Almaty guide by @pritulyakvlad
Hi! I'm Vlad, born and raised in Almaty. This is my personal collection of places and tips for Almaty and the wider region — restaurants, coffee shops, nature spots, city sights and practical advice. The guide is alive — I keep adding new places, and updates are included in the price.
Recommendations
Yandex Go
Taxi, scooters, car rental, grocery delivery.
Free preview2GIS
The most accurate map of the city.
Free previewEnglish-speaking guide (Walking Almaty)
An American who knows Almaty's historic center inside out. Several tour formats available — recommended.
Free previewGeneral tips
"Higher" and "lower"
In Almaty, locals talk about "higher" and "lower": higher means closer to the mountains.
Free previewBasic Kazakh phrases
Salem — hello. Rahmet — thank you. Bagasy qansha? — how much does it cost? Iya — yes. Zhoq — no.
Free previewTraffic
There's heavy traffic on weekdays, not just during rush hour — plan your routes and airport trips accordingly.
Free previewShopping malls
Dostyk Plaza
Available after purchasing the guide
Mega
Available after purchasing the guide
Esentai Mall
Available after purchasing the guide
Museums
Kunayev Memorial Apartment Museum
Available after purchasing the guide
Museum of Contemporary Art
Available after purchasing the guide
City spots
Kok-Tobe
A gorgeous view over the city and mountains, especially when there's no smog.
Reachable by cable car.
Free previewMedeu
Available after purchasing the guide
Shymbulak
Available after purchasing the guide
28 Panfilov Guardsmen Park
Available after purchasing the guide
Green Bazaar
Available after purchasing the guide
Lake Sairan
Available after purchasing the guide
Terrenkur
Available after purchasing the guide
Panfilov pedestrian street
Available after purchasing the guide
Botanical Garden
Available after purchasing the guide
Nature spots
Gorelnik Visitor Center
Available after purchasing the guide
Ayusai Visitor Center
Available after purchasing the guide
Big Almaty Lake
Best time to visit: spring and autumn. Not recommended in winter — everything is snowed in and cars aren't allowed through. Plan a half-day hike: warm clothes, a change of shoes, an early start.
Free previewAssy Plateau
Available after purchasing the guide
Charyn Canyon
Available after purchasing the guide
Kolsai & Kaindy lakes
Available after purchasing the guide
Restaurants
Sandyq
Available after purchasing the guide
Auyl
Available after purchasing the guide
Akku
Available after purchasing the guide
Line Brew
Available after purchasing the guide
Paulaner
Available after purchasing the guide
Coffee shops
Vanilla on Kunayev
I love the "Marathoner" breakfast and the coffee.
Free previewNedelka
Available after purchasing the guide
Cafeteria
Available after purchasing the guide
Bowler Coffee Roasters
Available after purchasing the guide
Nightlife (21+)
Bla Bla Bar
Available after purchasing the guide
Point 44
Available after purchasing the guide
Gruppo 63
Available after purchasing the guide
French 42
Available after purchasing the guide
Hotels & stays
Novotel Almaty City Center
Available after purchasing the guide
General accommodation tips
Better to look for apartments via Airbnb and hotels via Booking. Other services aren't recommended due to a high number of scammers.
Best to consider neighborhoods higher up (towards the mountains).
Free previewone-time payment, lifetime access
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