One Day in Almaty: The Old Centre, Shymbulak and Kok Tobe

If I had one day to show you Almaty, I’d start in the old centre. The cathedral, the Eternal Flame and the Green Bazaar are all close together. In two or three hours you can see very different sides of the city without spending your morning in traffic. I’d use the rest of the day for Shymbulak, or take an easier afternoon in town and go up Kok Tobe towards sunset.

Route advice from Tau, local guide at Silk Travel. Times are approximate and reflect how I’d plan the day with guests.

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Start with Panfilov Park, the Eternal Flame and the Green Bazaar

Start in the Park of the 28 Panfilov Guardsmen. See the wooden Ascension Cathedral, often called Zenkov Cathedral, and walk to the war memorial and its Eternal Flame. From there, carry on to the Green Bazaar at 53 Zhibek Zholy Avenue. This short stretch is my favourite introduction to Almaty. You can go from the park and the cathedral to the fruit and spice stalls in a few minutes. If you have time for one museum, the Ykhlas Museum of Folk Musical Instruments is at 24A Zenkov Street, next to the park.

Allow two to three hours and leave room to browse. The bazaar is a good place to look for dried fruit and try kurt, the small pieces of dried salted curd you’ll see at dairy stalls. For more ideas, read our Almaty food and shopping guide.

Where I take guests for lunch

I often stop at NAVAT for Central Asian cooking. I’d order plov, a rice dish, and manty, steamed dumplings. If we’re in the mood for grilled meat, we often go to Shashlychny Dvor (Шашлычный двор) for shashlik, grilled meat skewers. There are plenty of other restaurants serving traditional food in Almaty, so you can pick one near your next stop. If you need a halal meal, check with the specific branch about the dishes you plan to order. See our halal travel guide for more tips.

Shymbulak and Talgar Pass at around 3,200 metres

I’d set aside five to six hours, including transport from the city and back. Start the cable-car journey at Medeu, continue to Shymbulak and, if the upper sections are running, go up to Talgar Pass at around 3,200 metres. The ride itself is part of the visit. At the top, take time to enjoy the mountain views. When visibility allows, look towards Bogdanovich Glacier from the accessible resort viewpoints. A walk to the glacier is a separate mountain route. Our Shymbulak and old-centre day tour combines both areas.

I’ve had clear views above the city on days when central Almaty was grey or foggy. Check the upper webcams before deciding, since the conditions at Medeu, the resort base and the top can differ. If the upper lifts are closed or the pass is in cloud, give yourself more time in the city.

Kok Tobe for sunset and dinner with a view

I’d choose Kok Tobe for the late afternoon when I want to see the city in daylight and then watch the lights come on. Allow three to five hours if you want to walk around and perhaps eat at the top. The cable car normally leaves from 104B Dostyk Avenue. The park also runs a shuttle. The uphill walking trail starts at 76/2 Omarova Street and is steep in places. Private vehicles can use the park’s paid entrance when available.

Cable-car update, 13 November 2026. The operator suspended service for maintenance from 11 November and has yet to announce a reopening date. Check the shuttle or walking option for your visit.

For dinner with a view, look at the park’s restaurants, such as Abay or Inzhu, and ask for a table with a city view when reserving. If you’re visiting in winter, move the visit earlier so you can still see the mountains before dark.

Walk Tulebaeva Street and visit Arasan baths

For a slower city day, take the old-centre walk, continue along Tulebaeva Street and visit Arasan Wellness & SPA, the Soviet-era bathhouse at 78 Tulebaeva Street. I’d allow four to five hours for the walk and the baths together. The building is worth seeing for its architecture. Inside there are different steam rooms and bathing areas, so check the operator’s options before deciding how much time to spend there.

What to do when it rains or the city is foggy

If Kok Tobe is in cloud, I’d spend that part of the day in the city. Do short walks between showers along Abai Avenue and the pedestrian stretch of Panfilov Street in the old centre. You can also visit the Almaty Central Mosque if it is open to visitors.

If the rain settles in, I’d pick one museum that matches your interests. The Kasteyev National Museum of Arts is a good option for art. Choose the National Central Museum of Kazakhstan for the country’s history and material culture. I’d allow around two hours, depending on what you want to see. Check opening hours before you go.

The city route in winter and with young children

I usually keep the same city stops in winter. The centre works well in short stretches, with time to warm up indoors or stop for lunch. The same pace works for families with young children. The park, cathedral and bazaar are close together, and you can break up the walk whenever the children need a rest.

Big Almaty Lake, Ayusai and the Alma-Arasan gorge

I’d set aside a full day for the lake and the area around it. The walk to Big Almaty Lake and back can take around six to eight hours on an open route, depending on where you start, your pace and conditions. It’s a long uphill outing. Check which pedestrian route the national park is allowing on your date, take your passport or ID and stay at permitted viewpoints away from the shore and dam. Vehicle access is restricted. Confirm the route directly with the national park before making plans.

If you want a shorter outing, stop at Ayusai Visitor Centre for coffee, souvenirs or trail information, then check whether the waterfall walk is open. In nearby Alma-Arasan, there’s a walk from the parking area to the public hot springs. I’d treat the springs as an extra stop if you already want to spend time in the gorge. They can get crowded. Tau Spa is a separate commercial complex. Pick the stops that fit the time and the weather.

Mountain hikes if you want to spend the whole day on foot

Furmanov Peak, often called Furmanovka, is a sustained climb for fit hikers. The official route from Medeu is classed as a difficult trek.

Shymbulachka Peak, above the Shymbulak resort, is a high-altitude summit hike. Check the route and conditions before choosing it.

Big Almaty Peak is the most demanding of these options. Consider it if you are fit, have mountain hiking experience and have confirmed a suitable approach.

Kok-Zhailau is a well-known plateau walk. With resort construction underway in the area, ask the park which approaches are open before planning to go.

For a summit day, allow for the descent, bring layers and footwear with good grip, and check the route with a local guide if conditions or access are unclear. Almaty’s emergency service asks hikers to register their route. For high-risk routes such as Furmanov Peak and Shymbulachka, check the official notice on how to notify the emergency service before setting out.

If you have another day, keep it for a separate trip to Charyn or the Kolsai and Kaindy lakes. Those routes need time for driving and for the sights themselves. Compare Almaty day tours or see our guide to choosing a route from Almaty.