3 days in Almaty

Day by day

1. Day 1: Ascension Cathedral (Zenkov Cathedral) and Green Bazaar

   Ascension Cathedral (Zenkov Cathedral), Green Bazaar and Museum of Kazakh Folk Musical Instruments, then Kok Tobe in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Ascension Cathedral (Zenkov Cathedral)

      Completed in 1907 and designed by Andrei Zenkov, this brightly painted Russian Orthodox cathedral is built almost entirely of wood and survived the 1911 earthquake that destroyed much of the city.

   2. Late morning

      Green Bazaar

      Try kazy, kurt and dried apricots before you buy, and bring cash; prices are by the kilogram.

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Beshbarmak

      Kazakh restaurants in the centre; it is also served at family celebrations.

   4. Afternoon

      Museum of Kazakh Folk Musical Instruments

      A carved wooden building by Andrei Zenkov in Panfilov Park houses a collection of dombras, kobyzes and other traditional instruments, some of which staff play for visitors, explaining the role of music in nomadic life.

   5. Evening

      Kok Tobe

      Go up an hour before sunset to see the city in daylight and then lit up, and check the weather: the view vanishes in winter smog.

2. Day 2: Medeu and Shymbulak

   Medeu, Shymbulak and Big Almaty Lake, then Zhibek Zholy (the Arbat) in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Medeu

      Skate in the evening, when the rink is floodlit and music plays; climb the dam stairs in daylight for views down the valley.

   2. Late morning

      Shymbulak

      Central Asia's best-known ski resort sits above Medeu, connected by a gondola of about 4.5 km that rises to around 2,260 metres.

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Lagman

      Uyghur cafés across the city, especially near the Green Bazaar.

   4. Afternoon

      Big Almaty Lake

      Go early with a taxi or tour; the last stretch is a mountain road, and the lake's colour is best in sunshine from June to October.

   5. Evening

      Zhibek Zholy (the Arbat)

      Look for the mosaics in the Zhibek Zholy metro station below the street.

3. Day 3: Kok Zhaylau trail and Central State Museum of Kazakhstan

   Kok Zhaylau trail, Central State Museum of Kazakhstan and Kasteyev State Museum of Arts, then Abai Opera and Ballet Theatre in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Kok Zhaylau trail

      One of the most popular day hikes from Almaty climbs through spruce forest from the Medeu road to a high meadow plateau at around 1,700–2,000 metres, with views of the peaks.

   2. Late morning

      Central State Museum of Kazakhstan

      Allow time for the nomadic culture rooms, which put the steppe's horse-based life in context.

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Plov

      Central Asian cafés and canteens; often at its best at lunchtime.

   4. Afternoon

      Kasteyev State Museum of Arts

      Kazakhstan's main art museum holds Kazakh, Soviet, Russian and Western European art, from Abylkhan Kasteyev's landscapes to Soviet socialist realism and contemporary Kazakh painting, alongside applied arts such as jewellery and felt.

   5. Evening

      Abai Opera and Ballet Theatre

      Check the programme for a Kazakh opera such as one by Mukan Tulebayev for something you will not see at home.

Before you go

If it rains

• Swap in Arasan Baths (Panfilov Park and Zhibek Zholy): Bring flip-flops and a towel or rent them, and try a venik (birch-twig) treatment in the Russian banya.
• Swap in Almaty Metro art stations (City centre): Ride the whole line between Raiymbek Batyr and Abay stations, getting off at the decorated stations.

Where to stay for this itinerary

With 3 nights, Golden Square keeps most of this route within easy reach. For a calmer or cheaper base, Panfilov Park and Zhibek Zholy ($$) suits first-timers, budget, culture and shopping. Compare every area.

Pace and daylight

The sights in this plan add up to roughly 23–29 hours of visiting over 3 days, before meals and getting between them. Daylight runs from about 9 hours in December to 15.4 hours in June, so in winter start early and keep museums for the afternoon.

More or fewer days

• One day in Almaty
• 2 days in Almaty
• 5 days in Almaty

Questions travellers ask