Attractions and Tours in Almaty

Almaty’s paid attractions fall into two groups: ropeway rides up into the Tian Shan foothills, and a handful of museums in the lower city. Most are easy to reach by bus or metro, and most take cards, though ticket kiosks in parks sometimes want cash. Prices below are in tenge (KZT), at roughly 470 to 490 to the US dollar in 2026.

Ropeways and viewpoints

Shymbulak ropeway excursion. Three ropeways, the Medeu-Shymbulak gondola, Combi-1 and Combi-2, climb from Medeu to about 3,200 m near the Talgar Pass area. The Shymbulak Ticket costs 12,000 KZT round trip for an adult and 7,000 KZT one way, while a child aged 6 to 14 pays 4,000 KZT round trip and under 6s are free. Riding only Combi-1 and Combi-2 from the Shymbulak station costs 7,000 KZT for an adult and 3,000 KZT for a child, round trip. The KKD-4 chairlift is 6,000 KZT extra. Lifts shut for maintenance in spring and again before the winter season, so check shymbulak.com for the day’s status.

Kok-Tobe hill and cable car. The cableway is 1,620 m long and runs from Dostyk Avenue 104B or Omarova Street 41 (koktobe.com ). A round trip is about 10,000 KZT for an adult, about 6,000 KZT one way, and about 5,000 KZT round trip for a child aged 6 to 12. The TV tower on the hill is closed to visitors, so the draw is the view and the rides. If you prefer to skip the cable car, a minibus climbs from Omarova for about 2,000 KZT one way.

Museums

Central State Museum of Kazakhstan. It stands in the Samal-1 microdistrict, building 44, open from 09:00 to 18:00 with the ticket office closing at 17:30. It is closed on Tuesday. Foreign visitors pay 5,000 KZT for all halls without a guide, or 10,000 KZT with an overview tour in Kazakh, Russian or English. The standard adult ticket for halls 1 to 4 is 1,500 KZT. Separate halls cover Saka gold and the Golden Man story (1,500 KZT with a guided tour) and the Golden Horde (2,000 KZT). See csmrk.kz for the full price list.

Kasteyev State Museum of Arts. The address is Koktem-3 microdistrict 22/1. It opens Tuesday to Sunday from 10:00 to 18:00, with the ticket office closing at 17:30, and it is closed on Mondays and on the last day of each month. A foreign adult ticket is about 5,000 KZT. Since the building has been through reconstruction, confirm hours before you go.

Ykylas Museum of Folk Musical Instruments. Find it at Zenkov Street 24a, open Tuesday to Sunday. An adult ticket is about 1,000 KZT, a student ticket 500 KZT and children enter free. Hours differ between listings, so check them before a special trip.

A gorge walk

Ayusai waterfalls. The Ayusai visitor centre and gorge lie in the Ile-Alatau park, about 30 minutes from the centre on the road toward the Big Almaty Gorge. The eco-post fee was 506 KZT in a 2025 listing. A route past three waterfalls runs roughly 8 to 10 km return and takes 2 to 3 hours. Ayusai is a separate stop from the Big Almaty Lake checkpoint, so do not expect a lake view here. Wear shoes with grip and bring water.

Practical tips

  • Museum prices for foreign visitors run well above local rates, so check the tariff before you queue.
  • Pickpockets work crowded spots, so keep bags closed.
  • Carry your passport on mountain outings and keep to marked trails, as avalanche and rockfall risk is real above the tree line.

Read more: sightseeing in Almaty and family activities in Almaty . Tickets and guided visits can be compared on Viator .