Ski Resorts of Almaty City: the best ski slopes

We can call ski resorts the essential winter entertainment in Almaty. You can get fascinating views of Trans-Ili Alatau, the purest mountain air, and plenty of sunny days, even in the winter. All of that creates the best conditions for skiing and snowboarding. The season usually starts at the end of November - the beginning of December and continues till the end of March, depending on the weather conditions.

It is important to note that, in winter, all Almaty ski resorts are popular with visitors, and usually, there is a long line for lifts and tracks. Therefore, to avoid waiting in queue, we recommend tourists to go on their mountain holidays on weekdays. "Shymbulak" and "Oi-Qaragai" often launch a single season pass for the slopes of both resorts.

"Shymbulak"

Shymbulak resort is located 16 kilometers from Almaty, at a height of 2260 meters. The easiest way to get there is to use a cable car, which starts running at the Medeu sports complex. Only electric cars and electric buses are allowed into the resort area.

The resort has slopes for beginners, confident skiers, and professionals. The total length of the tracks is 20 kilometers. All equipment needed for skiing is available for rent. There is also a ski and snowboard school, and instructor services are provided, including English. In addition, the resort offers tubing, snowmobiling, and horse riding services.

Shybulak Resort has several hotels and restaurants located on different levels of tracks. It saves a considerable amount of time spent on road trips to the city and back.

Lifting from Medeu will allow you to enjoy the picturesque view of the Trans-Ili Alatau mountains. The Combi-1 lift takes you from the base station of the resort at an altitude of 2200 meters to the transfer station at an altitude of 2800 meters. The Combi-2 allows you to lift to the second level of the tracks, and also, there, at the end of the climb, you can go towards the Talgar Pass to enjoy an alternative ski slope (Left Talgar) equipped with its chairlift. There is also a chairlift called "KKD-4", which takes you from the base station of the resort to Mount Cone. This trail is used mainly by advanced riders.

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Oi-Qaragai

This resort is in Talgar district, about 40 kilometers from Almaty city. Here, you can find 20 tracks with different levels of difficulty with a length of 22 kilometers, eight drag lifts, and a unique snowmaking system, likewise, an opportunity to take some lessons from qualified trainers. You can rent equipment at one of five rental services.

Slopes here are flatter than in Shymbulak; the elevation difference ranges from 1550 to 1820 meters. There are several restaurants and hotels. You can also ride sleds and balloons on the territory of the resort. An arena for speed skating, horse riding, and snowmobiling is available for all guests of Oi-Qaragai.

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"Ak-Bulak"

The resort is located 40 kilometers away from Almaty, at a height of 1600 meters above sea level. On the territory of 40 hectares, there are several tracks with different difficulty levels and the "Balapan" ski school. Trails called "Solnechnaya," "Berezovaya," and "Ak-su," with a 2.5-kilometer-long descent, are for confident skiers. While "Dombra" and "FanPark" trails are recommended only for freeride lovers and are considered the most difficult. There are hotels and restaurants here; the resort is more suitable for family holidays or relaxing weekends.

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Pioneer Family Mountain Resort

The resort is located 25 kilometers from the city. The guest houses are located directly on the territory of the Ile-Alatau National Park in the Kotyrbulak gorge. The resort is surrounded by mountains, which prevents the winds from interfering with skiing. The slopes here are gentle, so the place is suitable for beginners.

It also offers adaptive skating courses for children with autism and other developmental and communication disorders.

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"Medeu"

What else can winter sports fans expect from Almaty? Of course, meetings with the legendary Medeu skating rink. It's definitely worth seeing this one day! After all, the main ice of the country is 10,500 square meters of active skating at an altitude of 1,691 meters above sea level (read more about the skating rink at visitalmaty.kz). Moreover, it is the highest altitude of the existing open-air stadiums. Leader in the number of world records set in speed skating. The most visited sports complex in Kazakhstan. Monument of urban planning and architecture.

The skiing season starts in November. Therefore, you have the opportunity to combine: skiing in the morning and skating in the evening. And if you get the hang of it, try to master skating at other skating rinks in the city, which become more and more numerous in the city with the onset of winter. For romantic ones, we recommend the ice pond in the Central Park of Culture and Leisure named after. Gorky. The sounds of music, hundreds of bright light bulbs, views of the park, mountains and the Kok-Tobe TV tower are worth flying to Almaty one day.

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You can also check contacts and other details on the official tour portal of the city, visitalmaty.kz.