Almaty is Kazakhstan's largest city and cultural and commercial capital, set at 700-900 m on the northern slope of the Trans-Ili Alatau, with snow-capped peaks rising directly behind the city. It combines Soviet-era parks, Orthodox and Muslim landmarks, a thriving cafe and restaurant scene, and the best access in the country to ski slopes, high lakes, canyons and petroglyph sites.
Top day trips
Handpicked excursions within easy reach.
Big Almaty Lake
Highlights: Turquoise glacial-fed lake at about 2,500 m in Ile-Alatau National Park · Views of Soviet Peak and the Trans-Ili Alatau ridges from the shoreline · Only 15 km from central Almaty, an easy half-day escape · Optional high-altitude hike toward Big Almaty Peak for fit visitors
Medeu and Shymbulak
Highlights: Gondola ride from the Medeu valley up to the Shymbulak ski resort · Long stairway at the Medeu dam with views over the Almaty valley · Skiing and snowboarding from December to March · Summer hiking and mountain views from the upper lifts
Charyn Canyon and the Valley of Castles
Highlights: Valley of Castles, with sandstone towers and walls carved by wind and water · Walk along the Charyn River bed to the relict ash grove · Layered red canyon colours in the low light of morning and late afternoon · Frequently compared to a smaller cousin of the Grand Canyon in the USA
Kolsai Lakes and Lake Kaindy
Highlights: Kolsai 1 lake with spruce-lined shores and mirror reflections · Lake Kaindy and its submerged spruce trunks from the 1911 landslide · Hiking trail up toward Kolsai 2 for fit visitors · Mountain village guesthouses in Saty with home-cooked meals
Turgen Gorge and Waterfalls
Highlights: Bear Waterfall, an easy walk of about 1 km from the road · Kairak waterfall hike of about 8 km from Batan for stronger walkers · Cooler forested valley air compared with Almaty in summer · Day trip of only about 1.5 hours each way from the city
Kapchagay Reservoir and Konayev
Highlights: Warm-water swimming at 22-28 C in July and August · Grilled fish and shashlik at lakeside cafes · Boat rides and watersports at resort piers · Simple bus trip of about one hour from Almaty
Tamgaly Petroglyphs (UNESCO)
Highlights: Thousands of Bronze Age to medieval petroglyphs in a UNESCO-listed gorge · Sun-headed figures and ritual scenes explained by a local guide · Ancient burial sites in the surrounding landscape · Quiet steppe and rock scenery away from the city
Altyn-Emel National Park and the Singing Dune
Highlights: Singing Dune, a large sand ridge that hums when the sand slides · Multi-coloured Aktau and Katutau mountains at sunrise and sunset · Wildlife including kulan and goitered gazelle · Ancient petroglyphs and an old oak grove inside the park
Trips by distance
How far you can go in a day.
Getting there
Transport options for day trips.
- Public
- City buses reach Medeu and the Big Almaty park entrance; Kapchagay and Charyn have coach or shared-taxi links from Sairan and Sayakhat bus stations, but timetables are not fixed, so go early. Pay with an Onay card on city buses and cash on intercity vehicles. Public transport does not cover Kolsai-Kaindy, Tamgaly or Altyn-Emel dependably.
- Tours
- Day tours to Charyn Canyon, Turgen or Big Almaty Lake cost about 14,000-28,000 KZT (approx $30-60) per person in a group; Kolsai-Kaindy tours cost from about 26,000 KZT (approx $55) and rise to about 56,000 KZT (approx $120). Choose a registered agency and ask for the total price including park fees in writing.
- Private
- A private car and driver costs about 37,600-56,400 KZT (approx $80-120) for a round trip to Charyn or Tamgaly; Yandex Go and inDrive handle short trips such as Medeu (about 2,000-3,500 KZT / approx $4.25-7.45) and Big Almaty Lake (about 4,700-7,000 KZT / approx $10-15).
- Rental
- Self-drive is best for Charyn, Kolsai and Altyn-Emel; carry the passport, licence and International Driving Permit, fill the tank in Almaty or Kegen, and download offline maps. Mountain roads close in winter.
Multi-day tours from Almaty
If you have longer than a day, these are organised multi-day trips that start here.
Browse multi-day tours from AlmatyWe may earn a commission from bookings made through this link.
Day trip tips
Make the most of your excursions.
Carry your passport on trips to Big Almaty Lake, Kolsai-Kaindy, Charyn and Altyn-Emel, which pass through border-zone or park checkpoints.
Start by 07:00 for Charyn, Kolsai and Altyn-Emel, which are long drives, and check the weather on Kazhydromet or Google before you leave.
Carry cash in tenge (1,000 and 2,000 KZT notes) because park offices and village shops often do not take foreign cards.
In the mountains bring warm layers and a rain jacket even in summer, because the weather turns quickly above 2,000 m.
Book guesthouses in Saty (Kolsai) and Basshi (Altyn-Emel) in advance in July and August, and pay the deposit through the platform where possible.