Kazakhstan is not only endless steppes, megalopolises and liters of koumiss. This country has a variety of landscape, and many mountain massifs are scattered across its territory. And where the mountains are – there, as you know, and ski resorts. While the snow slopes of most European countries remain closed to Russians, Kazakhstani mountains are quite happy to accept tourists.
At the moment, air traffic with Kazakhstan has been resumed, for entering the country a negative PCR test for coronavirus, made no earlier than 72 hours before arrival.
“Akbulak”
“Akbulak” is a great option for those who are worried that rest can be spoiled by bad weather. This resort is located in the heart of a picturesque soldier’s gorge, thanks to which its slopes remain protected from strong wind. Two cable cars operate on the territory, there are six routes of various levels of complexity and a special slope for skiing on cylinders with children, as well as an ice palace with a roller, a restaurant and karaoke bar.
Tourists come here not only to ride a snowboard and skiing, but also to improve their health. For example, in the highland resort-hoter AK Bulak, a recovery program was developed after the coronavirus infection and pneumonia. There is also a spa center with cedar barrels, a salt cave, a sauna and pools. The resort itself is surrounded by coniferous forests and birch groves. Guests can attend classes in Scandinavian walking, yoga, breathing gymnastics.
You can stop at the AK Bulak hotel.
“Medeu”
Medeu is a beautiful lake in the same tract on the northern slope of the Zaili Alatau ridge, in the picturesque valley of the Malaya Almatinka River. Next to him in 1972, the world’s largest alpine sports complex was built: it is located at an altitude of 1691 meters above sea level. His heart is a huge rink of 10.5 thousand square meters. m., flooded with water from mountain springs. The thickness of the ice coating on the rink is 2.3 meters. Reinforced concrete plates are built into the surface of the ice, along which 170 km of cooling pipes are distributed. The system of artificial ice freezing has no analogues around the world and allows you to maintain the surface of the rink of frozen for eight months a year.
Both amateurs and professional athletes train here: the highlands and pure mountain water for pouring ice contribute to the achievement of high results in skating sports, and it was at Medeu that the Medeu rink was installed over 200 world records (for this the Almaty stadium was nicknamed the “Record Factory”).
By the way, near here there is a thermal source “Gorelnik”: tourists often come here after walking in the mountains or intensive training in the sports complex. Visit is free and perhaps even at night. The temperature of radon water in specially equipped baths is kept all year round at a mark of 22-27 ℃.
You can stop at the Shymbulak Resort Hotel hotel (from 1700 rubles* per night per person) or in the Shymbulak Resort House guest house (the cost of one night is from 25,300 rubles*).
Skimbulak ski resort
Chimbulak is one of the most famous resorts not only of Kazakhstan, but also of Central Asia as a whole. It is located on the Zaili Alatau ridge on the territory of the Ile-Alatau National Park, a little higher than the Medeo high-mountain rink. The ski sports base was built here back in 1954: the relief features allowed Soviet athletes to achieve maximum speeds.
Not only skiers come here, but also climbers, as well as lovers of hiking. In Chimbulak there are also quite unusual routes-for Mogula, slalom, tubing, freestyle, as well as a hufpipe track for snowboarders. The ski slopes are laid with a height drop of 900-1000 meters.
There is a modern cable car (it begins 800 meters from the “Medeo” rink). Its first section leads to the lower point of ski routes, where there are ski rental, snowboarding and equipment, snacks and restaurants, the second – in the middle of the highway, from where the descent can already start, and the third – to the highest point of Chimbulak, the Talgar pass, located above the clouds. By the way, in total, three kilometers from Chimbulak is the largest cave of Kazakhstan-Oktyabrskaya, you can visit it accompanied by a guide instructor.
The road from the center of Almaty to Chimbulak will take only 15 minutes (public transport walks). See the options for placement above.
“Tabagan”
Another mountain resort located near Almaty-Tabagan-is located in the Shybinsai (Zayli Alatau) on the territory of the Ile-Alatau National Reserve. Locals and guests of Kazakhstan are very fond of this place, because it offers a variety of entertainment for the whole family. On the territory of “Tabagan” 11 ski routes of all levels of complexity, slopes for sledges and running skis, an ice rink, snowmobile rental, a shooting gallery, a stable, a climb, Finnish grill-bules with a menu of steaks and barbecue, a sauna, as well as a park area for luxurious views called Yeti Park. By the way, this is one of the few mountain resorts in Kazakhstan, where night skating is possible: the tracks remain lit until 22:00.
In total, four kilometers from the resort is the five -star resort hotel Lesnaya Skazka Mountain Resort (the price per night in a double room is 8400 rubles*).
“Borovoy”
This is the least alpine of the ski resorts of Kazakhstan, but at the same time it still remains a picturesque and interesting location. “Borovoy” is suitable for those who suffer from a mountain disease and cannot cope with the height changes, and also prefers the running skis mountains. The tracks here do not pass along the slopes, but along wooded hills covered with pine trees and fir trees. Also, at any time of the year, “Borovoy” is a wonderful place for high -haking: in the surrounding valley there are immediately 14 emerald lakes of amazing beauty (the closest to the resort – Borovoye, Small and Big Chebachye).
By the way, it is here that families with children love to come: near Borovoy, the residence of the Kazakh Santa Claus – Ayaz Ata is located. In the entertainment park, you can ride a sleigh drawn by deer, horses or Husky. Also in the vicinity of Borovoy there are resort sanatoriums where balneological procedures are carried out. The best surrounding hotel is the five -star Rixos Borovoe, which can be stopped at a price of 7900 rubles* per night per person. A more budget option with good reviews of guests – Hotel Nurlytau (from 2700 rubles* per night).
“Altai Alps”
This resort combines eastern hospitality and the European level of service. It is considered one of the most budgetary in the country and therefore is very popular among local residents. However, cheap – does not mean badly: the “Altai Alps” also differ from other resorts for a longer season – you can ride in November (the height of the snow cover reaches one and a half meters in the fall). Athletes and amateurs come here until mid -April: thanks to regular snowfalls, snow guns and artificial “pouring” of the tracks are not used here.
On the territory of the Altai Alps there is a special gentle slope for the training of beginners and 12 tracks of various degrees of complexity, from green to black, which loop between the trees. Extreme lovers will definitely appeal. All slopes for the advanced level of skiing have an international certificate of FIS. The tracks are rolled up with tanks and served by two chair and two tubell roller roads. There are also 12 heated arbors for a winter picnic, two cafes and a hotel for 43 rooms. There is the possibility of sanatorium-resort treatment and health procedures like massage, baths, phytobes, baths, inhalations and wrapping.
The nearest city to the resort is Ust-Kamenogorsk. You can stop at Dedeman Oskemen Tavros Hotel (from 6500 rubles* per night per person). There are more budget options – for example, “Apartments on the Slavsky embankment, 14” (from 2300 rubles* per night).
Nurtau – “Prince Mountains”
This is the youngest ski resort of Kazakhstan: it was opened in 1999. Nurtau is a picturesque corner of Eastern Kazakhstan, where travelers come all year round. Despite the fact that in the “Princely Mountains” there are only two routes, chosen mainly by Freirade fans, the resort has something to offer tourists: for example, equestrian and ski walks, skating on snow and snowmobiles, and even trips on the rack. This small camp site is ideal for family holidays with children. On the territory of Nurtau there are cafes, comfortable cottages for living, warm gazebos with barbecue, a Russian bathhouse on wood, as well as a skating rink for skate lovers.
The resort opens the ski season in December: it lasts, as a rule, until the beginning of April. Nurtau himself is a small mountain village only 35 km from Ust-Kamenogorsk, very comfortable and photogenic. There you can rent a house. We indicated options for placement in Ust-Kamenogroska above.
*Prices are valid at the time of publication
Looking for a site for hotel booking online? Ontwotrip presents more than two million placement objects around the world.
