Your guide to visiting Almaty, Kazakhstan

Every year, a hidden gem ends up on travel bucket lists. For 2027, that gem is Kazakhstan – and it just so happens that we’re launching direct flights to the country’s former capital city in the early part of the year. 

With its rich Silk Road heritage, fascinating Soviet architecture, soaring mountain ranges and bustling markets, Almaty remains the cultural heart of Kazakhstan, and the ideal starting point to explore this vast and fascinating country.

Things to consider before booking

Best time to visit Almaty

Famed for its character-building winters, late spring (May) and early autumn (September) are the best times to explore Almaty, when temperatures are milder. That said, if you love to ski, you’ll want to venture to the slopes of Shymbulak between December and February. 

Do I need a visa? 

Passport holders from 54 countries, including those from much of Asia and Oceania, can enter visa-free for stays of between 14 and 90 days. Alternatively, e-Visas take between seven and 10 days.  

Are there any local considerations to be aware of?

Almaty has been welcoming travellers for centuries and is considered one of the region’s safest cities. As with all cities, travellers should stay vigilant, especially around busy tourist areas such as the Green Bazaar, the metro and Zhibek Zholy Street. To avoid inflated taxi fares and circuitous routes, consider booking taxis in advance. You can use the popular ride-hailing app Yandex Go .  

How many days do I need? 

You can explore much of what Almaty has to offer in two to three days, leaving you more time for day trips to the spectacular mountains and lakes that surround the city. 

Do people speak English? 

While English is becoming more common, it’s not widely spoken outside of touristy areas and hotels. Translation apps like Google Translate and Yandex Translate can lend a hand in both Kazakh and Russian (which is widely spoken), so both are worth downloading before you arrive. 

Planning your visit

What to see and do 

Start in leafy Panfilov Park, centred around the candy-striped Zenkov Cathedral, one of the tallest wooden buildings in the world. Then slip into the Soviet-style halls of the Green Bazaar, where you’ll find everything from Iranian saffron, Afghan apricots and kumis, Kazakh fermented mare’s milk, to Korean morkovcha, Uzbek lepeshka flatbreads, and Tatar chak-chak dough balls soaked in honey – a testament to Kazakhstan’s diverse ethnic makeup.  

From here, you’re steps from Zhibek Zholy Street, Almaty’s chic main pedestrian shopping strip – look out for local gems like womenswear from Kyz-Zhibek, silks and porcelain from Empire and fragrances from Tolegen , founded by Kazakh Nurzhan Tolegen.

For great souvenirs, seek out local Snow Queen vodka , made with water from the Alatau mountains, Caviar House Kazakhstan’s farmed sturgeon and beluga caviar, and luxury felt accessories by local designers at the Korkem Experience Store . 

If you’re feeling adventurous, try a traditional Russian banya (sauna) complete with birch leaf brushing, a Finnish dry sauna or a heart-thumping ice shower at Arasan Spa , which is housed in a striking marble-clad Soviet-era building.   

How to get around 

Most Almaty taxis are available through Yandex Go, which has an easy-to-navigate English-language interface, transparent pricing and cashless payments. In addition, most hotels can help arrange airport transfers. For a more local experience, hop on the city’s metro, whose single line cuts across the city centre quickly. Just have your translation app handy as all signs are in Cyrillic. 

Where to stay 

The city’s landmark luxury house of slumber is The Ritz-Carlton, Almaty, which sits atop Esentai Tower in the CBD. Its rooms and suites feature sweeping views of the Ile-Alatau range, while the 30th-floor Sky Bar & Lounge is a hotspot among locals and visitors alike. 

Perched on Republic Square, the InterContinental Almaty by IHG is a local icon boasting comfortable rooms and suites, mountain views and a wide range of dining options. After a long day of exploring, take a soak in the hotel’s oasis-style heated pool.  

Rixos Almaty places guests steps from leading museums. Its 237 rooms and suites — some of the most spacious in the city — are complemented by an expansive wellness enclave with a heated pool and Turkish hammam.  

Where to eat 

Delve into authentic Kazakh cuisine at Navat , an elegant yet traditional hillside restaurant famed for its beshbarmak, Kazakhstan's national dish of boiled meat (usually horse) and hand-cut noodles.  

During the early evening, the place to be is family-friendly Qaimaq , where diners are served by ornately uniformed waitresses in yurts surrounded by downtown’s modern skyscrapers. The menu features authentic Kazakh, Uzbek and Uyghur dishes. Don’t be surprised if you’re invited to one of the many local wedding receptions held here on weekends.

For something a little more contemporary, try Auyl , where chef Ruslan Zakirov’s “neo-nomad” cuisine features innovations like horse-meat tartare flatbreads and Dungan noodles with local quail.   

Top tip: when visiting Kazakh restaurants, be prepared to sit on floor cushions and leave your shoes at the door. You should always accept tea, even if just a sip, and join in toasts to honour your host.  

Day trips from Almaty

Head for Medeu, just a 45-minute drive from downtown Almaty, to visit the world's largest high-altitude skating rink at 1,691 metres above sea level. From here, make the ascent up to Shymbulak Ski Resort in one of the world’s longest gondolas – during summer, you’ll rub shoulders with locals who finish their hikes with lunch at the resort’s alfresco restaurants.  

Big Almaty Lake, a spectacular alpine reservoir of milky-white snowmelt, is only an hour’s drive from Almaty and features breathtaking forested walking trails, while Charyn Canyon’s Valley of Castles, a series of eye-catching red sandstone spires, is only an hour further on.  

If you have a little more time, explore the lakes of Kolsai and Kaindy, near the Kyrgyzstan border. Kaindy Lake is especially captivating; a 1911 landslide drowned the valley’s spruce forest and its bare trunks still rise from the mirror-calm waters, making it popular with nature photographers.