24 hours
1 Visit Almaty Info Center
2 Kok Tobe (abai, inzhu) is the best place to explore the city of “thousands of colors”! Here you will find the best views of the metropolis framed by the great mountains of the Trans-Ili Alatau, walk under the shade of trees, buy souvenirs, explore the fauna in the mini zoo, climb even higher by riding on the Ferris wheel, and do not forget to take a selfie in front of the bright symbol of Almaty and one of the tallest TV towers in the world – “Kok-Tobe” reaching 371 meters.
3 Medeu (Kazakh village) Since 1951, the highest skating rink in the world! 1691 meters above sea level! For decades, Medeu was considered the “forge” of Olympic medals, because hundreds of records were set here. Despite the fact that many other ice rinks have opened in the world, Medeu remains unique. The symbol of the city continues to win the hearts of locals and tourists with its breathtaking location surrounded by mountains and, of course, its greatness.
4 Green Bazaar is a place where you can see all the cultures and peoples of Almaty! The Green Bazaar founded in 1875 is the center of attraction of different cultures and nationalities. It is here that you can feel how multi-ethnic Kazakhstan is, where under one roof you can buy kumis from Kazakhs, kim chi from Koreans, fresh pork from Russians, oriental sweets, nuts and dried fruits from our neighbors from the Central Asian republics.
a. Panfilov Park 28 (Chukotka, stalker, mad Murphy, artichoke)
I. A special park with a special history. Founded in 1870, we honor the history of our country and the park named after 28 Panfilov soldiers who gave their lives for freedom from the Nazi invaders is evidence of this. The park is imbued with the spirit of the past and present and is ready to reveal its secrets to visitors.
b. Ascension Cathedral
I. The tallest cathedral built of wood! The height is 54 meters. Built in 1907 by architect Andrey Zenkov, the cathedral was able to survive not only the devastating earthquake of 1910, but also to survive during the fierce struggle against religion during the Red Terror. Today, having passed through different branches of history, the Ascension Cathedral has acquired new colors, leaving behind a symbol of spiritual veneration and cultural diversity of Almaty.
c. Atlas Museum
I. A unique museum of the musical heritage of the steppe! One of the few in the world and the only one in Central Asia that specializes in national musical instruments of Kazakhstan and the whole world. Here you can hear how each of the exhibits sounds and “immerse yourself” in the music of the Great Steppe. In addition, like the Almaty Museum, the Museum of Folk Musical Instruments is located in the historical building of Almaty, which was erected in 1908, which will enhance the delight of visiting.
d. Kyzyl tan
I. A monument of history and culture of republican significance! According to some sources, the building was built in 1912, the work on which was carried out by architect Andrey Zenkov, according to other sources — in 1896, designed by architect Pavel Gurde for the merchant Iskhak Gabdulvaliyev’s store. Despite the uncertainty in history, the building impresses with its wooden facade and exquisite carvings.
5 Panfilova (harat pub, ocean basket)
A street that has become a symbol of the transformation of the city! After visiting Almaty by the Danish architect-urbanist Jan Gale, the city administration decided to switch to the course – “a city for people!”, which includes creating all conditions for pedestrians, bicycle lovers and public transport users. Walking along the pedestrian Panfilov Street, it is difficult to imagine that you are walking along a road on which thousands of cars a day have recently passed. In 2017, the noise of the motor was replaced by the laughter of children, live music of street performers and many cafes and bars along the entire street.
a. Zhibek Zholy
I. The first pedestrian street of the southern capital. Almaty “Arbat” has been located in the business and commercial part of the city since the XIX century, where weekend fairs, various exhibitions and events are still held.
b. KBTU – Kazakh-British Technical University. A building that recalls the capital’s past of the city. The majestic building, built in the period from 1951 to 1957, made in the classical style, was once the Government House, the place where the main political decisions of the republic were made. Today, the Government House has become a House of Knowledge, where students of the Kazakh-British Technical University study.
c. GATOB – Abai State Academic Opera and Ballet Theater. One of the largest theaters on the Eurasian continent! It is rare when 793 seats in the theater hall are free during performances, as the repertoire of GATOB impresses with its diversity from Kazakh classics to opera and world-scale productions. An important component of the architectural ensemble of the theater is that for the first time a national color was used on the facade of the building.
6 Metro as a tourist object is one of the most beautiful subways in the world! Despite the fact that the Almaty metro cannot boast of its size, but not every station in the world can compare with the southern capital in terms of the beauty of its decoration. Each platform is stylized under its own name – the Mukhtar Auezov Theater station immerses you in the atmosphere of a theatrical production, while the Baikonur station reminds you of the conquest of space.
48 hours
7 Bathhouse “Arasan”
More than just a bath complex! Arasan is an important part of the history of our city. Since 1984, this bathhouse has been considered a monument of national significance. The complex is designed to receive up to 2.5 thousand people a day. It consists of 12 pavilions. At the same time, the complex can accommodate 230 women and 270 men.
8 BAO (Big Almaty Lake)
Chameleon lake. Every season a new color! Due to the natural features of the “pearl” of Almaty, the Big Almaty Lake has the property of changing the colors of the water surface from bright blue in summer to milky turquoise in spring, and in winter the reservoir is covered with ice and snow, which gives a special mystery to the area.
9 Central Museum of the Republic of Kazakhstan
Huge Kazakhstan under one roof! Storage of Saka gold! If you don’t have time to travel all over Kazakhstan, you should definitely visit one of the largest museums in Central Asia – the Central State Museum of Kazakhstan. All periods from the life of our Republic from the primitive world to modern Kazakhstan are collected here. A special place in the museum is considered to be the collection of Saka gold, which is one of the few in the whole world.
10 Republic Square (New Square)
The main and largest square of Almaty! The people call Republic Square “New”, and this is symbolic, because it was here that important changes in the life of the country began from the communist system to the modern Republic. The square is located in one of the busiest parts of the city
11 Kasteev Museum Almaty
The largest art museum in Kazakhstan! One of the largest cultural centers of Central Asia and the only art museum in Kazakhstan. It contains more than 25,000 works by artists from Kazakhstan, Europe and Asia. The museum’s collection impresses with its diversity and will expand the horizons of the visitor’s imagination. After visiting the gallery, we advise you to also visit the open-air sculpture park, which is located on the territory of the museum.
12 Shopping (esentai mall, mega almaty, dostyk plaza, flea market)
The only city in Central Asia where all the world brands are represented! After a delightful trip to the most beautiful places of the city, sometimes you want to set aside time to buy souvenirs and gifts for yourself and your loved ones, and the southern capital has everything for a successful shopping. After all, Almaty is the only city in Central Asia where there are malls and luxury shopping centers, where world brands for every taste are presented.
13 Botanical Garden
The world forest in the center of the metropolis! After visiting the Botanical Garden of Almaty, you will walk through the unique flora collected from all over the world. From North America to Russia, thousands of trees and plants will not leave anyone indifferent to visitors.
72 hours
14 Charyn Canyon
The oldest canyon on the planet!
For 12 million years, one of the most fantastic “works” of nature was created – the Charyn Canyon. The beauty of the canyon evokes thoughts of Martian landscapes. If you want to feel like you are on another planet, be sure to come to space Charyn! Thousands of tourists visit this magical place every year, taking with them unforgettable impressions, delightful emotions and wonderful photos of the wild, unbridled beauty of Kazakhstan’s nature.
15 Saka mounds
The ancient necropolis of the “universes”!
The fact is that for the ancient Saka tribes, the kurgan represented a kind of model of the universe, combining the upper, heavenly and lower worlds. Having visited this sacred land, you can feel the energy of the past millennia and mentally travel back to the times when the ancient tribes of the Saks and Scythians ruled the modern territory of Almaty.
