Almaty

Big Almaty Lake is a jewel-toned alpine reservoir at 2,511 metres in the Trans-Ili Alatau mountains, roughly 28 km south of the city. Its colour shifts between deep turquoise and emerald green depending on the season, glacial meltwater, and sunlight.

Heritage apple orchards on Almaty's southern slopes — the city's name means "Father of Apples" and these are the ancestral wild-apple forests..

The Almaty Metro is Central Asia's first underground metro system, opened in 2011 after decades of construction. Its nine stations are decorated in a lavish style reminiscent of Moscow and St Petersburg metro stations, making it an attraction in its own right.

Weekend farmers' market selling Kazakh dairy products, dried fruits, honey, and fresh horse-meat sausage..

Annex gallery of the Central State Museum with rotating exhibitions on Kazakh nomadic culture..

Charyn Canyon is a spectacular 154 km-long gorge carved by the Charyn River east of Almaty. Its red and orange sandstone formations — particularly the Valley of Castles section — draw comparisons to Arizona's Grand Canyon, albeit on a smaller scale.

Medeu is the world's highest outdoor speed-skating rink, located 1,691 metres above sea level in a mountain valley 15 km south of Almaty. The 10,500-seat venue has hosted over 200 world records and serves as a starting point for the Shymbulak gondola.

Zenkov Cathedral (Ascension Cathedral) is a pastel-painted wooden Russian Orthodox cathedral in Panfilov Park. Standing 56 metres tall, it is one of the tallest wooden buildings in the world — and remarkably, it was constructed entirely without nails.

Shymbulak (Chimbulak) is Almaty's premier ski resort, sitting between 2,260 and 3,163 metres in the Zailiysky Alatau mountains. A modern gondola connects it to the Medeu skating rink below, offering year-round mountain access.

The Kolsai Lakes are three alpine lakes nestled in spruce-forested gorges in the northern Tien Shan, about 300 km southeast of Almaty. Called the "Pearls of the Northern Tien Shan," they are renowned for their crystal-clear water reflecting the surrounding peaks.

The Almaty TV Tower is a 371.5-metre lattice tower perched on Kok Tobe hill. Completed in 1983, it is one of the tallest structures in Central Asia and a distinctive element of Almaty's skyline, visible from virtually anywhere in the city.

Iconic TV tower on Kok-Tobe hill, the world's highest freestanding tubular tower at 371.5 m above sea level..

National park northeast of Almaty famous for the Singing Dune, Aktau Mountains, and wild Przewalski horses..

Archaeological site where the "Golden Man" Scythian warrior was discovered in 1969, with an on-site museum..

The Ile-Alatau National Park covers 200,000 hectares of the Trans-Ili Alatau mountains immediately south of Almaty, ranging from foothills at 600 m to glacial peaks above 4,500 m. It is one of the most accessible mountain national parks in Central Asia.

Hilltop park above Almaty with a Beatles monument, mini-zoo, and mountain-view restaurant..

The Central State Museum of the Republic of Kazakhstan is the country's largest and oldest museum, housing over 300,000 artefacts across exhibitions on archaeology, ethnography, natural history, and modern Kazakhstan.

The Museum of the Republic of Kazakhstan, situated in the old government building on Republic Square, chronicles Kazakhstan's journey from Soviet republic to independent nation. Interactive exhibits cover the 1986 Jeltoqsan uprising, the transition to sovereignty, and modern statehood.

Kok Tobe (Green Hill) is Almaty's favourite hilltop park, sitting at 1,130 metres at the southeastern edge of the city. A cable car from central Almaty whisks visitors to the summit in five minutes, revealing panoramic views of the city with the Tien Shan mountains behind.

The Abay Kazakh State Academic Opera and Ballet Theatre is Almaty's grand performing arts venue, a neoclassical building on Kabanbay Batyr Avenue that hosts opera, ballet, and orchestral performances. It is named after the revered Kazakh poet Abay Kunanbayev.