My arrival in Almaty from Mongolia marked the beginning of my journey through Kazakhstan and the heart of Central Asia. Although it is no longer the country's official capital, this city remains the cultural, economic, and social heart of the nation, and one of the most vibrant in Central Asia. Surrounded by the imposing Alatau Mountains, Almaty combines breathtaking natural landscapes with a modern, dynamic, and surprisingly cosmopolitan atmosphere.
From the first moment I saw it, I loved how clean and organized it is, with tree-lined avenues, well-maintained parks, and a culinary offering that reflects its ethnic diversity. Its streets blend the Soviet influences with the independent spirit of the new Kazakhstan. Almaty is a city where you can walk among modern skyscrapers and, around a corner, find Orthodox churches, traditional bazaars, or monuments to the communist era.
It was the perfect base for exploring turquoise lakes and red canyons, but it was also a city worth enjoying. In this post, I'll tell you everything I discovered, what I liked most, and why Almaty was one of my favorite cities in the world.
Table of Contents
A look at Almaty's history and architectural heritage
Almaty, whose name means “place of apple trees,” has a long and eventful history reflected in every corner of the city. Its origins date back to an ancient settlement on the Silk Road, although the modern city began to take shape in the 19th century, when the Russian Empire established the Verniy Fort in this strategic area at the foot of the Tian Shan Mountains. Throughout the 20th century, Almaty (then called Alma-Ata) became the capital of the Kazakh Soviet Socialist Republic, a role it held until 1997, when the capital was moved to Astana.
This past is clearly seen in its architecture, which mixes Soviet, Russian-classical influences and traditional Kazakh elements. The imposing public buildings, wide avenues, and monuments with a monumental aesthetic are a direct legacy of the communist era. A good example is the Palace of the Republic, or the seat of government with its austere geometry. There are also more decorative buildings, such as the beautiful Zenkov Cathedral, made entirely of wood without the use of nails, a rare example of Orthodox architecture in Central Asia.
Also notable are the Academy of Sciences, with its imposing brutalist aesthetic, and the Hotel Kazakhstan, one of the most emblematic Soviet buildings in Central Asia, with its unmistakable silhouette.
In recent years, the city has added modern towers, international hotels, and glass and steel shopping malls, forming a striking contrast to the Soviet blocs and traditional markets. This interweaving of styles makes walking through Almaty a journey through different stages of its history.
My impressions of Almaty: a refreshing contrast
After coming from Ulan Bator, the capital of Mongolia, Almaty surprised me with its warmth and liveliness. Unlike the austerity and cold climate of Ulan Bator, Almaty is abundant with greenery, with extensive parks and water channels that descend from the mountains to irrigate the city, giving it a much fresher and more pleasant atmosphere.
Furthermore, Almaty is clearly a multicultural and modern city, with a wide range of shops of all kinds, from traditional markets to contemporary boutiques, and a very diverse culinary scene that reflects this cultural mix.
I used it as a base for getting around Kazakhstan and visiting nearby places, which proved to be very convenient. The city has a pace that invites you to stay for several weeks to explore it in depth.
Compared to other major cities in Central Asia, Almaty was undoubtedly my favorite, thanks to its combination of nature, modernity, and urban life.
How to get around Almaty: the metro, an underground gem
Getting around Almaty is quite simple, and one of the best ways to do so is by using the metro, which, in addition to being efficient and economical, is an attraction in itself. Opened in 2011, the system is small but modern, clean, and very safe. The most striking feature is the design of its stations, many of which retain the monumental air typical of Soviet architecture, with a meticulous aesthetic that blends marble, dramatic lighting, and Kazakh cultural motifs.
Among the most notable stations is Baikonur, decorated with a space theme in homage to the cosmodrome of the same name; Abay, which pays tribute to the country's most important poet with murals and traditional elements; and Zhibek Zholy, one of the busiest, with beautiful marble details and an almost art gallery-like atmosphere. Another must-see is Alatau, which combines light marbles and ornamental details with a very photogenic symmetry.
🚌 By Bus
In addition to the metro, you can easily get around by buses and trolleybuses, which cover the city well. For longer distances or if you prefer something more convenient, Yandex Go (the local Uber) works perfectly and is very accessible. But if the weather permits, walking is also very enjoyable: many areas of Almaty are leafy, quiet, and pleasant to explore on foot.
How to get from Almaty Airport to the city center
Almaty International Airport (ALA) is located about 15 km from the city center, and there are several ways to get there depending on your budget, arrival time, and comfort level.
🚌 City bus
For those on a budget or if you want to get around like a local, there are public buses that connect the airport to different points in the city center. The most common lines are 79 and 86, although they can change depending on the season. The journey is slower, but very economical (around 100 tenge).
🚖 Taxi or Yandex Go
The most convenient and direct option is to take a taxi or Yandex Go, the most widely used transportation app in Kazakhstan and throughout Central Asia, similar to Uber. It works very well, is affordable, and allows you to avoid negotiations or overpricing. A trip to the city center usually costs between 2,000 and 3,000 tenge (around $5 to $7) and takes about 25 to 40 minutes, depending on traffic. Recommendation: Avoid taxi drivers who approach you inside the airport and request a ride from the app once you're outside.
🚗 Private transfer or from accommodation
Some hotels and hostels offer private transfers from the airport. This is a good option if you arrive early in the morning or want to travel worry-free. It's a good idea to book in advance, especially if you don't speak Russian or Kazakh.
Map of the most important places to see and visit in Almaty
What to see and do in Almaty: the city's must-sees
Almaty has a lot to offer, both culturally and naturally. It's an ideal city for combining urban walks with mountain getaways, all without having to venture too far. Here are some of the best places to see and things to do in Almaty, organized so you can create your ideal itinerary.
Panfilov Park and its attractions
Panfilov Park is one of the city's most important green spaces, ideal for a leisurely stroll among monuments and centuries-old trees. Within it, you can see and visit several places of great interest:
🕍 Zenkov Cathedral
Within the park is the iconic Zenkov Cathedral, a jewel of Orthodox architecture, built entirely of wood without nails. It is one of Almaty's most photogenic buildings and a symbol of resilience, having survived several earthquakes.
Beyond its imposing multicolored wooden facade, what I truly loved about Zenkov Cathedral was its interior. Upon entering, one finds a space filled with details: finely painted Orthodox icons, frescoes in soft tones, and a secluded atmosphere that contrasts with the bustle of the surrounding park.
Light enters through ornate stained-glass windows that bathe the interior in soft colors, and everything is carefully maintained. Unlike other, more ornate churches, this one has a simple yet harmonious beauty. It's a place that invites you to linger for a few minutes in silence, observing the details and breathing in the living history that still dwells within its walls.
Memorial to the fallen of the Second World War
Just opposite the cathedral is the Memorial to the Fallen of the Second World War. The enormous bronze sculpture depicts a group of soldiers advancing vigorously, their faces resolute, in honor of the 28 heroes of the Panfilov Division, who fought in the defense of Moscow. Behind it, an eternal flame burns in memory of all the Kazakhs who died in the war. The ensemble is solemn and powerful.
🎶 Museum of Kazakh Musical Instruments
Also within the park is this small museum, which displays traditional instruments from all over the country. It's ideal for better understanding the rich musical heritage of the steppes and discovering unique sounds like the dombra and kobyz.
🏙️ Kok-Tobe
Kok-Tobe is a hill with spectacular views of the city and the surrounding mountains. You can take the cable car up from the center and enjoy an open-air walk, food fairs, souvenir shops, and even a statue of The Beatles. It's a perfect sunset spot.
🌆 Almaty Tower (Television Tower)
Located on the slopes of Kok-Tobe, the Almaty Tower is one of the tallest structures in the country. Although it's not currently open to the public, seeing it up close is impressive due to its size and location. From the surrounding viewing points, you'll get some of the best views of the city.
🕌 Almaty Central Mosque
The Almaty Central Mosque is one of the largest in the country, with a capacity for 7,000 people. Its white marble façade, five minarets, and shining gold main dome contrast with the peaks of the Tian Shan Mountains in the background.
🕌 First President's Park
This sprawling park is perfect for escaping the hustle and bustle of the city center. With expansive gardens, fountains, and a monumental portico, First President's Park pays tribute to Nursultan Nazarbayev, the first president of independent Kazakhstan. In the background, the mountains provide a natural backdrop for incredible photos.
🌿 Botanical Garden
A peaceful stop in the middle of the city. The Almaty Botanical Garden is ideal for nature lovers, with tree-lined trails, picnic areas, and a wide variety of plant species. It's especially pleasant in spring and autumn.
🛍️ Green Bazaar (Zelyony Bazar)
If you want to experience the city like a local, the Green Bazaar is a must-see. It's Almaty's most traditional market, selling dried fruit, sweets, sausages, cheeses, clothing, and souvenirs. Don't leave without trying the freshly made manty and samsa.
Be careful, brand-name clothing is often counterfeit. I bought a pair of Columbia trekking shoes that seemed to be of good quality, but after a month of intensive use in Kyrgyzstan, I started to see the seams slowly coming apart. Other items I bought, like sun-protective sleeves, turned out better.
🏨 Hotel Kazakhstan
This iconic Soviet-style building is one of the city's symbols. With its straight lines and retro decor, the Hotel Kazakhstan represents the monumental architecture of the communist era. You don't have to stay there to visit and admire it or have a coffee nearby.
🏛️ Central State Museum of Kazakhstan
The Central State Museum of Kazakhstan is one of the most important museums in the country and an ideal stop if you want to better understand the history, culture, and evolution of this young nation. Housed in a spacious building with typical Soviet architecture, with columns, marble, and a striking dome, the museum is striking in its size and how well it is organized.
Inside, you'll find a vast collection of artifacts spanning from prehistoric times to present-day Kazakhstan. There are rooms dedicated to nomadic peoples, with weapons, textiles, jewelry, and items from daily life on the steppes; others address the period of Russian and Soviet influence, with documents, uniforms, and maps; and a section focusing on the country's independence and its contemporary development.
The interesting thing about the museum is that, even if you're not a history buff, you can explore it in an enjoyable way, with informative panels and many visual displays. There are even models, archaeological artifacts, and traditional costumes that help contextualize what you see later in the country's landscapes and traditions.
It's a great place to visit at the beginning of your trip, especially if you're using Almaty as a base for exploring other regions. It gives you an overview that will make sense later when you explore the rest of the country.
🖼️ State Art Museum of Kazakhstan
The Kasteyev Museum (named after the country's most famous painter) houses an impressive collection of Kazakh, Russian, and European art. It's one of the most important museums in Central Asia and an excellent place to understand the region's artistic evolution.
🚇 Navigate the subway stations
Although the Almaty Metro only has one line, traveling through it is an experience in itself. The stations are decorated with marble, murals, and motifs that reflect Kazakh culture and history, inheriting the tradition of the monumental subways of the Soviet era. Don't miss stations like Baikonur, Abay, Zhibek Zholy and Alatau, true underground galleries.
☕ Enjoy the rhythm of the city between cafes, parks and pedestrian walkways
Almaty invites you to take your time during your trip. Sitting at a café terrace, strolling through its tree-lined streets, exploring one of its many urban parks or simply observing local life in the pedestrian areas is an essential part of the experience. The culinary offering is varied and surprising: you can try traditional Kazakh food (Navat restaurant is perfect for that) or lose yourself among brunches, modern cafes, and craft breweries. The city has a relaxed, modern pulse that is truly enjoyable on foot.
🥾 Trekking to the Great Almaty Lake
One of the most popular excursions from the city is to Great Almaty Lake, a turquoise lake located at over 2,500 meters above sea level in the Tian Shan Mountains. It can be done in a day, with a tour or with your own transportation. It's an accessible hike, with picture-postcard scenery at any time of year.
🚶♂️ Go to the Great Almaty Lake on your own: nature at your own pace
Going to Great Almaty Lake on your own is not only entirely possible, but it's one of the best ways to fully enjoy the experience. Most travelers opt for private tours, but if you enjoy walking, improvisation, and a more independent experience, you'll love this option.
Once you get off the bus in the village of Kokshoky, you can start hiking along a path that winds through the mountains, following a water channel that accompanies you for much of the journey. The hike is long but very pleasant, and you slowly gain altitude, surrounded by spectacular landscapes: snow-capped mountains, green valleys, and silence. Ideal for those who enjoy the journey as much as the destination.
Plus, doing it on your own allows you to go at your own pace, stop wherever you want, take photos without rushing, and connect more with the surroundings. While there are some tough stretches, especially at the end, the reward is great: the lake suddenly appears, its intense turquoise color framed by peaks over 3,000 meters high. Without a doubt, one of the most impressive landscapes in Kazakhstan.
🚌 How to get to the Great Almaty Lake?
If you want to do this excursion on your own using public transportation, follow these steps:
- Go to First President Park, located at the intersection of Al-Farabi and Navoi Streets in Almaty. There is a bus stop next to the park entrance (see location on the map).
- From that stop, I boarded bus number 28 (sometimes referred to as bus 34 from some points in the park) or bus 211.
- Get off at the final terminal, in the village called Kokshoky or also known as GES-2.
- A partir de ahí, tenés dos opciones:
- Tomar un taxi compartido o individual que sube hasta el punto de acceso al lago por aproximadamente 2 000–5 000 KZT, dependiendo de la distancia y si compartís con más gente.
- O empezar a caminar entre 3 y 10 km cuesta arriba, río abajo del tubo hidráulico. El sendero desde Kokshoky hasta el lago lleva unas 2–4 horas, según tu ritmo y fuerzas.
🏞️ Reaching the lake: the reward at the end of the road
After a challenging but enjoyable hike, reaching the Great Almaty Lake is truly rewarding. The lake appears a deep turquoise color, surrounded by imposing mountains and a peaceful atmosphere that invites you to rest.
The views are spectacular, and there are several spots from which you can take great photos or simply sit and enjoy the scenery. You can't swim or get too close to the water because it's a reserve, but just being there is worth the effort.
🏞️ Take a trip to Charyn Canyon, Kolsai Lakes, and Kaindy Lake
If you have a few extra days in Almaty, one of the best getaways you can take is a trip to the Charyn Canyon, the Kolsai Lakes, and the surreal Kaindy Lake, famous for its submerged trees. It's an unforgettable experience that combines desert landscapes, mountain forests, and alpine lakes. Most travelers do this on a 2- or 3-day tour, as the distances are considerable and the trails aren't always well-marked. It's a trip that's completely worth it, and I detail it in depth in another blog post.
Opciones para hacer un tour visitando los lagos y el cañón
Where to eat in Almaty: between traditional and modern
Almaty's food scene is as diverse as the city itself. You can find everything from traditional Kazakh dishes served in atmospheric yurts to modern cafes serving European-style brunches and international restaurants with surprising standards. Eating well in Almaty isn't difficult, and the best part is that prices remain quite affordable.
If you want to try the local cuisine, I recommend starting with Navat, a popular chain with traditional decor, where they serve beshbarmak, plov, lagman, and kymyz (fermented mare's milk). For something more authentic and off the beaten track, it's worth seeking out small family-run eateries or markets like the Green Bazaar, where you can try manty (a type of steamed dumpling), samsa (baked empanadas), and all sorts of nuts, cheeses, and traditional sweets.
For those who miss specialty coffee or are looking for more international options, Almaty also surprises. Places like Café Central, Kishlak, or Coffeedelia offer everything from good coffee to more contemporary dishes. And if you're looking for a different experience, rooftops like the one at The Ritz-Carlton or the Line Brew restaurant combine spectacular views with high-quality cuisine.
Whether you want to eat like a nomad in a yurt or sit down with a flat white on a hipster corner, Almaty has an option for you.
Where to sleep in Almaty
Almaty offers a good variety of accommodations for all budgets, from backpacker hostels to luxury hotels with mountain views. The key is choosing the right area, as it's a fairly large city, although well connected by public transport.
To get around comfortably and be close to restaurants, cafes, metro stations and some of the main attractions, it is ideal to stay in the center or its surroundings, especially in neighborhoods such as Almaly, Bostandyk or near Panfilov Park. These areas are safe, walkable, and have a nice mix of local life and urban vibe.
If you're traveling on a budget, there are several modern and clean hostels, such as Hostel Dom, Yellow Hostel, or Sky Hostel Almaty, which even have terraces with city views.
🚉 How to get from Almaty to Turkestan or the Aral Sea (Aralsk)
Kazakhstan has a very useful, albeit slow, rail system for long-distance travel. From Almaty, you can reach both Turkestan and Aralsk by train, ideal for those traveling with time who want to save on accommodation by taking overnight trips.
Almaty → Turkestan
Turkestan is located in the south of the country and is more accessible than Aralsk. There are direct night trains departing from Almaty 1 or Almaty 2. The journey takes between 13 and 16 hours, depending on the type of train.
Tickets can be purchased at tickets.kz or at stations. There are plazkart (economy), kupe (compartment for 4), and SV (compartment for 2) options.
Almaty → Aralsk (Aral Sea)
My next step would be to visit Aralsk, the gateway to the former Aral Sea. It's a long journey but possible. There are direct trains to Aralsk departing from Almaty, although not every day. The journey can take between 30 and 33 hours, depending on the train.
Traveling by kupe is recommended for such long journeys. Alternatively, you can take a connecting route via Kyzylorda or Shymkent.
Train rides in Kazakhstan are part of the experience. They're slow, yes, but also very scenic, affordable, and a great way to meet locals. Bring water and food, and download something to read or watch offline. And if you're traveling in the summer, pack something light; in the winter, dress warmly.
🚌 How to get from Almaty to Bishkek (Kyrgyzstan)
If, like me, you are thinking of going to Kyrgyzstan from Kazakhstan, the crossing between Almaty (Kazakhstan) and Bishkek (Kyrgyzstan) is one of the easiest international routes to make in Central Asia. The two cities are relatively close, connected by road, and the border crossing is quite popular with local travelers and backpackers.
🛻 1. By marshrutka (shared minibus)
It is the most popular option among locals and travelers:
- Where to take it: At Sayran station (see location on the map).
- Frequency: They run all day, from early morning until late afternoon.
- Duration: 4 to 5 hours, including border crossing.
- Price: Very cheap (approximately between 3 and 6 USD).
- Border: You cross it on foot (you get off the minibus, go through immigration, and get back on the other side or take another form of transportation).
🚖 2. By shared or private taxi
Another common option in Sayran or local apps:
- Duration: Similar to the minibus (4–5h), but more comfortable.
- Cost: More expensive if it is private, but shared is affordable.
- Tip: Negotiate the price well before getting in.
Conclusion of my visit to Almaty
My experience in Almaty was very positive and exceeded my expectations. I loved the city's cultural offerings, from museums to historical monuments, uniquely combined with the proximity to nature, which is present in every corner.
In addition, I had the opportunity to meet many kind and open people, which made my stay even more enjoyable and entertaining.
Almaty is not just a starting point for exploring Kazakhstan, but a destination worth discovering in its own right. Its blend of tradition, modernity, and natural landscapes makes it a complete and welcoming city for any traveler.