Kazakhstan's cultural capital

Almaty is Kazakhstan's largest city — a cosmopolitan metropolis of nearly 2 million people pressed against the snow-capped Tien Shan mountains. Tree-lined boulevards, a thriving café culture, world-class restaurants, and a nightlife scene that rivals much larger capitals. In 15 minutes you can go from a coffee shop on Dostyk Avenue to an alpine meadow at 2,000 metres.

Top attractions

Kok-Tobe Hill — Cable car panorama of the city against the Tien Shan peaks. Best at sunset.

Medeu & Shymbulak — World's highest Olympic skating rink (1,691m) and Central Asia's best ski resort (3,200m). Summer hiking is equally spectacular.

Big Almaty Lake — Turquoise alpine lake at 2,511m surrounded by peaks. One of the most photographed spots in Kazakhstan.

Green Bazaar — Almaty's oldest market: dried fruits, horse sausage, Korean salads, spices. The city's food culture in one place.

Panfilov Park & Zenkov Cathedral — A central park with one of the world's tallest all-wooden buildings, which survived a 7.7 magnitude earthquake in 1911.

Best time to visit

June–September for hiking and outdoor activities. April–May for wildflowers. December–March for skiing at Shymbulak.

Getting there

Almaty Airport (ALA): direct flights from Beijing (4.5h), Istanbul (5h), Dubai (5h), Seoul (6h), and most CIS cities. Main hub for all 1Travel Kazakhstan tours.