Medeu

Overview

Medeu sits in a steep valley at 1,691 m above sea level, 15 km south of central Almaty - close enough that locals drive up for an evening skate. The rink itself is Olympic-sized, with thin high-altitude air that holds more than 200 world speed-skating records set here during the 1970s–80s. It was built in 1972 from concrete and a sophisticated refrigeration system that kept ice perfect year-round, well before modern indoor rinks made altitude obsolete. A winter session at the rink is among the most iconic things to do in Almaty for first-time visitors — top of the list for things to do in Almaty in winter and an easy add-on to any Almaty city tour.

The rink is bracketed by the Medeu Dam (40 m anti-mudflow wall, built 1966 after a catastrophic mudslide hit the city) and the lower Shymbulak cable car station. Walking up the dam (842 steps to the top) is the standard summer activity. The view from the top: the city laid out below, the Trans-Ili Alatau ridge above, and the cable-car cabins gliding overhead toward Shymbulak.

Medeu draws Almaty residents on a regular rhythm. Winter weekends: families with kids 5–12 skate in the afternoon (rentals available at the rink); evening dates skate after dark under floodlights. Summer weekends: morning walkers head up the dam steps; tour groups arrive midday on their way to the Shymbulak cable car. Cyclists train on the steep road up from the city year-round.

The site reads completely differently by season. December–March: ice-skating season, weekend crowds, festive lighting on the rink, snow on the surrounding spruces. April–May: rink closed for the warm months, dam walks become primary, wildflowers in the lower meadows. June–August: peak tourist throughput thanks to the Shymbulak cable car running, warm enough for outdoor cafés, evening concerts occasionally scheduled at the rink in summer. September–October: golden lower forest, cool air, quieter weekdays.

A detail worth knowing: the rink was deliberately built at altitude because thin air offers less resistance to skaters - athletes typically posted personal bests here. The world-record spell ended when indoor rinks could replicate the effect with controlled air conditions. Today Medeu serves recreational skating and the occasional regional competition.

Practical Info

Medeu is 15 km south of Almaty on Dostyk Avenue, a 20–30 minute drive from the city center depending on traffic. Paved road all the way; any sedan handles it.

Rink GPS: 43.1581°N, 77.0594°E.

Hours:

• Winter (Nov–Mar): public skating sessions roughly 10:00–22:00 daily, with breaks for ice resurfacing.
• Summer (Apr–Oct): rink closed; dam and surroundings open all day.

Skating fees (winter): small per-session fee for entry, separate rental for skates if you don't bring your own. Confirm current pricing with Treeple - rates shift season to season.

Dam walk: free; 842 concrete steps to the top, takes 15–25 minutes at a moderate pace. Handrails throughout; suitable for kids 6+. A funicular lift runs alongside the steps for a small fee if you don't want to climb.

Getting there from Almaty: Yandex Go or inDrive from the city center, 2,000–4,000 KZT and 20–30 minutes. Bus 12 from the city center runs to Medeu (small fee, 30–45 minutes). Driving and parking at the rink is straightforward except on winter weekends when lots fill by early afternoon.

Cable car to Shymbulak: continues from Medeu up to Shymbulak (2,200 m) and onward to Talgar Pass (3,200 m). Separate ticket; see Shymbulak listing for details.

Restaurants: cafés around the rink for tea, hot drinks, snacks. Larger restaurants along the road back toward the city for full meals.

Restrooms & changing rooms: at the rink complex (winter); basic toilets at the dam viewpoint year-round.

Connectivity: Beeline, Tele2, and Kcell 4G works throughout.

Medeu features in nearly every Kazakhstan tourism brochure for its high-altitude rink - it kept the country on Olympic-skating maps from 1972 onward.

Combine With

Medeu pairs naturally with Shymbulak ski resort via the cable car - most visitors do both in one day. The standard format: morning at Medeu (dam walk or skating), midday cable car up to Shymbulak, lunch and ski/walk on Shymbulak, return by late afternoon.

Standard half-day from Almaty: city center → Medeu → dam walk → café break → return. 4–5 hours total.

Full-day Medeu + Shymbulak: Medeu morning → cable car up → Shymbulak afternoon → return by evening. 7–8 hours, the most common 'mountains around Almaty' day for first-time visitors.

Two-day mountains: Day 1 Medeu + Shymbulak; Day 2 Big Almaty Lake (separate valley). Both are accessible day trips from the city, with very different landscapes.

Cultural day combinations: Medeu morning + Kok-Tobe sunset is a popular 'high points around Almaty' format. Add Green Bazaar in the early morning for a full city-and-mountains day.

For travelers planning a multi-day Almaty Region program, Medeu typically fits as Day 2 or Day 3, with the Shymbulak cable car ride being the main draw for the visit.

Tips

Bring layered clothing. Even in summer, Medeu sits 6–8 °C cooler than central Almaty, and the wind off the surrounding ridges can be sharp.

Winter skating: if you've never skated at altitude, take it easy the first 30 minutes - thin air makes you feel breathless faster than at sea level. Rental skates are basic but adequate; bring your own if you have specific preferences.

Dam walk strategy: the 842 steps look intimidating but break into easy sections with handrails. Pause at the landings to look back at the city below. The funicular alongside is a fine alternative if knees are an issue.

Best time of day: weekday mornings for solitude; weekend evenings for the floodlit-rink atmosphere; sunset from the dam top for the city light show across the bowl.

Combine wisely: doing only Medeu without continuing to Shymbulak is fine for a half-day, but the cable car ride up to 3,200 m is what most international visitors come for. If your schedule allows the full day, do both.

Treeple's standard Medeu programme times the visit for the cable car schedule, pre-books any Shymbulak add-ons, and includes English-speaking guide for the dam history and the Soviet-era skating context.