Kazakhstan / Almaty & the Mountains / Shymbulak & MedeuShymbulak & Medeu
Central Asia's Big Ski Resort, a Gondola Above Almaty
The mountain resort 25 km above Almaty. Medeu, the open-air high-altitude skating rink at 1,691 m, is where the gondola starts; it climbs to Shymbulak, whose runs go up to the Talgar Pass at about 3,160 m. The ski season runs from about late November into April (busiest over New Year and on weekends); in summer the gondolas carry walkers to the high meadows and the views. Take the city bus or a Yandex Go taxi to Medeu and ride up; hotels at the base are pricier than in town.
Highlights
- Skiing and snowboarding from late November to April
- Gondola from Medeu to Shymbulak
- Talgar Pass top station views
- Skating on the Medeu rink in winter
- Summer walks and the Gorelnik waterfall
Things to do
- Ski or snowboard day at ShymbulakDec–MarMorning · 6h
- Gondola to Shymbulak and the Talgar PassMorning · 3h
- Skating at MedeuDec–FebEvening · 2h
- Walk to the Gorelnik waterfallAfternoon · 3h
Tours & tickets
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When to go
Best time: December – March (ski), June – September
Heads up
Ski Season at Shymbulak
The ski season runs from about late November into April. Over New Year and the early-January holidays day passes and the gondola cost the most and queues are long; weekends are busy all winter. Go on weekdays and buy passes in the resort's app.