ALMATY
The largest city by population, located near the most picturesque mountains of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Almaty is the Southern Capital and the center of cultural and business life for Kazakhstan. Almaty offers a combination of all possible leisure activities. The city hosts events, exhibitions, and concerts on various topics almost every day.
Recommended attractions:
The Central State Museum of the Republic of Kazakhstan, one of the largest museums in Central Asia, is located near Independence Square. The museum collection contains approximately 300,000 exhibits.
The Ascension Cathedral is one of the most grandiose wooden churches in the world. Built at the beginning of the last century, it stands in the center of the Panfilov Park and attracts attention with its unusual appearance.
The Medeu skating rink and Shymbulak ski resort, the world’s largest high-altitude sports complex (1,691 meters above sea level), are located on the northern slope of the Trans-Ili Alatau, just a half-hour drive from the center of Almaty. It can also be reached by one of the city’s bus routes.
Kok-Tobe Park is located at the summit of the mountain of the same name in the southeastern part of the city, accessible by cable car. The television tower located here is the tallest in Kazakhstan. Kok-Tobe offers a variety of activities for the whole family—the park will appeal to both children and their parents.
Numerous natural sites, distinguished by their uniqueness and beauty, seem as if they were the setting for major films.
Charyn Canyon – This unexplored desert landscape beckons with its amazing clay structures – “Valley of Castles,” “Witch’s Place,” and “Zendan.” Towards evening, the canyon walls turn red and shimmer with stunning colors.
Lake Kaiyndy – what was once a birch forest here is now flooded, and trees grow right in the middle of the lake, making it so attractive to tourists. The water’s color often changes due to minerals and limestone. If you get closer to the water, it will be crystal clear, and you can see preserved tree branches underwater and trout.
Tamgaly Tas – numerous petroglyphs, images of mysterious deities, and late Buddhist inscriptions have been preserved on the rocks here. In addition to the Buddhist carvings, there is a stone with ancient Turkic runic inscriptions from the 8th-9th centuries.
We also recommend visiting the Independence Monument and the Museum of Folk Musical Instruments named after Ykhlasa, the Park named after the First President, the Main Botanical Garden, the Almaty Zoo and the Park named after 28 Panfilov Guardsmen.