Kazakhstan is not only endless steppes, megacities and liters of kumiss. This country has a varied landscape, and there are many mountain ranges scattered across its territory. And where there are mountains, there are, as you know, ski resorts. While the snowy slopes of most European countries remain closed to Russians, the Kazakh mountains are quite happy to welcome tourists.
At the moment, flights with Kazakhstan have been resumed; to enter the country, a negative PCR test for coronavirus is required, done no earlier than 72 hours before arrival.
“AkBulak”
AkBulak is an excellent option for those who are worried that their vacation may be ruined by bad weather. This resort is located in the heart of the picturesque Soldatsky Gorge, thanks to which its slopes remain protected from strong winds. There are two cable cars on the territory, there are six tracks of various difficulty levels and a special slope for tubing with children, as well as an ice palace with a skating rink, a restaurant and a karaoke bar.
Tourists come here not only to snowboard and ski, but also to improve their health. For example, in the high-altitude resort hotel Ak Bulak, a program was developed to recover from coronavirus infection and pneumonia. There’s also a spa with cedar barrels, a salt cave, sauna and pools. The resort itself is surrounded by coniferous forests and birch groves. Guests can take classes in Nordic walking, yoga, and breathing exercises.
You can stay at the Ak Bulak hotel.
“Medeu”
Medeu is a beautiful lake in the tract of the same name on the northern slope of the Zailiysky Alatau ridge, in the picturesque valley of the Malaya Almatinka River. The world’s largest high-altitude sports complex was built next to it in 1972: it is located at an altitude of 1691 meters above sea level. Its heart is a huge skating rink with an area of 10.5 thousand square meters. m., filled with water from mountain springs. The thickness of the ice covering at the skating rink is 2.3 meters. Reinforced concrete plates are built into the ice surface, along which 170 km of cooling pipes are distributed. The artificial ice freezing system has no analogues in the whole world and allows you to keep the surface of the skating rink frozen for eight months of the year.
Photo: Rom Chek/shutterstock.com
Both amateurs and professional athletes train here: the high mountains and the purest mountain water for pouring ice contribute to achieving high results in speed skating, and it was at the Medeu skating rink that over 200 world records were set (for this the Almaty stadium was nicknamed the “record factory” ).
By the way, not far from here there is the thermal spring “Gorelnik”: tourists often come here after walking in the mountains or intense training at the sports complex. Visiting is free and possible even at night. The temperature of radon water in specially equipped baths stays at 22-27 ℃ all year round.
You can stay at the Shymbulak Resort Hotel (from 1,700 rubles* per night per person) or at the Shymbulak Resort House guest house (cost of one night – from 25,300 rubles*).
Ski resort “Chimbulak”
Photo: Christian Popp/shutterstock.com
“Chimbulak” is one of the most famous resorts not only in Kazakhstan, but also in Central Asia as a whole. It is located on the Zailiysky Alatau ridge on the territory of the Ile-Alatau National Park, slightly above the Medeo high-mountain skating rink. The ski sports base was built here back in 1954: the terrain features allowed Soviet athletes to achieve maximum speeds.
Not only skiers come here, but also climbers, as well as hiking enthusiasts. Chimbulak also has quite unusual tracks – for moguls, slalom, tubing, freestyle, as well as a halfpipe track for snowboarders. Ski slopes are laid with a height difference of 900-1000 meters.
There is a modern cable car here (it starts 800 meters from the Medeo skating rink). Its first section leads to the lowest point of the ski slopes, where ski, snowboard and equipment rentals, snack bars and restaurants are located, the second – to the middle of the slope, from where you can begin the descent, and the third – to the highest point of Chimbulak, Talgar Pass, located higher than clouds. By the way, just three kilometers from Chimbulak is the largest cave in 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 is available). See accommodation options above.
“Tabagan”
Another mountain resort located not far from Almaty – “Tabagan” – is located in the Shybynsai gorge (Zayliysky Alatau) on the territory of the Ile-Alatau National Reserve. Local residents and visitors to Kazakhstan love this place, because it offers a variety of entertainment for the whole family. On the territory of Tabagan there are 11 ski slopes of all difficulty levels, sled and cross-country ski slopes, an ice skating rink, a snowmobile rental, a shooting range, a stable, a climbing wall, Finnish grill pavilions with a menu of steaks and shish kebab, a sauna, as well as a park area for hiking with magnificent views called Yeti Park. By the way, this is one of the few mountain resorts in Kazakhstan where night skiing is possible: the slopes remain illuminated until 22:00.
Just four kilometers from the resort there is a five-star resort hotel Lesnaya Skazka Mountain Resort (price per night in a double room – 8400 rubles*).
“Borovoe”
This is the least high-altitude ski resort in Kazakhstan, but at the same time it still remains a picturesque and interesting location. “Borovoye” is suitable for those who suffer from altitude sickness and cannot cope with changes in altitude, and also prefer cross-country skiing to mountain skiing. The trails here do not run along slopes, but through wooded hills covered with pine and spruce trees. Also, at any time of the year, Borovoe is a great place for hiking: in the surrounding valley there are 14 emerald lakes of amazing beauty (the closest to the resort are Borovoe, Maloe and Bolshoye Chebachye).
By the way, this is where families with children like to come: not far from Borovoye there is the residence of the Kazakh Father Frost – Ayaz Ata. In the amusement park you can ride a sleigh pulled by reindeer, horses or huskies. Also in the vicinity of Borovoe there are resort sanatoriums where balneological procedures are carried out. The best nearby hotel is the five-star Rixos Borovoe, where you can stay for a price of 7,900 rubles* per night per person. A more budget option with good guest reviews is Hotel Nurlytau (from 2700 rubles* per night).
“Altai Alps”
This resort combines oriental hospitality and European level of service. It is considered one of the most budget-friendly in the country and therefore is very popular among local residents. However, cheap does not mean bad: Altai Alps also differs from other resorts in having a longer season – you can ski as early as November (the height of the snow cover in the fall reaches one and a half meters). Athletes and amateurs come here until mid-April: thanks to regular snowfalls, snow cannons and artificial “bedding” of the slopes are not used here.
On the territory of the Altai Alps there is a special gentle slope for training beginners and 12 trails of varying degrees of difficulty, from green to black, which wind between the trees. This will definitely appeal to extreme sports fans. All slopes for advanced skiing have an international FIS certificate. The trails are rolled by snowcats and served by two chairlifts and two rope tows. The resort also has 12 heated pavilions for a winter picnic, two cafes and a hotel with 43 rooms. There is the possibility of spa treatment and wellness procedures such as massage, baths, herbal barrels, baths, inhalations and wraps.
The closest city to the resort is Ust-Kamenogorsk. You can stay at the Dedeman Oskemen Tavros Hotel (from 6,500 rubles* per night per person). There are also more budget options – for example, “Apartments on Naberezhnaya Slavskogo, 14” (from 2300 rubles* per night).
Nurtau – “Princely Mountains”
This is the youngest ski resort in Kazakhstan: it was opened in 1999. Nurtau is a picturesque corner of Eastern Kazakhstan, where travelers come all year round. Despite the fact that the Princely Mountains have only two trails, favored mainly by fans of freeride, the resort has something to offer tourists: for example, horseback riding and skiing, snow tubing and snowmobiling, and even snowcat trips. This small camp site is ideal for a family holiday with children. On the territory of Nurtau there is a cafe, comfortable cottages for living, warm gazebos with barbecues, a Russian wood-burning bathhouse, and also an ice skating rink for ice skating enthusiasts.
The resort opens the ski season in December: it usually lasts until the beginning of April. Nurtau itself is a small mountain village just 35 km from Ust-Kamenogorsk, very cozy and photogenic. You can rent a house there. We have listed accommodation options in Ust-Kamenogrosk above.
*Prices valid at time of publication
