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More to See in Kazakhstan:  Almaty, Kazakhstan [Part 3]

If you take a ride across the dam on the comfortable road, you will reach another pearl of Almaty, the Chimbulak ski resort, situated at a height of 2230 m.

Near the resort hotel there is a 1500-m cableway which takes skiers to the Talgar Pass (3,163 m above sea level). From here begins a 3000 m downhill ski run. From Chimbulak the road continues up to spots popular with mountain climbers and hikers, due to their technical alpine routes and the beauty of majestic views.

More to See in Kazakhstan:  Almaty, Kazakhstan [Part 2]

Medeo Skating Rink is the highest mountainous sport complex in the world. This fabled palace fits into the gorge panorama at an altitude of 1961 meters above the sea level. The mild climate of the natural boundary, an optimum level of the solar radiation, the lowered atmospheric pressure, calm, pure mountain water from which the skating rink ice is prepared, have provided an excellent quality and have created fine conditions for achievement of high sports results. It was named after the Maloalmatinsky volost Medeu Pusurmanov. He began the development of the tract in the foothills and became a well-known entrepreneur, patron of educational institutions, and participated in the planning of the city.

Construction of the skating rink began in the fall of 1949 and was meant to prepare athletes for competitions in the highlands. On the opening day of the skating rink (February 5, 1951), two world and six all-Soviet Union records were established. The other attraction at Medeu is the dam across the valley. The dam was built to protect Almaty from potential stone and mudflows precipitated by rains and thawing of snow. The dam was called into action in 1973, when some 4.5 million cubic meters of water and debris, flooding down the gorge, were stopped short here.

The Medeu ice rink was fully renovated in 2011 for the Asian Winter Games, the largest competition ever to take place in Kazakhstan. While a large portion of the events took place in Astana, Almaty hosted a number of the events, including ski jumps, cross-country skiing, and others. Medeu remains an important center for the training of winter sports athletes from Kazakhstan and other regions. Over 120 World Records have been documented there in numerous sports, including speed skating and others.

The Medeu stadium and Dam remain the location for Almaty's annual International Medeu Marathon. During this event, competitors run up from Almaty to Medeu, climbing almost 1000 vertical meters before returning to Almaty to finish. On June 1, 2022, Medeu opened its summer roller skating rink and the stadium switched to a year-round format. 450 Square meters were allocated for an indoor ice court, the rest of the space was taken by a rollerdrome.

More to See in Kazakhstan:  Almaty, Kazakhstan [Part 1]

The largest city in Kazakhstan, Almaty is the scientific, cultural, historical, industrial and financial center of the country. Located in southeastern Kazakhstan, it was the former capital of Kazakh Soviet Socialist Republic (1929–91) and of independent Kazakhstan (1991–97). It lies in the northern foothills of the Trans-Ili Alatau at an elevation of 700–900 metres, where the Bolshaya and Malaya Almaatinka rivers emerge onto the plains. Originally called Alma-Ata, one theory is that the name meant “full of apples.”  The surrounding region is holds great genetic diversity among the wild apples and is thought to be the apple's ancestral home.

Considered one of the most beautiful cities in Kazakhstan, Almaty has wide tree-lined streets, numerous parks and orchards against a backdrop of mountains.  On the streets of Alma-Ata, you can also easily find evidence of different eras. Fountains play a special role in the urban structure. They are not only objects of decor, but also parts of a complex irrigation system. In especially dry periods, 125 fountains keep the green spaces alive.

Starting your journey with the favorites, stroll around the city and you will feel this cultural heartbeat of Kazakhstan thriving on nothing but vibrancy. The list of attractions below feature the best of food scenes, nomadic architecture, soviet structures, the most modern buildings, wooden cathedrals and plenty of lakes, canyons and waterfalls.

Mountainous areas are the visiting card of Almaty. You can begin your acquaintance with them on a ride by cable car to the city's highest point, Kok-Tobe (Blue Hill), 1130 m above sea level. From here you can view a splendid panorama of the mountain ranges and the city. It is especially beautiful at night when Almaty is illuminated by glimmering lights. The cableway soars over the old part of the city, buried in gardens called Compote by locals. This area is so called because of the fruit names of streets located here: Cherry, Pear, Grape, etc. While riding the cablecar up the hill you can watch the lifestyle of local people almost as in an ethnographic museum.