6-Day Almaty Tour Review: Shymbulak, Charyn Canyon & So Much More

Thinking about seeing Almaty, Kazakhstan? This six-day trip promises loads of must-see places, like Shymbulak ski resort, the jaw-dropping Charyn Canyon, plus a visit to an Ethno Village to experience some local culture. The question that I had at the front of mind when considering doing it, as perhaps you do too, is it all worth it? Does it fit seeing a place like Almaty in just a little under a week?

The Allure of Almaty and a Whirlwind Adventure

Almaty, very formerly known as Alma-Ata, it’s a city that kinda grabs your attention. It mixes modern city life with this seriously beautiful scenery since it’s right next to the Tian Shan mountains. This tour promised to show me, and people like me, the best things in the area in not even a week. Sounded tiring to me, yet I still had interest in doing it.

When I got there, I jumped right into things, there really wasn’t a choice if I wanted to hit every part of the trip, y’know? We started with Almaty’s hot spots, like Zenkov Cathedral, and the Central State Museum. Then, that was only the first day. Then it was a shift to the totally spectacular views up at Shymbulak Ski Resort plus Medeu Ice Rink. These locations have an athletic kind of draw, yet you can enjoy yourself even if you can’t do athletic stuff. So this trip it feels, balances itself very well, with downtime being needed from location to location.

Hitting the Slopes (and Ice!) at Shymbulak and Medeu

Shymbulak, it’s almost like a jewel, a real standout in the tour. To get up there, we went up by cable car and that view, very high up, was something I will say I won’t soon forget. Once at the resort, very early in the day, the fresh mountain air basically hits you immediately and revitalizes you. Very much what I needed given all the transit I was doing between locations the day before.

Okay, so, I’m not all too athletic. I wanted to unwind, so I found a nice café there, with, to me at least, perfect views, since you can see everyone on the ski slopes, laughing, and, since the location is pretty high up, it’s really an amazing vantage point. I got myself a cup of coffee as well. You know those kinds of moments in movies where people pause, it felt, in a way, like that.

Then after Shymbulak, we took a quick visit to Medeu Ice Rink. This is, as I would call it, seriously iconic. It is, according to my tour guide, one of the highest ice rinks anywhere on earth. Since the 70s, basically every Olympic ice skater has passed by to train here. And even though you may be very inexperienced at skating like myself, being in that kind of environment pushes you forward and fills you up with adrenaline to at least get yourself going. It’s hard to say that isn’t true.

Charyn Canyon: A Geological Marvel

Alright, Charyn Canyon. This spot is very unforgettable, as I believe everyone should be visiting locations like it. It’s hours outside of Almaty, a four-hour drive in fact, and looks very similar to the Grand Canyon in the U.S. Seeing it gives you a very strange vibe because you’re pretty far from the states, seeing similar landscapes is strange.

When we got there, the first thing that grabs you is that this spot is very secluded, you are really in the middle of nowhere here. You can also very immediately tell why they call it the Valley of Castles because the rock formations really look like, a bit, walls and towers.

You could hike all around the canyon, like your group encourages you to do, yet given how the place has very little shade it can be sort of draining and you do need to watch out that you are taking things very slowly. I would say it’s worth it for the pics you could grab, yet the time it takes to go back to Almaty has to be considered, and the other stuff you can do around Almaty. All up to you.

Ethno Village: A Step Back in Time

One of my more preferable experiences was when our group made our way to the Ethno Village. The goal here, to me, was to jump deep into what is truly traditional Kazakh culture. A good change of pace, I should say. As soon as we got there, they showed us their customs, we all, everyone in our group, sat inside these yurts. We did everything alongside what our hosts did, trying on clothes they had made, listening to music and stories that they told.

What stood out, at least for me, was their commitment and focus in upholding tradition. It really highlighted just how many groups make up Kazakhstan, considering Almaty is already something of a melting pot by itself. You know, in terms of buying souvenirs, this really might be the place to do it. You could grab traditional clothes and crafts that are not very easy to just grab anywhere else.

Beyond the Highlights: What Else to Expect

Okay, there were some days during this tour, I think one, where we saw the Kolsai Lakes and Kaindy Lake. It involves a lot of travel to get to these, yet what is interesting here is just how well the locations there preserved its nature. I would almost, maybe, have wanted to spend an entire day here, there is plenty to see and walk around with. With that said, it did rain a bit here during one day. If it ends up raining when you are thinking of visiting, keep this place at the very back of your mind.

If the schedule does allow for you to spend some more time, and there isn’t rainfall, I’d almost recommend taking a dip at the Saty Village nearby, for a close insight into a place like Almaty that you wouldn’t get anywhere else. Almost a recommendation I have at the back of my mind now, I should say.

I feel it is crucial to point out that a six-day Almaty tour should feel more like a starting point, depending on your interests of course. A tour package can be all right at getting to the high level details, though if you want to go very deep, I feel it is much more in your own interests to give yourself the liberty to do so. That should, ideally, always be your end-goal. Yet sometimes for people with no vacation time, that simply isn’t in the cards, you know?

Final Thoughts: Is the 6-Day Almaty Tour Worth It?

Very well, here’s what I consider, as a vacation-goer, as you, that matters most when you’re figuring out your options on a tour of Almaty.

First of all, and most obviously, time is of the most essence. This six-day Almaty tour will allow you to check off a ton of spots if you, like me, have maybe just about a week’s worth of time off work. The pacing does at times feel very hectic, though. Be wary that, unlike what advertisements tell you, you should be factoring in downtime too.

For people very interested in the outdoor environment, this can very easily be the ideal route you can choose, no sweat, since you hit all these amazing locations very high up. All that you need to concern yourself about at that point is planning the specific timing that lines up for when they all open.

In the end, that’s pretty much my perspective! Hope all that gives a solid, clear idea of just about all this six-day tour involves. Make your planning decision with all these ideas and details at the back of your mind!

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