With kids · Almaty · Kazakhstan
Almaty with kids
Family-tested sights, a calm base and the practical details that make travelling with children easier.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Girdi at English Wikipedia, Public domain
Quick answer
Almaty is easy with children: mountain lifts, skating at Medeu, the rides at Kok Tobe and Gorky Park, and green parks for evening walks. Long drives to the canyons and lakes are tiring for small children, so pick one big day trip. Top picks: Kok Tobe, Medeu and Gorky Central Park. Families usually base themselves in Golden Square.
Key facts
- Family picks
- 6
- Best area for families
- Golden Square
- Rainy-day options
- 2
- Busiest months
- July
Best things to do with kids
Viewpoint · Dostyk Avenue and Kok Tobe foothills
1.Kok Tobe
A hill at about 1,100 metres on the city's south-east edge, crowned by the Almaty TV tower. A cable car rises from Dostyk Avenue to the summit park, which has viewing platforms over the city and mountains, a Beatles statue, restaurants and small rides for children.
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.
- Time needed
- 2 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Iconic
- Views
- Kids
- After dark
- Couples
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Landmark · Medeu and Shymbulak
2.Medeu
An outdoor speed-skating rink built in 1972 at about 1,700 metres in the mountains above Almaty, where many world records were set. In winter it opens for public skating with skate hire, and behind it a dam protects the city from mudflows; climbing its long stairway is a popular workout.
Skate in the evening, when the rink is floodlit and music plays; climb the dam stairs in daylight for views down the valley.
- Time needed
- 1.5–2 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- Iconic
- Kids
- Active
- Views
- After dark
Park · Medeu district
3.Gorky Central Park
Almaty's oldest park, east of the centre, has a lake with pedal boats, amusement rides, the city zoo nearby and shaded paths. It is where local families spend summer weekends.
Come in the late afternoon on a summer weekday to avoid the weekend crowds.
- Time needed
- 2 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Kids
- Outdoors
- Free
Park · Al-Farabi and Esentai
4.First President's Park
A large landscaped park in the south of the city with fountains, lawns and long avenues aligned on the mountains behind. It is popular with families for evening walks and cycling.
Come at sunset when the fountains run and the mountains glow behind the main avenue.
- Time needed
- 1–2 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Kids
- Outdoors
Museum · Samal
5.Central State Museum of Kazakhstan
The country's largest museum traces Kazakhstan's history from prehistoric petroglyphs and Scythian gold to nomadic life and the Soviet era, with yurts, jewellery, costumes and a copy of the Golden Man warrior's armour.
Allow time for the nomadic culture rooms, which put the steppe's horse-based life in context.
- Time needed
- 2 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- History
- Rainy day
- Kids
Museum · Panfilov Park and Zhibek Zholy
6.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.
Combine it with the cathedral and memorial in the same park.
- Time needed
- 45 minutes
- Cost
- Low cost
- History
- Rainy day
- Kids
- Architecture
Rainy-day ideas
- Central State Museum of Kazakhstan — Allow time for the nomadic culture rooms, which put the steppe's horse-based life in context.
- Museum of Kazakh Folk Musical Instruments — Combine it with the cathedral and memorial in the same park.
Where families should stay
$$$ · Best for first-timers, couples, food lovers and families
Golden Square
The 'Golden Square' (Zolotoy Kvadrat) is the most desirable part of central Almaty, a grid of tree-lined streets with irrigation channels, Soviet-era apartment blocks, embassies, cafés and restaurants. The Abai Opera House, the Kasteyev Museum of Arts and Kok Tobe's cable car are all within walking distance or a short taxi ride.
- Good
- Walkable, shaded streets; Best choice of restaurants and cafés; Central for most sights
- Watch out
- Higher hotel prices; Heavy traffic on main avenues
- Nearby
- Abai Opera and Ballet Theatre, Kok Tobe cable car, Republic Square
Family travel tips
- Bring warm layers for the mountains even in summer; temperatures at Shymbulak can be 10°C or more cooler than the city.
- Altitude above 2,500 metres at Big Almaty Lake and Talgar Pass can affect small children; go up gradually.
- Ride-hailing apps let you request cars with child seats in some categories.
- Parks such as Gorky Park and First President's Park are busiest on summer evenings, with playgrounds and rides.
- In spring and early summer, check children for ticks after walks in the foothills.
Day trips for families
- Charyn Canyon (About 3–3.5 hours by car each way) — The Charyn River has carved a canyon of red and orange sandstone up to about 150 metres deep.
- Turgen Gorge (About 1.5 hours by car) — A green gorge east of Almaty with waterfalls such as Bear Falls, trout farms, horse riding and, higher up, the Assy Plateau summer pastures.
When to go with children
The best months overall are May–June and September. July is the busiest, so book the big sights early. Weather by month.
Questions travellers ask
+Is Almaty good for kids?
Almaty is easy with children: mountain lifts, skating at Medeu, the rides at Kok Tobe and Gorky Park, and green parks for evening walks. Long drives to the canyons and lakes are tiring for small children, so pick one big day trip.
+What can kids do in Almaty?
Kok Tobe, Medeu, Gorky Central Park, First President's Park and Central State Museum of Kazakhstan.
+Where should families stay in Almaty?
Golden Square: Leafy, upscale grid of the old centre between Abay, Dostyk and Al-Farabi avenues.