The 7 Best Day Trips from Almaty (Ranked by a Local Guide)
The best thing about Almaty is how much lies within a day's drive: canyons, alpine lakes, ski resorts and ancient burial mounds, all reachable and back by evening. Here are the seven day trips worth your time, roughly in order of how often we'd recommend them.
1. Charyn Canyon + Kolsay & Kaindy Lakes
The undisputed number one. In one long day (10–12 hours) you get Kazakhstan's three signature landscapes: the red-rock Valley of Castles at Charyn, the eerie "sunken forest" of Lake Kaindy, and the turquoise first Kolsay Lake. About 200–300 km east. (See the Charyn + Kolsay tour and our Charyn day-trip guide.)
2. Big Almaty Lake
A turquoise alpine reservoir at 2,500 m, only an hour from the city — the postcard image of Almaty's mountains. A relaxed half-day and superb for photography. (See the Big Almaty Lake tour.)
3. Medeu + Shymbulak
The world's highest skating rink and, above it, Kazakhstan's premier mountain resort, with cable cars toward Talgar Pass at 3,200 m. Year-round, easy, and only 15–25 km from town. (See the Medeu + Shymbulak transfer.)
4. The Golden Man, Esik Lake & Turgen Waterfalls
History plus mountains: the 2,000-year-old Golden Man burial site, the alpine Esik Lake, and the Turgen Waterfalls, all east of the city. A gentle, family-friendly 6–8 hour day. (See the Golden Man tour.)
5. Kok Zhailau hike
For walkers: a beautiful alpine-meadow hike that starts right at the city's edge, no long drive required. Half a day and very rewarding. (See our Kok Zhailau guide.)
6. The Assy Plateau
A wilder choice — a high-mountain steppe at ~2,500 m east of Almaty, dotted with summer nomad camps and home to a mountain observatory. Big skies and few people. (See our Assy Plateau guide.)
7. Tamgaly petroglyphs
For history lovers, the Tamgaly rock carvings northwest of Almaty are a UNESCO World Heritage site, with thousands of Bronze Age engravings in a quiet gorge. A different, cultural day out from the mountain trips.
How to choose
- One day only? Do number one — Charyn and the lakes.
- Two days? Add Big Almaty Lake or Medeu/Shymbulak.
- Love history? Pair the Golden Man with the city.
- Want to walk? Kok Zhailau or the higher Kolsay trails.
Do it with us
We run all of these as private, English-guided trips, priced per vehicle, not per person, with hotel pickup and drop-off. Tell us your days and interests and we'll shape the perfect run of trips. Browse the tours or message us on WhatsApp — we usually reply within about 15 minutes.
Quick questions
What is the best day trip from Almaty? Charyn Canyon combined with the Kolsay and Kaindy Lakes — it packs a canyon, a sunken forest and an alpine lake into one day.
How far is Charyn Canyon from Almaty? About 200 km east, roughly a three-hour drive each way.
Can you visit the mountains from Almaty in half a day? Yes — Big Almaty Lake and Medeu/Shymbulak are both comfortable half-day trips.