6-day Almaty tour: Mountains, bazaars, and Kazakh traditions

Six days to see Almaty's mountains, markets, and heritage without arranging transport

A 6-day tour of Almaty with private transportation, a live guide, and a route through the city's landmarks, mountain valleys, and cultural sites. You'll visit Zenkov Cathedral in Panfilov Park, explore the Green Bazaar, ride up Kok Tobe for city views, spend a day at Issyk Lake in the alpine gorge, and experience traditional Kazakh customs at a cultural center with bread-making, horse shows, and archery.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1: Shymbulak and Central Park visit

• Visit Shymbulak ski resort
• Explore Central Park attractions

Day 2: Oi Qaragay and Arbat Street

• Relax at Lesnaya Skazka resort
• Walk along Arbat Street

Day 3: Alma Arasan and Kok Tobe

• Hike Alma Arasan Valley
• Visit Kók Tóbe Park

Day 4: Issyk Lake and Turgen Gorge

• Explore Issyk Lake area
• Visit Turgen Gorge and farms

Day 5: City markets and parks

• Shop at Green Bazaar
• Visit Panfilov Guardsmen Park
• Tour Republic Square and Hans center

Day 6: Traditional culture and shopping

• Experience Hans cultural center
• Shop at major Almaty mall

The experience

The tour runs six days with private transportation and an air-conditioned vehicle throughout. A live guide travels with you in English, Arabic, Russian, Korean or another language, handling navigation and context at each stop. Pickup is included, so the itinerary begins from your hotel rather than a meeting point across town. The route moves through Almaty's neighborhoods and into the mountains south of the city, with each day built around a different zone: the ski resort and Central Park on day one, the mountain resort at Lesnaya Skazka and Arbat Street on day two, Alma Arasan valley and Kok Tobe on day three, Issyk Lake and the Turgen Gorge on day four, then back into the city for the Green Bazaar and Panfilov Park, and finally the traditional center.

Issyk Lake sits at 1,760 meters in a gorge about 70 kilometers east of the city, formed 8,000 years ago by a rock avalanche that created a natural dam. The lake draws thousands of visitors year-round for its thick forests and flower fields. The Turgen Gorge near Talgar, reachable in about 1.5 hours from Almaty, offers stops at a trout farm, an ostrich farm, and Saka burial mounds on the way. Kok Tobe, a mountain 1,100 meters high with a park on top, gives panoramic views of the city and is one of Almaty's main landmarks. The Green Bazaar, built in the 1970s with a concrete extension added in 2016, sits in the center of town and is known as one of Central Asia's cleanest markets, where local vendors sell fresh fruits, spices, and traditional Kazakh food.

The Zenkov Cathedral in Panfilov Park is one of the world's tallest wooden buildings, and the Central Mosque nearby features intricate Islamic architecture and serene gardens. Arbat Street is a pedestrian zone filled with street art, cafes, and local shops, running from Abylaikhan Avenue to Furmanov Street. The traditional center showcases Kazakh customs through demonstrations of bread-making, mare's milk tasting, horse shows, and archery. Entry to this center is not included in the tour price. Central Park, also called Gorky Park, has elm, oak, aspen, maple, pine, spruce, poplar and birch trees, along with water reservoirs, a water park, movie theater, and sports complex.

What’s included

• Private transportation in an air-conditioned vehicle.
• a live guide in your chosen language.
• fuel surcharge.
• parking fees.
• hotel pickup.

Options for this experience

3 options

A 6-day tour of AlmatyUp to 6 per booking · Guide in 5 languages · 10:00Nine-hour tour by minivan; entrance tickets included; pickup is included

Explore Almaty over 6 daysUp to 7 per booking · Guide in 5 languages · 10:00Nine-hour tour by van; entrance tickets are included; includes pickup

6-day Almaty adventureUp to 12 per booking · Guide in 5 languages · 10:00Nine-hour tour by Hiace; entrance tickets are included; pickup is included

You pick the guide language when booking.

You'll see the exact price of each option when you check availability.See dates and prices

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 10:00

Book up toStart time

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish, Arabic, Chinese, Korean and Russian

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

Prices and times updated 8 days ago

Good to know

Moderate physical effortWheelchair accessibleAccessible transportStroller-friendlyInfant seats available

Operated by Kite Travel

Is this one for you?Six days gives you time to move between the city's landmarks, the mountain resorts, and the alpine lake without rushing any single stop, and the private vehicle means you travel on a schedule that fits your pace rather than a group's. If you need to cover Almaty's highlights in less time, a shorter tour may work. If you want to spend more days in one region, a longer itinerary would suit better.

Traveler reviews

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Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English, Arabic, Russian, Korean and Chinese.

What is Issyk Lake and why do so many people visit it?

Issyk Lake is an alpine lake at 1,760 meters altitude in a gorge about 70 kilometers east of Almaty, surrounded by thick forests and flower fields. It formed 8,000 years ago when a rock avalanche created a natural 300-meter-high dam, and it became so popular that its photograph appeared in USSR tourist postcards. Thousands of Almaty residents and visitors come year-round to relax in the natural surroundings.

How long does it take to reach the Turgen Gorge from Almaty?

The Turgen Gorge near Talgar can be reached in about 1.5 hours from Almaty, excluding traffic. On the way, the tour stops at a trout farm, an ostrich farm, and visits Saka burial mounds and a monument to the golden man.

What can I see and do at the Green Bazaar?

The Green Bazaar in central Almaty is Kazakhstan's most famous market, built in the 1970s with a concrete extension added in 2016. Local vendors sell fresh fruits, spices, and traditional Kazakh delicacies, and it is known as one of the cleanest and neatest markets in Central Asia.

Does the tour include entry to the traditional Kazakh customs center?

The traditional center, which demonstrates bread-making, mare's milk tasting, horse shows, and archery, is visited on the tour but entry to the center is not included in the price and can be purchased separately.