Kazakhstan
Almaty tour packagesMountains at the end of the street
A green Soviet-planned city with 4,000-metre peaks on its southern edge — Central Asia’s most accessible mountain escape.
About Almaty
Almaty is the short-haul surprise. Four hours from Dubai, and the Trans-Ili Alatau range rises straight off the southern edge of the city — you can be at a skating rink at 1,691 metres or a glacier viewpoint within an hour of leaving your hotel.
The city itself is leafy and walkable, laid out on a grid of tree-lined avenues, with the Green Bazaar, the all-wooden Zenkov Cathedral, and a café and restaurant culture that has developed quickly.
Beyond the mountains lie Charyn Canyon’s red rock formations and the Kolsai and Kaindy lakes, where a submerged spruce forest still stands upright underwater. It is the least-known destination on this list and, for travellers who have done the Maldives and Bali, often the most memorable.
What to see
Things to do in Almaty
The places we send travellers first — and the ones we film.
AdventureShymbulak & MedeuThe world’s highest-altitude skating rink at Medeu, and a gondola continuing to the Shymbulak ski resort above it.
NatureCharyn CanyonThe Valley of Castles — red sandstone formations carved by the Charyn river, three hours east of the city.
NatureKolsai & Kaindy LakesAlpine lakes in the Tian Shan, and Kaindy’s sunken forest — spruce trunks still standing in the water after a 1911 earthquake.
NatureBig Almaty LakeA turquoise reservoir at 2,511 metres, 40 minutes from the city, ringed by peaks. The colour changes through the day.
CultureGreen BazaarHorse meat, kurt, dried fruit and Central Asian spices under one roof. The clearest window into everyday Almaty.
LandmarkZenkov CathedralA bright wooden Orthodox cathedral built without nails in 1907, which survived the 1911 earthquake intact.Cinematic Almaty holidays
Almaty CinemaTrip experiences
Ready-made trips
Trips we already run in Almaty
Each one is operated with a private vehicle and an English-speaking guide, and each is a starting point — we rebuild the days around your dates and who is travelling.
Nature & hikingAlma Serene WalkFour nights in Almaty spent almost entirely above the city — gorges, a gondola to 3,200 metres, a glacial lake and a canyon.FromAED 2,810pp4 nights / 5 daysDay by dayClassic cityAlmaty with a ViewFour nights in the city: the gondola to 3,200 metres, Zenkov Cathedral, an evening on Kok Tobe and a morning in the Green Bazaar.FromAED 2,270pp4 nights / 5 daysDay by day
HoneymoonAlmaty in LoveA couples' build on the standard week — a two-hour photoshoot in the mountains, a limousine evening, and a day left empty.FromAED 4,389pp5 nights / 6 daysDay by day
Nature & hikingAlmaty with Alma-ArasanThe widest sweep of landscape on offer — singing dunes at Altyn Emel, Charyn, Kolsai, the Alma-Arasan gorge and a falconry show.FromAED 3,497pp5 nights / 6 daysDay by dayClassic cityAlmaty with Charyn CanyonThe standard Almaty week — mountains, the Soviet-planned centre, the Green Bazaar, and a full day at Charyn Canyon.FromAED 2,759pp5 nights / 6 daysDay by dayLakes & canyonsKolsai Lakes OvernightFour nights in the city and one at a resort on Kolsai Lake — the only package that sleeps in the Tian Shan.FromAED 3,115pp5 nights / 6 days · Almaty → KolsaiDay by day
HoneymoonOi Qaragai OvernightFour nights in Almaty and one at a mountain resort forty minutes out, with Issyk Lake, Charyn and Kolsai either side of it.FromAED 3,181pp5 nights / 6 days · Almaty → Oi QaragaiDay by day
Multi-cityAstana with AlmatyTwo nights in the built-from-nothing capital with a day at Burabai National Park, then four in Almaty and its mountains.FromAED 4,841pp6 nights / 7 days · Astana → AlmatyDay by day
Mountain resortOi Qaragai Mountain Resort & AlmatyTwo nights at a mountain resort forty minutes from the airport, then four in the city — the least driving of any package here.FromAED 3,196pp6 nights / 7 days · Oi Qaragai → AlmatyDay by day
Multi-cityFour Jewels of KazakhstanThe full country in nine days — the Yasawi mausoleum at Turkistan, the Silk Road ruins at Otrar, Astana, and Almaty's mountains.FromAED 5,010pp8 nights / 9 days · Turkistan → Shymkent → Astana → AlmatyDay by dayPrices shown are the lowest hotel line of each trip. Per person, twin share. Land only — international flights are not included.
Why go
What Almaty does better than anywhere else
A green Soviet-planned city with 4,000-metre peaks on its southern edge — Central Asia’s most accessible mountain escape.
- 01
Shymbulak & Medeu
The world’s highest-altitude skating rink at Medeu, and a gondola continuing to the Shymbulak ski resort above it.
- 02
Charyn Canyon
The Valley of Castles — red sandstone formations carved by the Charyn river, three hours east of the city.
- 03
Kolsai & Kaindy Lakes
Alpine lakes in the Tian Shan, and Kaindy’s sunken forest — spruce trunks still standing in the water after a 1911 earthquake.
- 04
Big Almaty Lake
A turquoise reservoir at 2,511 metres, 40 minutes from the city, ringed by peaks. The colour changes through the day.
Practical
Planning your visit
- Best time to visit
- April to June and September to October for hiking, lakes and comfortable city weather. December to March for skiing at Shymbulak. The mountain lakes are often inaccessible by road in deep winter.
- Getting there
- 4h 15m non-stop to Almaty (ALA)
- Currency
- Kazakhstani Tenge (KZT)
- Languages
- Kazakh and Russian; English limited outside hotels
- Time zone
- UTC+5 — 1 hour ahead of the UAE
- Entry requirements
- Requirements vary by passport and UAE residence visa status. We confirm current entry rules and handle the application as part of your package.
Entry rules, tourism taxes and health requirements change without notice and depend on your passport. Everything above is confirmed by our operations desk before your booking is finalised.
Gallery
Almaty in frames
Questions
Before you book
Do you offer Almaty tour packages from Dubai?
Yes, and Almaty is the one destination where we publish ready-made trips with prices rather than quoting from scratch. Nine itineraries are listed on this page, from a four-night city break to an eight-night run across Kazakhstan, each priced in AED.
Can you build an Almaty honeymoon package?
Yes — one of the nine published trips is built for couples, and any of the others can be adapted. The usual changes are a better hotel category, a private car instead of a group transfer, and an extra night at Kolsai or Big Almaty Lake.
How far is Almaty from Dubai, and when is the best time?
Almaty is 4h 15m non-stop from Dubai, the same as the Maldives, which is the part most people do not expect. April to June and September to October give the mountains without the deep snow; the ski season at Shymbulak runs December to March.
Is Almaty suitable for a family trip?
Yes. The city is safe and green, the mountain excursions are short, and the cable cars at Kok Tobe and Shymbulak work well for children. Long day trips to Charyn and Kolsai suit older kids better.
Is language a problem?
English is limited outside hotels and the main restaurants. All our Almaty itineraries include an English-speaking guide and private driver for that reason.
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Plan your trip to Almaty
Tell us your dates and who's travelling. We'll build the itinerary and quote it properly — no templates.