Imagine stepping into a city that feels like it has been lifted straight out of a fairy tale—Welcome to Almaty, Kazakhstan’s hidden gem, surrounded by the majestic Ili Alatau mountains. With its tree-lined pathways, serene lakes that appear to have been painted by nature, and a vibrant café culture that comes alive in the evenings, Almaty offers a unique blend of relaxation and adventure. Whether you are wandering through lush green parks, sipping coffee in a cosy street-side café, or gazing at crystal-clear lakes, the city enchants at every turn. With a wide range of budget-friendly Airbnbs and luxury hotels, and a 14-day free visa for Indian travellers, Almaty is the perfect destination for families, adventurers, and anyone looking to escape into a magical place. These are the Things to know before visiting Almaty, which will help you plan a perfect trip.
I think I have convinced you enough to visit Almaty. Here are the key things to remember and plan before visiting Almaty—a perfect guide for that perfect trip.
Flight, Visa and Immigration
There are Direct Flights to Almaty from major cities in India, Mumbai and Delhi. There are a few flight options, we chose to fly by Air Astana. Our flying experience was amazing. It was a comfortable journey with amazing hospitality. You can reach Almaty International Airport from India in almost 3 and a half hours, which makes it very easy and convenient for Indian travellers.
Indian Citizens can enjoy a 14–day free visa for Kazakhstan. However, please check their official website while planning your trip, as the rules for visas change. The Immigration at Almaty International Airport was simple. The immigration was done very smoothly. These are the Things To Know Before Visiting Almaty.
Best Time To Visit Almaty
Almaty can be visited all year. If you enjoy being in the snow, then the winter months, October to March, are the best time to visit. You can enjoy skiing at the famous Shymbulak Ski Resort. The visitors mainly visit Almaty during the summer months, May to September. You can enjoy visiting the beautiful lakes, scenic drives and adventures like hiking during these months. I would recommend visiting in the shoulder season, in the months of April and May, when the weather is pleasant and moderate. Also, the place will be less touristy during these months, which will help you travel on a budget.
How Many Days Are Enough For A Trip To Almaty
Almaty is a beautiful city and can be enjoyed even in 4 to 5 days. I would recommend visiting Almaty for at least a week. You can enjoy some of the amazing day tours from Almaty if you stay for a week. You can easily explore the city and enjoy the beautiful tours in the outskirts of Almaty at the Illi Alatau National Park in a week.
Scams in Almaty
There are certain tourist scams which I have read about on the internet. One of the famous scams I have heard and seen videos of on the internet is the Taxi scam. Usually, these scams happen at the airport. The local taxi drivers fix a certain amount of money and try to convince you to take their taxi. But once you agree and then reach your destination, they start asking for more money than the fixed price. It is better to download the Yandex App and then book a Taxi through this app. It is one of the most convenient and safe options. But I did not face any issues during my trip. I always booked a Taxi through the App.
Also, the locals had always tried to help and guide me. They were so nice, one of the Taxi Drivers played Indian songs for us in the Taxi, and some locals helped us to get groceries as the supermarket only had labels and instructions in Russian or the Kazakh language. The local people of Almaty were very good.
Things To Do as Soon as You Arrive in Almaty – Currency and Local SIM Card
As soon as you are done with the immigration process, proceed to the exit gate. Before that, do remember to exchange currency at the airport. The Local currency of Kazakhstan is known as the Tenge. It is difficult to get local currency in your home country. The easiest way to get local currency is to exchange dollars in Almaty. I would suggest carrying only dollars. It is easy to exchange them anywhere in the city. If you have currency other than dollars, it is better to get it exchanged at the airport. There are very few centres with options to exchange currencies other than dollars.
I would suggest exchanging some local currency at the Almaty International Airport, as you will need it to book a cab. I would recommend having cash with you as it will be difficult to use a card here. They have a local payment system called Kaspi, which you would not be able to use.
You can then buy a SIM card from the airport. There are several stores in the airport to buy a Local SIM card. The major SIM card is from a company called Beeline. They offer the best plan at a good and reasonable rate. Also, we had no issues with the network. Note these Things To Know Before Visiting Almaty.
E – Sim or Local Sim – Which one is Better
There is always confusion about which is better – E-Sim or Local SIM. Well, I would always recommend buying a local SIM as you will need a local number in many ways. If you want to register yourself in apps, they do ask for a local number. If you want to contact a local place, you will have to make a call through a local SIM. We reached our apartment very late on the first day. As we had a long day, we could not go out for dinner. It was convenient to order food as we had a local number through which we registered on the App.
How to Get Around Almaty – Things T Know Before Visiting Almaty
Apps You Need To Download in Almaty
The most important App you should have on your phone while visiting Almaty is the YANDEX App. I would recommend downloading this app on your phone before visiting Almaty. You will need this app as you land at Almaty International Airport. You will need to book a cab from the airport to reach your stay. It is the best App for booking cabs around Almaty city. Also, you can order food from this App.
The Yandex App is important for navigating around Almaty. You will not be able to rely on Google Maps. Yandex is the most reliable App to navigate in Almaty. You can also download the 2GIS app for navigation.
Where to Stay in Almaty – Things To Know Before Visiting Almaty
As Almaty city is famous among tourists, you will find several accommodation options. You can stay in a Hotel or an apartment. I would highly recommend booking an apartment as it is a cheaper and convenient option. The apartments in Almaty are modern and in good locations. You will find parks nearby and supermarkets to buy groceries.
It is best advised to select a stay option near Arbat Street, which is in the centre of the city. You will find cafes and dining options near this place. Also, if apartments may be a little away from the main area, select the nearest place to Arbat Street. We were staying at Tole-Bi Street, from where we could easily reach all the major attractions.
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First Impressions of Almaty – Things To Know Before Visiting Almaty
Almaty is a city with cool vibes. You will find coffee shops with relaxed outdoor seating, parks all over the city and greenery on the pathways. The city’s infrastructure was impressive. You would like to stay and settle down in the city at a glance. Our first day in Almaty was spent exploring the city and learning about the public transportation system.
As we discussed earlier, the easiest way to get around the city is through the Yandex App. You can easily book a Yandex Cab through the App. Although they have a metro train, which has a few stations, as it is still developing. We also found buses to commute around.
On the first day, we visited a Tour Agency Office to book a day tour. There are several tour companies organising tours to explore the outskirts of the city. Almaty is known for its beautiful lakes and mountains. You can visit these places easily through the tours. A few places that people usually visit are the Kolsai. Kandy Lakes and the beautiful canyons.
Places To Visit in Almaty – Things To Know Before Visiting Almaty
Panfilov Park
Panfilov Park is one of the popular places in Almaty. The famous Ascension Cathedral is located inside the Park. The best time to visit Panfilov Park is in the evenings. We visited the beautiful Ascension Cathedral. The architecture and the soviet vibe of the cathedral are impressive.
We then took a stroll in the park. The park was filled with trees and greenery. It is a spacious and huge park in the centre of the city.
Then we visited the Statue of the 24 Guardsmen. The monument is built in respect of the soldiers who played a significant role in World War 2.
Arbat Street
Arbat Street is a 10-minute walk from Panfilov Park. This is a unique street which gets lively in the evening. You will find people singing and dancing on the streets. This is where locals unwind and chill in the evenings. You will find a café and ice cream stalls on the streets. There is a play area for kids. You can dine in the restaurants on the streets. The street is a huge one, and the best part is that there are no cars on Arbat Street. You must walk on the street to enjoy the beautiful evening vibe.
Shymbulak Ski Resort
This is another famous tourist attraction in Almaty. Located inside the Illi Alatau National Park, this is a must-visit place. The Resort is known for skiing and the beautiful mountain ranges. Well, there is a gondola ride to the topmost viewpoint in the Resort.
There are three levels for the Gondola Ride. You will find beautiful cafes and restaurants overlooking the mountain ranges on each level. You can also visit the visitors’ centre for more information. We went to the last level, where we were lucky to find some snow. It was a wonderful experience on top.
Central Park
This is the best park to visit with children. There are amusement rides for kids. There are beautiful horse carts and a few other activities for everyone. This is a spacious park with ample greenery.
Kok Tobe
One of the best places to visit in Almaty city. Kok Tobe is a viewpoint with beautiful city views. It is located inside the city. Also, you will find some amazing dining restaurants overlooking the beautiful city. There are ample activities for kids, too. It is the best place to spend the evenings. The best time to visit Kok Tobe is during sunsets. Capture some beautiful city views with the colourful sky during the sunsets.
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How to Plan Day Trips – Things To Know Before Visiting Almaty
Issyk Lake and Bear Waterfall
On the first day, we visited a Tour Agency Office to book a day tour. There are several tour companies organising tours to explore the outskirts of the city. Almaty is known for its beautiful lakes and mountains. You can visit these places easily through the tours. A few places that people usually visit are the Kolsai. Kandy Lakes and the beautiful canyons.
But we opted to visit Issyk Lake and Bear Waterfall, which is an off-beat place and a unique one. This was the best decision we made as these places were way more beautiful than our expectations. The blue waters of Issyk Lake are surrounded by trees, which look like a painting in itself.
The hike to reach the Bear Waterfall was also adventurous and fun. This is my first hike ever, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. The waterfall was beautiful, but the way towards reaching the waterfall was amazing. We saw small streams on the way and crossed some wooden bridges over the streams. It was exciting.
Supermarkets in Almaty
Almaty is a modern and beautiful city. The people of Almaty are very helpful and good-natured. We visited a local supermarket, which was a huge one. I bought some groceries. As we are living in an apartment, we plan to cook one meal a day.
The Supermarkets here are modern and spacious too. We visited the one near our apartment. The supermarket was very well maintained with an ample variety of products to choose from. They had different sections for bakery items, snacks, milk, fruits, and vegetables.
The prices were all mentioned on the products. But the name and description were in the Russian or Kazakh language. You must use Google Translate to shop here. We bought some fresh bread from the Bakery and also some vegetables and fruits with milk and cheese. It was fun shopping. I wonder how I end up in a supermarket wherever I travel. It is always fun to visit one for me. These are some basic things to know before visiting Almaty.
Shopping in Almaty
There are a few places to shop in Almaty. Well, this is a small and beautiful city famous for some of its local products, mainly Dry Fruits. The first place you must visit to shop is the Green Bazaar. This is one of the best places to shop in Almaty. A Local Bazaar full of products like Dry Fruits, clothes, accessories, souvenirs and everything you can think of. It is a huge place, so spare at least 2 to 3 hours to explore.
Another place I visited is the Mega Mall. You will find some interesting shopping places at the mall. Some of the local brand stores had very good quality products. There were mainly clothing stores. It is said to be one of the biggest shopping malls in Almaty. As these were brand stores, the products were a bit expensive. The LC Waikiki store is one of the stores with reasonably priced items. The store also has a wide variety of clothes and good options to choose from.
Food in Almaty
Well, you will find a few Indian restaurants in Almaty serving delicious Indian Food. Chef and Sweets was one of my favourite restaurants. They serve chaats, Parathas and other North Indian cuisine, which is authentic and tasty.
Another favourite restaurant for me was the Spice Mantra. I enjoyed having most of my meals here during my trip. Their Tomato Shorba is a must-try. Also, the quantity of the food was good. The staff, too, is the best here.
A few more Indian restaurants you can try are Tandoor and Namo Restaurant. If you want to try Dosa in Almaty, then do visit the Namo restaurant.
You will also find Dodo Pizzeria and Papa Johns. You will find an option for a vegetarian Pizza in these places. The Pizza places also have fun activity areas. They are spacious and very nicely maintained.
So, what are you waiting for? Pack your bags to visit the beautiful city of Almaty. The above-mentioned tips will help you plan your Perfect Trip. The most important 12 Things to know before visiting Almaty.
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