Almaty

City · 🇰🇿 Kazakhstan

Population 2,228,675

Area 703 km²

Time zone Asia/Almaty

Official website www.gov.kz/memleket/entities/almobl

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Featured Lists

Sygic Travel User / CC-BY-SA

Almaty Essentials

Almaty combines its Soviet past with natural beauty. Visit the wooden Ascension Cathedral in Panfilov Park or the Golden Warrior monument on Republic Square. The city's landscape is defined by the Trans-Ili Alatau mountains, home to the high-altitude Medeu skating rink and Big Almaty Lake. Urban life centers on the Arbat promenade and the bustling Zelenyy (Green) Bazar, where traditional Central Asian commerce thrives. The 371-meter television tower on Kok Tobe hill dominates the skyline.

9 places

МаратД / CC BY-SA 3.0

Majestic Mountain Views

This collection highlights the diverse terrain of the Trans-Ili Alatau mountains surrounding Almaty. It features prominent summits like the 4,010-meter Pik Abaya and the rugged Bukreev Peak, alongside high-altitude landmarks like the Tuyuksu Glacier. The list covers accessible viewpoints such as the Talgar Pass, reached via the Shymbulak cable car system, and the forested slopes of Mokhnatka. Visitors can also explore natural water features, including the 30-meter Butakovka Waterfall and the seasonal cascades within the Alma-Arasan gorge.

20 places

Ken and Nyetta / CC BY 2.0

Almaty's Cultural Gems

Almaty remains Kazakhstan’s cultural capital, home to a dense concentration of theatres, museums, and religious landmarks. The city’s history is reflected in the Soviet-era Abay Opera House and the Central State Museum, which houses over 300,000 artifacts. The architectural landscape ranges from the experimental Teatr ArtIsok to traditional Russian Orthodox churches and neighborhood mosques, showcasing the diverse ethnic and spiritual heritage of the region.

21 places

Anton Yefimov / CC BY 3.0

Nature and Outdoor Escapes

Almaty’s natural landscape is defined by the Trans-Ili Alatau mountains and diverse urban greenery. This selection includes high-altitude reservoirs like Big Almaty Lake and glacial research stations like T-1 near the Tuyuksu glacier. Urban spaces like the Almaty Botanical Garden and Gorky Park offer cultivated flora and recreation, while the Kok Zhailau plateau provides a central hub for mountain hiking. These sites range from designated picnic groves to rugged alpine huts used for mudflow monitoring and mountaineering base camps.

14 places