Almaty, located at the foot of the Tian Shan mountain range, is Kazakhstan’s and Central Asia’s financial, economic, and cultural centre. Almaty is not a tropical country with palm palms and beautiful beaches. It’s a typical metropolitan metropolis with distinctive green belts and lovely cityscapes. Almaty’s multicultural population comprises Kazakhs, Russians, Uzbeks, Germans, Poles, and Chinese. It’s a welcome surprise for anyone seeking a respite from sweltering beaches and tropical locales. A tourist is sure to be fascinated by Almaty’s exquisite excursions through the streets and mountains.
Almaty is thought to have existed since the 9th century BC, although it rose to prominence as a military fortification and commerce town in 1854. In 1867, it was also constituted as a city. Almaty was destroyed by earthquakes in 1887 and 1911. It was designated as Kazakhstan’s capital in 1928 and served as an economic and industrial centre during World War II, when enterprises from the west were relocated here. Currently, the city holds the distinction of being Kazakhstan’s former capital and biggest city.
Almaty has a temperate climate. Extensive temperature differences may be seen here, both across seasons and between days and nights within the same season. Summers are scorching, while winters are very cold. It has around 1590 hours of sunlight every year and approximately 150 days without frost. The warmest months are July and August, with maximum temperatures occasionally reaching 89°F/ 32°C. Frosty mornings are common in the city from November to March, with temperatures hovering around 32°F/ 0°C for much of December, January, and February. The months of May through September are typically seen to be the ideal for visiting the city.
Tourist Attractions in Almaty, Kazakhstan
Panfilov Park
In Almaty, Panfilov Park is near the Otrar Hotel. This military memorial honours the 28 Panfilov martyrs who lost their life in 1941 while fighting Nazi tanks near Moscow during World War II. General Ivan Panfilov, who headed the regiment of these 28 fighters throughout the war, was the inspiration for the park’s name. It’s a rectangular green patch with an eternal flame lit to add to the honour of Panfilov’s valiant troops.
Central (Gorky) Park
Gorky Park is Almaty’s main recreational area, including lakes, amusement rides, a zoo, and a variety of cafés, shashlyk, and beer bars. The lake offers boating opportunities, and the zoo is home to over 4,000 endangered Kazakh animal species, including the striped hyena, pink pelican, and black strok. The park’s shady paths provide a tourist with a once-in-a-lifetime promenade. Aside from that, youngsters have their own portion of the park, which includes rides and activities.
Museum of Kazakh Musical Instruments
The Museum of Kazakh Musical Instruments honours Kazakhstan’s rich musical heritage. It was founded in 1980. The museum’s regional collections of musical instruments from Kazakhstan and other countries are the buzz of the town. The museum displays the collections of a number of musicians from varied origins. Since 1907, this wooden ‘fairy-tale castle in the air’ has stood strong with Russian architecture.
Geology Museum
For individuals interested in natural subsurface resources, stones, geological processes, and computer displays, the Geology Museum is a one-stop shop. The museum is in the basement and is only accessible by elevator. Semi-precious stones adorn the inside. In the museum’s shop, you may buy jewellery, antique rock pieces, and stones. The shop also sells high-quality gills and diamonds from old Kazakh culture as well as current art.
Central State Museum
The Central State Museum is an excellent venue to learn about Kazakhstan’s history. The museum’s must-see exhibit is ‘The Golden Man,’ a traditional warrior outfit with 4,000 gold pieces. A small replica of Kazakhstan’s main archaeological treasure is another intriguing piece. The museum exhibits everything connected to Kazakhstan’s history, growth, and culture from the Bronze Age to the current day, as well as the Russian Empire and the Revolutionary Period. In souvenir stores, you may buy Kazakh handicrafts.
Kazakhstan Museum of Arts
The Kazakhstan Museum of Arts, commonly known as the Kasteev Art Museum, was founded roughly 71 years ago. In comparison to the frescoes of new high-rise constructions around it, it has a lot to offer despite its poor and drab foundation. The building was built in 1935 as Kazakhstan’s national art museum and was given its present status in 1976. It is a fantastic pleasure for anyone who are interested in Kazakhstani art. The museum’s interiors have a Soviet architectural flavour to them.
Almaty City History Museum & Museum of Repression
Almaty City History Museum & Museum of Repression fosters awareness of the country’s darker aspects of history, particularly during the country’s revolutionary period, when dealing with Stalin and the Soviets. As the museum land has witnessed the blood streams of these innocent victims, the museum echoes the screams of those who have been imprisoned and tortured. Only one story is open to the public, and it houses images of captives as well as documentation linked to their death.
Kok-Tobe Cable Car
The Kok-Tobe Cable Car takes you on a breathtaking ride across the wonderful world of the sky, touching the Kok-Tobe Mountain that surrounds Almaty. In Kazakh, Kok-Tobe means “Blue Hill.” On its eastern flank, near to the China border, the hill defends the country. The Kok-Tobe Cable Car leaves behind the city below and heads up into scenic mountain ranges standing tall in solitude, reaching a height of 3707 feet above sea level. The glowing magnificence of the vista from the hilltop at night is enough to fascinate a tourist.
Respublika Alanghy
Almaty’s Republic Square is known in Kazakh as Respublika Alanghy. It is a large area on Almaty’s southern outskirts with a prominent pillar bearing a copy of the Golden Man perched on a winged snow leopard. Fountains and two bas relief walls surround its base, portraying episodes from Kazakhstan’s history. In all four directions, the square complex comprises a variety of buildings of modern architecture. The square also has revolutionary significance, as it was the site of rioting in December 1986.
St Nicholas Cathedral
St Nicholas Cathedral, which opened in 1909, is a peaceful place of worship with beautiful fairy-tale architecture. It’s a traditional Russian Orthodox church called Nikosky Sobor in Russian. This church celebrates Christmas Day with zest and vigour every year. Hundreds of worshippers go to this church to escape the hustle and bustle of daily life because of its holistic environment.
Arasan Baths
The Arasan Baths are Almaty’s historic bathhouses. The spa is housed in a remarkable dome-shaped five-story edifice located directly across from Panfilov Park. In Arasan Baths, visitors can bathe in Russian, Finnish, or Turkish styles. A steam bath is included in the Russian bath. The Finnish bath is a rather dry experience. The Turkish bath, which is held on unique stone platforms, is the most intriguing. Different temperatures are used to heat these platforms. Baths, saunas, and hydropathic treatments provide a world-class de-stressing and circulation-boosting experience.
Medeu Ice Rink
The Medeu Ice Rink near Almaty is a local and tourist favourite, and it is Almaty’s most popular winter sports venue. It’s a lovely rink set among stunning mountains, 12 kilometres from the city centre and at an altitude of 5578 feet. The rink holds the record for being the world’s largest speed skating rink. The fact that this rink has established several world records in ice skating and ice hockey adds to its historical significance. In the past, it was also used as a training centre for the Soviet Union’s Olympic skaters.
Chimbulak Ski Resort
Medeu Ice Rink is around 7 kilometres from Chimbulak Ski Resort. The resort complex is contemporary in design, with four excellent lifts to transport skiers to the summit. Although the bulk of the visitors are locals, Chimbulak Ski Resort attracts a sizable number of international visitors who come to enjoy the world-famous snow-boarding on the peaceful slopes of gorgeous mountains.
Bolshoe Almatinskoe Lake Area
Bolshoe Almatinskoe Lake Area is around 30 kilometres northwest of Almaty. With a crystal clear dazzling blue water lake encircled between high towering beautiful mountains, it is an ideal scenic beauty spot. The lake freezes throughout the harsh winter months of November to May, creating a brilliant aqua blue glow in the surrounding area. Another enjoyable pastime is watching birds glide over endless sky vistas.
Tian Shan Astronomical Observatory
Near the Bolshoe Almatinskoe Lake is the Tian Shan Astronomical Observatory. The panoramic drive up to the observatory is very breathtaking. Through telescopes, it provides an incredible picture of the sky. The greatest time to see the shining stars and planets in the sky is early in the morning, before dawn. Visitors to this observatory will be allowed to stay there. The Kazakh government does not intervene with the observatory’s financial issues, which are handled by the visitors themselves.
