Things to do in Almaty: top sights and where to go
Almaty keeps its old centre compact: Panfilov Park with the wooden Ascension Cathedral, the Green Bazaar and the pedestrian Arbat are a short walk apart, with Republic Square and the Kok-Tobe cable car a little to the south. Half an hour up the gorge are the Medeu rink, the Shymbulak resort and turquoise Big Almaty Lake. Give the first day to the centre and sunset on Kok-Tobe, the second to the mountains, and a third, if you have it, to Charyn Canyon.
Sights
Almaty itineraries
Almaty travel guide
Before you go: the centre and Kok-Tobe, Medeu and Shymbulak, Big Almaty Lake and Charyn Canyon, weather by month.
Almaty on your own: the essentials
- How many days
- 3–4 days: the city, the mountains, Charyn
- When to go
- May–June and September; winter for Shymbulak skiing
- Visa
- Visa-free for many passports, often 30 days
verifyingi
From reliable travel sources; we are still checking it against an official one. Double-check before you go. - Currency
- Kazakhstani tenge (KZT); cards widely accepted
- Airport
- Almaty (ALA) ≈ 15 km — 30 min by taxi
- Time zone
- UTC+5
officiali
Confirmed by an official source: the venue, a ministry or the operator.
Key facts
Sourcei
Wikipedia, “Medeu”Sourcei
Wikipedia, “Ascension Cathedral, Almaty”Sourcei
Wikipedia, “Big Almaty Lake”Sourcei
Wikipedia, “Charyn Canyon”Things to do in Almaty
Almaty’s highlights are the Ascension Cathedral, the Green Bazaar, the Arbat and Republic Square in the centre, and Kok-Tobe with its cable car. In the mountains are the Medeu rink and the Shymbulak resort, Big Almaty Lake and, further out, Charyn Canyon. Every place with its YesGo score is in the list above; the “Map” button shows them on a map.
| Centre | Ascension Cathedral, Green Bazaar, Arbat | ½ day |
|---|---|---|
| The square | Republic Square | 1 h |
| Above the city | Kok-Tobe | 2 h |
| Mountains | Medeu, Shymbulak | ½ day |
| Lakes | Big Almaty Lake, Issyk | ½ day |
| Canyon | Charyn | 1 day |
Rather not plan it yourself? The list above has ready itineraries, with places in a sensible order.
Almaty weather by month
The best time to visit Almaty is May–June and September — warm, with green mountains. Summer reaches 30 °C; October is about 16 °C. Winter is frosty but sunny — ski season at Shymbulak.
°CiLong-term averages, °C: day and night air, sea water near the shore, rain — rainy days a month. Any given year can be warmer or cooler. Tap a month for details below. | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Day | 0° | 2° | 9° | 18° | 23° | 28° | 31° | 30° | 25° | 16° | 7° | 2° |
| Night | -9° | -8° | -1° | 6° | 11° | 15° | 18° | 17° | 11° | 4° | -3° | -7° |
| Rain | 7 | 8 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 10 | 8 | 6 | 5 | 8 | 8 | 8 |
Warm — 20 °C and above by dayBest time to go: May–June and September
- day ≈ 0°
- night ≈ -9°
- rain 7 days
Frost; skiing at Shymbulak.
- day ≈ 2°
- night ≈ -8°
- rain 8 days
Cold, skiing.
- day ≈ 9°
- night ≈ -1°
- rain 11 days
Spring, Nauryz.
- day ≈ 18°
- night ≈ 6°
- rain 12 days
Warm, apple trees in bloom.
- day ≈ 23°
- night ≈ 11°
- rain 13 days
Warm — one of the best months.
- day ≈ 28°
- night ≈ 15°
- rain 10 days
Warm, the mountains open.
- day ≈ 31°
- night ≈ 18°
- rain 8 days
Hot in the city — head for the hills.
- day ≈ 30°
- night ≈ 17°
- rain 6 days
Hot.
- day ≈ 25°
- night ≈ 11°
- rain 5 days
Warm — a great month.
- day ≈ 16°
- night ≈ 4°
- rain 8 days
About 16°, golden autumn.
- day ≈ 7°
- night ≈ -3°
- rain 8 days
Cool.
- day ≈ 2°
- night ≈ -7°
- rain 8 days
Frost and snow.
The mountains are 5–10° cooler than the city.
Almaty ticket prices
The centre, the cathedral and the bazaar are free. You pay for the Kok-Tobe and Shymbulak cable cars, Medeu and national park entry.
| Kok-Tobe | 32 | 2 h | Cable car 10,000 KZT return |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shymbulak | 21 | 3 h | 12,000 KZT return, kids 4,000 KZT |
| Big Almaty Lake | 21 | 2 h | Park fee ≈ 865 KZT, under-18s free |
| Lake Issyk | 21 | 2 h | 648 KZT park fee, car 1,297 KZT |
| Charyn Canyon | 20 | 4 h | Entry 865 KZT, car extra |
Free — 5 places: Ascension Cathedral, Green Bazaar, Almaty Arbat, Republic Square, Medeu.
Tips
- Charyn Canyon is about 3.5 hours each way — leave early.
- Medeu and Shymbulak are linked by cable car.
FAQ
Is Almaty worth visiting?
Yes, for a green city at the foot of snowy mountains: easy day trips to alpine lakes, Medeu and Shymbulak, and the dramatic Charyn Canyon.
Do I need a visa for Kazakhstan?
Citizens of many countries, including the EU, UK and US, can visit visa-free, often for up to 30 days. Check the rule for your passport.
Sources and fact-check
- Wikipedia, “Almaty”; “Medeu”; “Big Almaty Lake”; “Charyn Canyon”