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Almaty

Kazakhstan

Lonely Planet's Best in Travel 2026

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Gold onion domes on turquoise St. Nicholas church (Nikolsky Sobor) on Baytursynuly street.

Gold onion domes on turquoise St. Nicholas church (Nikolsky Sobor) on Baytursynuly street.

Overview

The leafy city of Almaty (Alma-Ata; Алматы), with a backdrop of the snowcapped Zailiysky Alatau, has always been among the more appealing Russian creations in Central Asia. Today Almaty's new rich have expensive suburban apartments, large SUVs, glitzy shopping malls, Western-style coffee lounges, expensive restaurants, dance-till-dawn nightclubs and new ski resorts to help them enjoy life to the full. Meanwhile, others from the city's outer districts and the countryside squeeze into packed buses and rickety marshrutkas around the Green Market (Zelyony Bazar) or Sayakhat bus station.

Must-see attractions

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Planning Tools

Expert guidance to help you plan your trip

Best Things to Do

A perfect start to your Central Asian adventure, Almaty, Kazakhstan has something for every traveler! Here's our round-up of things to do in this vibrant city.

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Day Trips

The wilderness of the Tian Shan mountains sits just beyond Almaty, Kazakstan, perfect for a day of exploring.

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Best Road Trips

The wilderness of the Tian Shan mountains sits just beyond Almaty, Kazakstan, perfect for a day of exploring.

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