Kazakhstan with Kids: Almaty and Astana
Family days in Kazakhstan split cleanly by city: Almaty has the hill, the zoo, and the mountains close by; Astana has the indoor, climate-proof entertainment built for a place where winter runs to minus 35°C.
Kok Tobe Hill, Almaty
The cable car from behind Hotel Kazakhstan on Dostyk Avenue lifts families to a hilltop park with the Fast Coaster, a single-track alpine toboggan run with a handbrake for speed control (3,500 KZT), a small petting zoo of llamas and birds of prey, a Ferris wheel, and a bronze Beatles statue that’s been there since 2007. Round trip cable car tickets run 10,000 KZT adult, 5,000 KZT child. Viator lists Almaty family day tours that include Kok Tobe .
Almaty Zoo
At Esenberlin Street 166, next to the Central Park of Culture and Rest, Almaty Zoo has run since 1937 and holds over 350 species, including snow leopards, Amur tigers, and Central Asian ibex. It opens daily 09:00 to 18:00; admission is 1,000 KZT adult, 500 KZT child, and children under 5 go free. It’s the only zoo in the Almaty or Astana area; Astana itself has no municipal zoo.
Nur Alem Sphere, Astana
The centerpiece of Expo 2017, this 100-meter glass sphere on Mangilik El Avenue is the largest spherical building anywhere and holds 8 floors of hands-on exhibits on wind, solar, and kinetic energy, plus a glass skywalk near the top. Open Tuesday through Sunday, 10:00 to 20:00. Adult tickets run 2,000 KZT, children and students 1,000 KZT. GetYourGuide lists Astana family day tours that include Nur Alem .
Ailand, Astana
On Kabanbay Batyr Avenue, this entertainment complex houses an oceanarium listed in the Guinness Book of Records for sitting more than 3,000 kilometers from the nearest ocean, with a 70-meter underwater acrylic tunnel running through tanks of sharks and sea turtles. The complex rebranded from its old name, “Duman,” to Ailand in 2017; the current booking site is ailand.kz , not the old duman.kz. Confirm the current ticket price on the official site before you go, since it hasn’t been re-verified this season.
Sky Beach Club, Astana
Inside the Khan Shatyr tent structure, this indoor tropical pool keeps genuine white sand imported from the Maldives at 35°C year-round, open even during winter blizzards outside. A day pass runs roughly 10,000 to 15,000 KZT.
The verdict
Budget a full day for Kok Tobe plus the zoo in Almaty, and a separate full day for Nur Alem plus Ailand in Astana; the two cities are a long train ride apart and neither set of attractions pairs with the other on the same afternoon.
Before you go
Bring cash tenge for the Fast Coaster and petting zoo at Kok Tobe; smaller attraction counters inside larger complexes don’t always run card terminals. Kazakhstan’s official tourism portal, kazakhstan.travel , keeps a current list of family attractions in both cities. For older kids ready for altitude, the day trips guide covers the Shymbulak gondola and Charyn Canyon.