Attractions in Almaty

What to see in the city and where to go outside it.

In the City

Panfilov Park 28In the City

Panfilov Park 28

Almaty's main historical park spanning about 18 hectares, featuring the Monument to Glory and an Eternal Flame.

Gorky Park (Central Park of Culture and Recreation)In the City

Gorky Park (Central Park of Culture and Recreation)

The oldest and largest amusement park in Almaty.

Ascension Cathedral (Zenkov Cathedral)In the City

Ascension Cathedral (Zenkov Cathedral)

A striking wooden cathedral and one of the tallest wooden churches in the world, featuring distinctive golden walls and blue cupolas.

Green BazaarIn the City

Green Bazaar

The oldest covered market in Almaty, one of the city's iconic symbols.

Botanical GardenIn the City

Botanical Garden

Kazakhstan's premier botanical garden featuring plant collections from around the world.

Respublika Square / Independence MonumentIn the City

Respublika Square / Independence Monument

The main city square featuring the Independence Monument stele and the Golden Man sculpture.

Kok-TobeIn the City

Kok-Tobe

A hill-park with an observation deck, TV tower, and attractions that serves as Almaty's main panoramic viewpoint.

In the City

Terrenkur

An asphalt health trail along the Malaya Almatinka River.

Arbat (Zhibek Zholy Street)In the City

Arbat (Zhibek Zholy Street)

Almaty's main pedestrian street and local version of Moscow's famous Arbat, beloved for its European-style atmosphere and leisure strolls.

Out of Town

Butakovskoe GorgeOut of Town

Butakovskoe Gorge

A scenic gorge featuring two stunning waterfalls, just a short drive from Almaty.

Lake IssykOut of Town

Lake Issyk

A lake with a tragic history—most of it disappeared in a catastrophic disaster in 1963.

Charyn CanyonOut of Town

Charyn Canyon

A sprawling canyon along the Charyn River featuring the striking "Valley of Castles" rock formations.

Kolsay LakesOut of Town

Kolsay Lakes

A cascade of three mountain lakes, often referred to as the "Swiss Alps of Kazakhstan".

Singing DuneOut of Town

Singing Dune

A sandy dune that emits a humming sound when you slide down it.

Kok-ZhaylauOut of Town

Kok-Zhaylau

A mountain plateau at 2,200 meters elevation, a popular hiking route offering panoramic views of Almaty and surrounding peaks.

Big Almaty Lake (BAL)Out of Town

Big Almaty Lake (BAL)

A mountain lake at 2510 meters altitude renowned for its striking water colors that shift from turquoise to deep ultramarine.

MedeuOut of Town

Medeu

A legendary high-altitude skating rink situated at 1,691 meters above sea level.

ShymbulakOut of Town

Shymbulak

Kazakhstan and Central Asia's premier ski resort offering world-class winter sports and year-round mountain activities.

Lake KaindyOut of Town

Lake Kaindy

A lake with a "sunken forest" featuring spruce tree trunks protruding from turquoise waters.

Museums

Akhmet Baitursynov House MuseumMuseums

Akhmet Baitursynov House Museum

A memorial house museum dedicated to Akhmet Baitursynov, a prominent Kazakh linguist and intellectual.

Almaty MuseumMuseums

Almaty Museum

A museum dedicated to the city's history, featuring over 40,000 exhibits arranged across 11 distinct periods of Almaty's development.

Military History MuseumMuseums

Military History Museum

A museum dedicated to Kazakhstan's military history, which has been part of the Armed Forces' Military-Patriotic Center since 2016.

Museum of Archaeology of KazakhstanMuseums

Museum of Archaeology of Kazakhstan

A museum where the famous Golden Man, representing Saka and medieval archaeology of Kazakhstan, was first studied.

Ikhlas Museum of Folk Musical InstrumentsMuseums

Ikhlas Museum of Folk Musical Instruments

A museum of Kazakh folk instruments featuring 297 exhibits from a collection of two thousand items displayed across 9 halls.

Central State Museum of KazakhstanMuseums

Central State Museum of Kazakhstan

The most visited museum in the country, housing approximately 300,000 exhibits on the history and culture of Kazakhstan.

Kasteev Museum of ArtsMuseums

Kasteev Museum of Arts

Kazakhstan's largest and oldest art museum, featuring an extensive collection of Kazakh, Russian, Western European, and Eastern artwork.

Museum of NatureMuseums

Museum of Nature

A paleontological and zoological collection featuring exclusively finds from Kazakhstan.

With Family & Friends

Sunkkar Falcon Breeding CenterWith Family & Friends

Sunkkar Falcon Breeding Center

Kazakhstan's only raptor breeding facility specializing in the breeding of falcons for falconry.

Almaty ZooWith Family & Friends

Almaty Zoo

Kazakhstan's oldest zoo — 21 hectares with over 380 animal species.

With Family & Friends

Metro RC Karting

An indoor two-level karting track—the only one of its kind in the CIS countries.

With Family & Friends

Evrikum Contact Mini-Zoo

A contact zoo located inside a shopping mall where you can pet and feed various animals.

With Family & Friends

Hawaii-Miami Water Park

A year-round indoor water park with spa facilities featuring Central Asia's largest wave pool.

Mountains & Walks

Bolshoy Talgar PassMountains & Walks

Bolshoy Talgar Pass

A mountain pass at 3,163 meters offering panoramic views and accessible via cable car.

Bukreev PeakMountains & Walks

Bukreev Peak

A 3,010-meter mountain named in honor of alpinist Anatoly Bukreev.

Furmanov PeakMountains & Walks

Furmanov Peak

A popular day hiking route to a 3,053-meter summit without requiring specialized mountaineering equipment.

Old Japanese RoadMountains & Walks

Old Japanese Road

Remnants of a road built by Japanese prisoners of war during World War II.

MynzhylkiMountains & Walks

Mynzhylki

A vast alpine plateau meaning "a thousand horses" in Kazakh, situated at high altitude in the mountains near Almaty.

Prokhidnoe Gorge and Terra MeadowMountains & Walks

Prokhidnoe Gorge and Terra Meadow

One of the closest genuine mountain gorges to the city, featuring an open meadow with views over Almaty.

Tuyuksu GlacierMountains & Walks

Tuyuksu Glacier

One of the most studied glaciers in the world, under scientific observation since 1956.

Ayusay GorgeMountains & Walks

Ayusay Gorge

The 'Bear Gorge' featuring a cascade of three waterfalls and its own visitor center.

Kumbel PeakMountains & Walks

Kumbel Peak

One of the most recognizable peaks above Almaty, standing at approximately 3200 meters.

Turgen Gorge and Kairak WaterfallMountains & Walks

Turgen Gorge and Kairak Waterfall

A large forested gorge with several waterfalls, the highest of which is Kairak at approximately 55 meters.

Kimasar GorgeMountains & Walks

Kimasar Gorge

A forested gorge with a waterfall and viewpoint featuring a swing — a popular first mountain hike.

Mokhnatka MountainMountains & Walks

Mokhnatka Mountain

A forested peak standing at approximately 2280 meters with views of Shymbulak and the city.

Mountains & Walks

Panorama Peak

A subsidiary summit adjoining Furmanov Peak with an even broader panoramic view.

Resorts & Adventures

Resorts & Adventures

Trout Farm in Talgar

A trout farm on a mountain river offering fishing with the opportunity to cook your catch on-site.

Resorts & Adventures

GORA Glamping

A glamping retreat featuring 10 well-appointed bell tents with views of the Zailiysky Alatau mountains.

Oi-Qaragai "Forest Fairy Tale"Resorts & Adventures

Oi-Qaragai "Forest Fairy Tale"

A year-round mountain resort featuring one of Asia's largest zipline systems.

Ushkonyr PlateauResorts & Adventures

Ushkonyr Plateau

A plateau featuring one of the region's main paradromes with reliable thermal currents and excellent flying conditions.

Tyan-Shan Astronomical ObservatoryResorts & Adventures

Tyan-Shan Astronomical Observatory

An active astronomical observatory open for tourist tours by prior arrangement.

Assy-Turgen ObservatoryResorts & Adventures

Assy-Turgen Observatory

A newer observatory with the largest telescope in Central Asia, located on a high-altitude plateau east of Almaty.

TabaganResorts & Adventures

Tabagan

A year-round sports resort offering skiing and snowboarding in winter and a full range of outdoor activities in summer.

GorelnikResorts & Adventures

Gorelnik

Free hydrogen sulfide and radon thermal springs in the Ile-Alatau National Park.

Resorts & Adventures

Ak-Bulak

A ski resort nestled in a pine forest that stretches right up to the slopes.

Resorts & Adventures

Altyn-Arai Equestrian Sports Complex

A modern riding club featuring trails for all skill levels and professional instruction.

Tamgaly-TasResorts & Adventures

Tamgaly-Tas

Buddhist images and mantras carved into rock cliffs above the Ili River.

Alma-ArasanResorts & Adventures

Alma-Arasan

More than 16 thermal hydrogen sulfide and radon springs with equipped pools.

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