charyn Canyon

The Charyn Canyon is an absolutely breathtaking place. It is stark, barren and spectacularly gorgeous. A trip to the Charyn Canyons is not very easy, especially during the off season. If you want to hire a car, they are quite expensive. There are group tours as well, but they also seem to be a bit expensive. After spending a bomb on the Aral Sea trip in Uzbekistan, we were not particularly feeling extravagant. But I am extremely glad that we finally decided to go visit the Charyn Canyons.

I had seen several Instagram reels on the site talking about hitchhiking to cut the cost. However, it was not our cup of tea. There are also a few day trips to the Canyon, but considering the distance, we were not too keen on day trips.

We found a tour group that took us on a 1 night-2 days tour to Kolsai Lakes, Kaindy Lake and the Charyn Canyon. It was a wonderful trip. We visited the lakes, the canyons, stayed at a yurt camp and had local Kazakh dishes. It was time and money well spent.

Kolsai Lake and Kaindy Lake

The Kolsai lakes and Kaindy lake are must visit places from Almaty. Even if you do not opt for Charyn Canyon, these places should not be missed.

The Kolsai Lakes are a group of 3 alpine lakes with turquoise blue water located in the Tien Shan mountains. Not only are the lakes beautiful, but the journey is also pleasing to the eyes.

The Kaindy lake reminded me of the Madhuri Lake of Arunachal Pradesh. Here, too, is a sunken forest in the lake.

Group tours are available for Kolsai and Kaindy lakes as well.

Turgen Gorge

If you have more time, you can visit the Turgen Gorge. It is located about 70 km from Almaty. There are glaciers, mountain peaks, alpine meadows, wildflowers and river awaiting you at the place.

Altyn Emel National Park

I wish we had time to visit the Altyn Emel National Park, because this place is totally otherworldly. The landscape is exquisite – vast terrain of desert and barren land never looked so beautiful to me in pictures. The Altyn Emel National Park is the home of wild donkeys, ancient mounds and petroglyphs.

Located about 260 km from Almaty, this place is one of the best to explore the wilderness of Kazakhstan.

Final Thoughts on Almaty

There are quite a few places to visit in Almaty and things to enjoy. There are a number of places around Almaty that you can explore keeping the city as a base. The city has a charming vibe and we loved walking along the streets, marveling at the architecture of the old buildings. I enjoyed looking around for small food joints where we could eat local delicacies. I could spend hours at the Green Bazaar. And there are plenty of greenery – gardens and parks to visit if you are tired and looking for some respite.

If you are visiting Kazakhstan, give Almaty at least 2 days. I am sure you will love the place.