Kazakhstan in 10 days: Almaty, the Tian Shan lakes and the mysteries of Mangystau
Almaty → Charyn Canyon → Kaindy Lake → Kolsai Lakes → Mangystau
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City below the peaks · Kazakhstan
Almaty travel guide
Kazakhstan’s largest city, with snow mountains at the end of every avenue.
Almaty was Kazakhstan’s capital until 1997 and is still its largest and liveliest city. Leafy, café-filled and set directly below the Trans-Ili Alatau, it is the base for the mountains, lakes and canyons of the south-east.
Within an hour you can be at the Medeu skating rink, riding the gondola to Shymbulak or looking down on the turquoise water of Big Almaty Lake.
- Time needed
- 2–3 days
- Best time
- May–September; December–March for skiing
- Getting there
- International flights to Almaty. Bishkek is about 4 hours by road; fast trains run to Astana, Shymkent and Turkistan.
Don’t miss
What to see in Almaty
- 01
Panfilov Park & Zenkov Cathedral
A wooden cathedral built without nails, in a central park.
- 02
Green Bazaar
Dried fruit, nuts, horse-meat sausage and Almaty apples.
- 03
Kok-Tobe
A hilltop park reached by cable car, with city views.
- 04
Medeu & Shymbulak
A high-altitude skating rink and a ski resort with a gondola.
- 05
Big Almaty Lake
A turquoise reservoir at about 2,500 m.
Photos of Almaty
Tours
Tours that include Almaty
Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan in 10 days: Astana, Almaty and Issyk-Kul
Astana → Almaty → Charyn Canyon → Karakol → Issyk-Kul → Ala Archa National Park → Bishkek
Price on requestView tour
Kazakhstan in 10 days: Almaty, Charyn, the Silk Road cities and Astana
Almaty → Charyn Canyon → Kaindy Lake → Shymkent → Turkistan → Astana
Price on requestView tour
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