Discover Kolsai Lakes, Assy Plateau & Nomad Culture in 7 Days

A visit to Medeu skating rink at an altitude of 1691 meters, the highest-altitude stadium in the world. In winter the ice is perfectly smooth; in summer the rink turns into a cool mountain amphitheater, with a walk along the dam and views of the gorge. In the first half of the day, take the cable car up to Shymbulak mountain resort (2260 m), a three-stage lift that reaches 3200 meters in 25 minutes and opens a full panorama of the Trans-Ili Alatau. Winter brings skiing and snowboarding; summer brings hiking and cafés with views. Later in the morning, ride the cable car up to Kok-Tobe (1070 m), the city’s signature viewpoint. Almaty lies below like an open map, with the Alatau mountains behind it; sunset is especially striking, when the peaks turn pink and the lights of the metropolis begin to glow in the valley.

An immersion into nomadic culture at Hunny Ethno-Village, a reconstruction of Kazakh everyday life 70 km from the city. Visit the yurts, try beshbarmak cooked over an open fire, watch horseback performances and see the instruments the nomads played. A falconry show with a golden eagle and its handler is part of the visit. After lunch, visit the Central State Museum, Kazakhstan’s main cultural and historical complex. One hall is dedicated to the Golden Man, while the others focus on ethnography and Bronze Age archaeology.

An early start, around 06:00, for a long day of about 14 hours, much of it on the road. Descend into Charyn Canyon and walk through the “Valley of Castles”, the best-known section of a canyon that stretches for 154 km, a 2–3 km trail where the midday sun turns the rocks to copper. The path runs between jagged towers along the river. In the first half of the day, take in Moon Canyon, Charyn’s neighboring valley, with gray and bluish rock formations and an almost lunar feel. Later in the morning, visit Black Canyon with its volcanic walls and narrow passages, a dark palette in sharp contrast to red Charyn. In the second half of the day, walk around first Kolsay Lake (1818 m), a turquoise expanse surrounded by centuries-old Tien Shan firs, quiet apart from the wind in the trees. Return to Almaty late in the evening.

Set off by jeep for Assy Plateau (2500 m), with endless alpine meadows, shepherds’ yurt camps and the Assy-Turgen astronomical observatory, where the night sky is far from city lights and the Milky Way stands out clearly. Around midday, come down to Turgen Gorge with seven cascading waterfalls and trout farms by a mountain river. One of the most family-friendly routes. In the afternoon, trek to Bear Waterfall, 30 meters high, with the roar of water, a rainbow in the spray, and coolness you can feel a hundred steps before reaching the cascade. Return to Almaty in the evening.

A walk through Alma-Arasan Gorge, with a mineral thermal spring, a mountain river, and trails along cascades beneath a canopy of conifers. Later in the morning, stop at Ayusai eco-park in the Small Almaty Gorge, with wooden boardwalks and alpine flowers by the stream. In the afternoon, see the falconry show at the Sunkar Center. A golden eagle launches from a glove and returns precisely to the ring: the ancient art of nomad hunting, performed live. Return to Almaty in the evening.

A visit to the Ykhlas Museum of Folk Musical Instruments, with a collection of 1200 dombras, kobyz, and zhetygens. The guide will play a kui, Kazakh instrumental poetry that is best understood in person. In the first half of the day, stop at the Eternal Flame in Panfilov Park, a memorial composition of granite, fire, and silence in memory of the soldiers of the Great Patriotic War. Later in the morning, visit the Green Bazaar, operating since 1875, a true Eastern market with piles of dried apricots and raisins, rows of kazy and shuzhuk (horse sausage), barrels of mountain honey from the jailyau, and friendly vendors who let you taste everything before buying. In the second half of the day, make a short stop at the flagship Rahat chocolate store, Kazakhstan’s oldest brand, with gift boxes in 1970s-style design, a good place to pick up gifts. After lunch, visit TSUM, the Soviet-era department store on Zhibek Zholy, where you can still find souvenirs, felt goods, and local clothing at good prices.