Almaty – At the foot of the mountains

With 1.4 million residents, Almaty is the largest city in Kazakhstan. It is located in the southeast section of this central Asian country, not far from the border with Kirgizstan. This fairly new city features modern architecture, wide streets, parks and public squares. From the peak of the "Green Hill" (Kök Töbe), which can be easily reached by aerial cable car, visitors have a tremendous panoramic view of the city. Especially worth seeing is Panfilov Park with the Zenkov Cathedral, which is among the tallest wooden structures in the world. In the western section of Panfilov Park are the Arasan Baths, where you can relax in Turkish, Finnish and Russian saunas. Of the numerous museums here, particularly the Museum of National Musical Instrument, the Archaeological Museum and the State Museum of Arts are worth a visit.

The fascinating area surrounding Almaty invites visitors to take day trips and long hikes. The Alatau Mountains, with an elevation of nearly 5,000 metres, provide opportunities all year long for sporting activities and relaxation. Of course, in the winter skiing is at the top of the list. Hotels in every category can be found in the winter sports centres.

In the southeastern section of Kazakhstan are the Tien Shan Mountains, the chain extending across more than 1500 kilometres. Both over 7000 metres high, the peaks of Pobeda (7439 m) and Khan-Tengri (7010 m) are separated by the Inylchek glacier, which is 60 kilometres long. In the international mountain climbers’ camp of Khan-Tengri are experienced mountain guides who accompany visitors on organized mountain and trekking tours.

Back To flights