Almaty Travel Guide: Visiting Central Asia’s Most Vibrant City

July 17, 2026 Koen 0 Comments

This travel guide recounts my trip to Almaty and the sights and other places of interest I managed to visit during my time in the city.

A visit to Almaty

After a comfortable flight in Turkish Airlines business class, I had arrived in Almaty, the largest city of Kazakhstan.

Although it was my first time in Almaty, it was not my first visit to Kazakhstan, as I had previously spent one night in Shymkent when I briefly crossed the border after a trip to Uzbekistan.

I was certainly looking forward to my visit to Almaty and had two full days planned to explore the sights of the city.

turkish airlines airbus a330-300 — *Boarding my flight from Istanbul to Almaty. ©Paliparan*

almaty airport arrivals — *Almaty arrivals. ©Paliparan*

Kazakhstan Hotel

From the airport, I headed straight by taxi to my accommodation for my entire stay in Almaty, the Kazakhstan Hotel.

The Kazakhstan Hotel, an old Soviet-era hotel tower that has undergone some recent renovations and now boasts modern rooms and amenities, is a true Almaty landmark and is visible from across the city.

Although I had managed to get some sleep on my flight, I was still rather tired, so I was hoping the hotel would allow me to check in early so I could nap a bit more at this early morning hour and have enough energy to explore the city for the rest of the day.

I was told that I would need to pay an extra 50 percent of the room rate for early check-in – something that is fairly common at hotels throughout the former Soviet Union, and which I had fully expected rather than being offered for free.

As the amount of money involved was not too much to begin with, and otherwise it would have meant waiting until 14:00 before I could get into my room, I gladly went for it as I could do with a little nap after the red-eye flight into Almaty.

My superior double room, for which I paid 45 euro per night including breakfast, was located somewhere halfway up the tower and boasted great views over the Zailiyskiy Alatau mountain range, which forms an impressive backdrop to the southern side of Almaty.

Overall, the room was perfectly comfortable, clean, and well-appointed, and I was perfectly happy with my choice of hotel.

almaty kazakhstan hotel — *Kazakhstan Hotel in Almaty. ©Paliparan*

kazakhstan hotel lobby — *Kazakhstan Hotel lobby. ©Paliparan*

kazakhstan hotel room — *My room at the Kazakhstan Hotel. ©Paliparan*

hotel room view — *Hotel room view. ©Paliparan*

Sightseeing around Almaty

After a great little nap and shower, I went out to explore the sights of Almaty.

Almaty is Kazakhstan’s largest city, its commercial hub, and perhaps the most important city in all of Central Asia.

However, Almaty is not the capital of Kazakhstan, as that honour belongs to the planned city of Astana, located in the middle of nowhere on the vast Kazakh steppe.

The Almaty area has been inhabited for many centuries, although the city itself largely dates back to the Tsarist Russian era, a legacy that is still clearly visible when exploring its streets.

The city’s history really began in 1854, when the Russians built a military garrison called Fort Zailiyskoe to control the region, which quickly grew into a fully fledged town named Verny.

During the Soviet era, the town grew into a proper city and was renamed Alma-Ata, before the name was changed to Almaty after Kazakh independence.

Almaty is leafy, with broad tree-lined boulevards, some nice parks, and a stunning mountain backdrop, giving it a low-key vibe despite being a large city with 2.5 million inhabitants.

For the first day in town, my plan was to simply visit the city centre of Almaty, checking out some of the main sights and otherwise letting my senses guide me around.

I decided to first take the metro to one of Almaty’s main sights, the Green Bazaar.

On my way to the nearest metro station, Abay, I walked across the square next to the Kazakhstan Hotel.

This square is called Abai Square and is dominated by a concert hall, with a statue of the poet Abay Kunanbayev standing in front of it.

The square is also home to a cable car that takes you to a small amusement park in the foothills of the mountains – something I was planning to do on my second day in Almaty.

While walking towards the metro station in the upscale southern part of the city centre – the higher ground closest to the mountains – it quickly became clear just how cosmopolitan and modern Almaty felt compared with other Central Asian cities.

During my short walk, I passed several trendy cafés and restaurants, and I made a note to check some of them out later during my stay.

*Abay Kunanbayev statue in front of Republic Palace, which serves as a concert hall. ©Paliparan*

almaty streets — *Almaty streets. ©Paliparan*

southern almaty leafy streets — *Tree-lined streets of upscale southern Almaty. ©Paliparan*

cafe restaurant coffee shop — *One of the many trendy coffee shops and restaurants in the southern part of the city centre. ©Paliparan*

Into the Almaty metro

Almaty’s metro system has only been operating since 2011 – making it the second metro system in Central Asia after that of Tashkent.

It is of relatively limited use for tourists, though, as the network consists of only a single line and a handful of stations.

The stations of the Almaty Metro are not as lavishly decorated as those of Soviet-era networks such as the Moscow or Tashkent metro, but there are still some beautiful design details to admire deep underground.

And deep underground you will go, with Abay metro station, for example, located 78 metres (256 ft) below the surface.

At some of these stations, reaching the actual platform or returning to the surface takes longer than the actual metro ride itself.

A single ride on the Almaty metro costs just a few cents, though despite the extremely low ticket price, the metro trains were not crowded at all.

abay metro station almaty — *Abay metro station. ©Paliparan*

almaty metro train — *Passengers on an Almaty metro train. ©Paliparan*

metro map — *Can’t the station simply be called “Mukhtar Auezov Theatre” instead of using this ridiculously long name? ©Paliparan*

baikonur metro station — *Baikonur metro station. ©Paliparan*

Zhibek Zholy metro station Almaty — *Zhibek Zholy metro station. ©Paliparan*

Zhibek Zholy Metro Station Almaty mosaic — *Mosaic at Zhibek Zholy metro station. ©Paliparan*

Green Bazaar

The Green Bazaar, known as Kök Bazar in Kazakh and Zelenyy Bazaar in Russian, is one of Central Asia’s great markets.

Evoking the atmosphere of the old Silk Road, the Green Bazaar is one of Almaty’s must-see sights, and it’s best explored in the morning or around lunchtime.

I had to visit the Green Bazaar on my first day in Almaty (a Sunday), as this giant market is closed on Mondays – something worth keeping in mind when planning your trip.

Once I exited the metro at the station closest to Green Bazaar, it started raining cats and dogs, so I quickly made my way towards the bazaar entrance.

green market zelenyy zelenyi bazaar almaty kazakhstan — *The Green Bazaar, with its Russian name (Zelenyy Bazaar) displayed on the sign above the roof. ©Paliparan*

Exploring the Green Bazaar

The Green Bazaar is a sprawling market, consisting of a main building housing the food market, as well as surrounding alleys with vendors selling clothes and almost anything else you can think of, from gardening tools to kitchen utensils.

The most interesting part of the bazaar is undoubtedly the main food market, which is full of local colour and lively atmosphere.

The building itself has plenty of nooks and crannies to explore, and it is well worth wandering through its corridors and staircases to see where they lead.

I began by exploring the basement, where most of the market stalls sell fresh fruit and vegetables.

green bazaar — *The alleys around the Green Bazaar. ©Paliparan*

market stalls bazaar — *Market stalls outside the main bazaar building. ©Paliparan*

*Stores just outside the main bazaar building. ©Paliparan*

green bazaar zelenyy bazar almaty — *At the basement level of the main market building, you mainly find vendors selling (dried) fruits, vegetables, nuts, and other such goods. ©Paliparan*

green bazaar greengrocers fruits vegetables — *Greengrocers at the Green Bazaar. ©Paliparan*

market stalls green bazaar almaty — *Market stalls in the basement of the Green Bazaar. ©Paliparan*

The main market hall

The real highlight of Almaty’s Green Bazaar is the main market hall, a vast space where vendors sell goods such as meats, cheeses, spices, and dried fruits.

It’s an absolutely wonderful space for people-watching, whether observing the market sellers or the locals doing their daily shopping.

Once you reach the main market hall, make sure to walk one floor up to the mezzanine level, where you have a great view over the entire space, including the market sellers and the wares they sell.

Although the Green Bazaar is not as large or iconic as Tashkent‘s Chorsu Bazaar, it is still an amazing place to explore and a must-visit sight in Almaty.

green bazaar zelenyy bazar market hall almaty kazakhstan — *View over the main market hall of the Green Bazaar. ©Paliparan*

green bazaar almaty soviet weight scale butchers — *Butchers at the Green Bazaar. I love the vintage Soviet weight scale! ©Paliparan*

fruits vegetables market hall — *Vegetable sellers at the main market hall. ©Paliparan*

butcher meat green bazaar — *Butcher shops at the Green Bazaar. ©Paliparan*

butchers green bazaar almaty horse lamb beef meat — *Butchers are clearly separated by the type of meat they sell, with one aisle for beef, one for lamb, one for horse meat, and one for chicken. ©Paliparan*

green bazaar main market hall almaty — *From the balconies on the mezzanine level, you have the best view over the main market hall of the Green Bazaar. ©Paliparan*

market stall dried fruits — *Market stall with dried fruits. ©Paliparan*

green bazaar shops almaty — *Vendors sitting behind their market stalls. ©Paliparan*

dairy products market stalls — *Market stalls with dairy products. ©Paliparan*

people market hall — *People-watching from the mezzanine level of the main market hall. ©Paliparan*

main market hall green bazaar — *View over the main market hall. ©Paliparan*

Lunch at the Green Bazaar

Another reason to head to the mezzanine level of the main market hall is that it houses a couple of basic cafés serving cheap but delicious food.

These cafés are frequented mostly by local shoppers and market sellers, making them authentic places to grab some food if you’re hungry.

You won’t find English menus here, so it helps to either speak some Kazakh or Russian, or know the basics of the local cuisine so you can simply ask for some traditional dishes.

Most of these cafés were already closing by the time I reached this part of the Green Bazaar around 14:00, although fortunately one was still open.

I ordered laghman – a Central Asian pulled noodle dish – which was certainly tasty.

It was a great first meal in Almaty, especially with the view over the market stalls below.

laghman green bazaar almaty food kazakhstan — *Eating laghman at the Green Bazaar. ©Paliparan*

Walk to Panfilov Park

After finishing my lunch, I ventured back outside, first heading to Almaty’s Central Mosque.

I was pleased to see that the rain showers had given way to patches of blue sky and even some sunshine.

Next up on my sightseeing tour around Almaty was 28 Panfilov Guardsmen Park, named after Soviet General Ivan Panfilov and 28 soldiers of the 316th Rifle Division he commanded during the Second World War.

Panfilov served as the military commissar of the Kyrgyz SSR, and his Almaty-based motorised infantry division consisted largely of Kazakh and Kyrgyz soldiers.

The 28 soldiers after whom the park is named died fighting the Nazis during the Battle of Moscow in 1941.

According to the official Soviet version of events, the guardsmen died after heroically destroying 18 German tanks.

However, later investigations revealed that the story had been fabricated to boost Soviet morale, as there was no evidence that they had destroyed any German tanks, and not all of the soldiers had actually died in the fighting.

Nonetheless, Panfilov and his 28 Guardsmen became Soviet legends overnight, and parks and buildings named after them can still be found across the former Soviet Union.

central mosque almaty — *Central Mosque. ©Paliparan*

almaty street — *Walking through the city centre streets towards Panfilov Park. ©Paliparan*

hero soviet union Bauyrzhan Momyshuly statue panfilov park — Monument to Bauyrzhan Momyshuly at the entrance to Panfilov Park. Bauyrzhan Momyshuly was a Kazakh military officer who was awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union for his actions during World War II. ©Paliparan

panfilov park — *Walking into Panfilov Park. ©Paliparan*

Zenkov Cathedral

At the heart of Panfilov Park stands Zenkov Cathedral, one of the most iconic sights of Almaty.

Zenkov Cathedral, officially known as Ascension Cathedral, is a Russian Orthodox church that was completed in 1907.

The colourful cathedral is made entirely of wood, without the use of any nails.

Zenkov Cathedral is certainly a delightful Tsarist-era church, and its pastel yellow walls and chequered turrets with their red, green, and white colours contrasted beautifully with the blue skies that were starting to appear.

There were quite a few families around Zenkov Cathedral, either feeding the pigeons or enjoying the children’s attractions and food stalls in this part of Panfilov Park.

almaty travel visit guide — *Zenkov Cathedral is one of the most historic sights in Almaty. ©Paliparan*

zenkov cathedral turrets — *The colourful turrets of Zenkov Cathedral. ©Paliparan*

zenkov cathedral — *Zenkov Cathedral. ©Paliparan*

almaty zenkov ascencion cathedral — *Zenkov Cathedral is entirely made out of wood. ©Paliparan*

zenkov cathedral panfilov's 28 guardsmen park almaty kazakhstan — *Panfilov’s 28 Guardsmen Park, with Zenkov Cathedral at its heart. ©Paliparan*

Panfilov Guards Monument

Inside 28 Panfilov Guardsmen Park, there is much more to see besides Zenkov Cathedral.

The park is also home to several impressive Soviet-era statues and monuments, including an eternal flame.

The most impressive is the Memorial of Glory, a brutalist sculpture depicting some of Panfilov’s Guardsmen.

Inscribed on the pedestal beneath the soldiers are the words: “Russia is a vast land, yet there is nowhere to retreat – Moscow is behind us!”

The quote is a rallying cry attributed to the unit’s political commissar, Vasily Klochkov, one of the guardsmen who was killed during the Battle of Moscow.

eternal flame almaty panfilov park monument — *Eternal flame. ©Paliparan*

panfilov guardsmen memorial of glory almaty — *Brutalist sculpture at the Memorial of Glory depicting the Panfilov Guardsmen. ©Paliparan*

klochkov panfilov guardsmen almaty — The text beneath the sculpture is a quote attributed to the unit’s political commissar, Vasily Klochkov: “Russia is a vast land, yet there is nowhere to retreat – Moscow is behind us!” ©Paliparan

Back to the hotel

After doing some grocery shopping at a local supermarket, I headed back to my hotel, walking past some of the ubiquitous communist-era blocks of flats, some in better condition than others.

I put the groceries (some bottles of water and a beer or two) in the fridge and rested for a bit in my room, admiring the fine views over Almaty and the mountains now that the weather had improved compared to earlier that morning.

Zhambyl Zhabayev monument almaty — *Monument of Kazakh poet and folk singer Zhambyl Zhabayev in front of some Soviet-era apartment blocks. ©Paliparan*

almaty view kazakhstan hotel — *View from my hotel room over Almaty. ©Paliparan*

room mountain view almaty kazakhstan — *Mountain view from my room. ©Paliparan*

Dinner

After the short break, I went out again, looking for a place to have dinner.

There are plenty of modern cafés and restaurants on the leafy streets and boulevards on the southern side of the city centre.

I opted for a coffee shop-café that also doubles as a restaurant and ordered a pizza.

The pizza itself was perfectly fine, though the mojito mocktail I ordered with it was even better, as it was delicious and absolutely refreshing.

I even lingered for a while longer on the lovely outdoor terrace, drinking yet another mojito mocktail and smoking some nargilah.

pizza mojito mocktail almaty cafe restaurant — *Pizza and a delicious mojito mocktail. ©Paliparan*

Almaty, day 2

Still tired from the long journey to Kazakhstan and the relatively little sleep I had had, I called it an early night and went to bed after drinking a beer in my hotel room.

It had been a nice first day in Almaty, and I was curious to see what the second day would bring.

The following morning, I woke up relatively early but well rested as the sun started to shine through my window.

When I opened the curtains to lovely mountain views bathed in sunshine, I knew I was in for a good day.

Breakfast at the Hotel Kazakhstan is served on the mezzanine floor, overlooking the lobby.

The quality and variety of the breakfast were average, although the egg station serving freshly made omelettes was definitely a plus.

After breakfast, I spent a few hours in my hotel room and the lobby café arranging transport for the following day, when I planned to travel from Almaty to Karakol in Kyrgyzstan via Charyn Canyon, which turned out to be far more complicated than I had anticipated.

Around noon, after many emails, WhatsApp messages, and phone calls, I had finally sorted out the logistics and was free to explore the rest of the city.

kazakhstan hotel almaty — *View from the mezzanine breakfast restaurant over the lobby of Kazakhstan Hotel. ©Paliparan*

kazakhstan hotel breakfast — *Breakfast at Kazakhstan Hotel. ©Paliparan*

Republic Square

After a visit to the interesting Central State Museum of the Republic of Kazakhstan, I wandered over to Almaty’s vast Republic Square.

On the southern side of the square stands the Almaty Mayor’s Office, built in the typical communist-era style seen in government buildings across the former Soviet Union.

The square is dominated by a giant obelisk featuring a golden warrior atop a winged leopard, which commemorates Kazakhstan’s independence.

republic square almaty kazakhstan — *Buildings around Republic Square. ©Paliparan*

Mayor's office park — *Park around the Mayor’s Office. ©Paliparan*

almaty mayor's office kazakhstan — *Almaty Mayor’s Office. ©Paliparan*

republic square park — *Park and fountains next to the Mayor’s Office. ©Paliparan*

republic square fountains almaty — *Fountains on Republic Square. ©Paliparan*

independence monument republic square almaty — *Independence Monument on Republic Square. ©Paliparan*

almaty republic square — *A view over Republic Square, with the Mayor’s Office and the Independence Monument visible. ©Paliparan*

Coffee and ice cream time

As it was turning out to be a very hot day, I decided to take it easy and stop at one of the many nice cafés in this part of Almaty for an iced coffee.

After walking past the small St. Nicholas Church and the adjacent – and equally small – Nikolsky Bazaar, it was time for yet another pit stop, this time for some soft-serve ice cream.

Even though I had already checked off most of the main sights by this point, and there was not much else to see within the city itself, I still really liked Almaty.

Compared to other Central Asian cities, it feels modern and cosmopolitan, and it is simply a very pleasant city to walk around, with plenty of parks, tree-lined avenues, and interesting shops and cafés.

It is an ideal city for wandering around without a set plan and seeing where you end up.

*Stop for iced coffee at one of the many lovely cafés in Almaty. ©Paliparan*

almaty nikolsky bazaar — *Nikolsky Bazaar. ©Paliparan*

St. Nicholas Church Almaty — *St. Nicholas Church. ©Paliparan*

*Stop for soft-serve ice cream. ©Paliparan*

Into the mountains

Almaty is built where the Kazakh steppe meets the Zailiyskiy Alatau mountain range, and this enviable location makes the city an ideal base for hiking in the mountains.

Indeed, many foreign tourists travel to Almaty to embark on mountain hikes, and some of the pictures I had seen certainly looked highly appealing.

Unfortunately, as I only had limited time for my Kazakh-Kyrgyz trip, I couldn’t dedicate extra days to my itinerary for the Almaty area to do a mountain hike, but given that I was already planning to do some hiking later on during my travels in Kyrgyzstan, this wasn’t a big deal.

That said, even if like me you don’t have the time for some proper hiking, it’s still possible to get a taste of the mountains on your Almaty visit.

You can do this by taking a taxi or bus to Medeu, which is a popular place to visit both in summer and winter.

In winter, Almaty locals visit Medeu to go ice skating at its famous outdoor ice rink or take the cable car linking Medeu to the Shymbulak ski resort.

Another option is to take the cable car linking Almaty with Kok Tobe Hill, which is what I was planning to do.

The lower cable car station is located on Abai Square, the large square right next to the Republic Palace concert hall, the Kazakhstan Hotel, and Novotel.

Instead of retracing my steps, I made a slight detour on my way back, walking first towards the Kazakh-British Technical University and then to nearby Almaly metro station, where I took the metro one stop back to my hotel.

Turmagambet Iztleuov statue — *Statue of Kazakh poet Turmagambet Iztleuov. ©Paliparan*

almaty street city centre — *Walking across the city centre of Almaty to the nearest metro station. ©Paliparan*

Kazakh-British Technical University Almaty — *Kazakh-British Technical University. ©Paliparan*

panfilov street almaty — *Panfilov Street. ©Paliparan*

almaly metro station — *Almaly metro station. ©Paliparan*

almaly metro station train almaty — *Catching the metro back to my hotel at Almaly station. ©Paliparan*

Kok Tobe Hill Cable Car

Once I arrived by metro, I walked back to Abai Square.

There were dozens of local children running and splashing in the fountains on the square, almost making me want to do the same on this hot summer day.

Instead, I headed to the lower station of the Kok Tobe Hill Cable Car.

It’s a relatively short ride on the modern cable car to the top of Kok Tobe Hill, with some fine views already from the gondola as you ascend along the cableway.

Kok Tobe Hill isn’t really that high up in the mountains, yet once I arrived at the upper cable car station, I still found the views over the city and the steppe beyond to be really nice.

More impressive are the views from the other side of the hill, looking towards the mighty Zailiyskiy Alatau mountains.

Kok Tobe Hill isn’t just a nice place to visit for the views over Almaty and the mountains, but also for its small amusement park.

abai square almaty — *Abai Square. ©Paliparan*

abai square fountains almaty kazakhstan hotel — *Children playing in the fountains on Abai Square. ©Paliparan*

kok tobe hill cable car almaty — *Taking the cable car to Kok Tobe Hill. ©Paliparan*

kok tobe hill cable car gondola view — *View from a gondola on the Kok Tobe Hill Cable Car. ©Paliparan*

cable car view — *Cable car view. ©Paliparan*

kok tobe hill amusement park almaty — *The amusement park on top of Kok Tobe Hill. ©Paliparan*

kok tobe hill view almaty — *View from Kok Tobe Hill over Almaty. ©Paliparan*

kok tobe hill view — *Kok Tobe Hill view. ©Paliparan*

pleasant view — *The views from the hill were highly pleasant. ©Paliparan*

Zailiyskiy Alatau mountains Almaty — *View from Kok Tobe Hill towards the Zailiyskiy Alatau mountains. ©Paliparan*

At the amusement park

Having admired the views from Kok Tobe Hill, I explored the amusement park a bit more.

There were many families enjoying the rides on this summer day, and I couldn’t resist taking a ride myself when I saw that there was an alpine coaster.

The English-speaking safety guy at the start of the course, who gives people the green light to begin their descent once the track is clear, told me that it was possible to complete the course without braking before the corners if I wanted maximum enjoyment.

He was certainly right, and it was jolly good fun to ride the alpine coaster at full speed!

On Kok Tobe Hill there is also an overpriced restaurant and a few small stalls selling food.

I went for one that seemed to have tasty shashlyks being grilled on the barbecue, only to be told that they didn’t have any more available and that they could only sell me a kebab instead.

Slightly disappointed, I settled for the kebab, which was tasty.

I also ordered a very cool-looking glass bottle of Baikal Cola, which was supposed to be the Soviet answer to Coca-Cola in the late 1960s.

kok tobe hill amusement park alpine coaster almaty — *The alpine coaster on Kok Tobe Hill. ©Paliparan*

kebab baikal cola almaty amusement park — *Kebab and Baikal Cola at the amusement park. ©Paliparan*

Back down the hill

After heading down again to Abai Square by cable car, I decided to take it easy and returned to my hotel.

Instead of going to my room at the Kazakhstan Hotel, I went to the upper-floor bar, which was completely empty when I arrived.

Both the weizen beer (or two) that I drank and the sweeping views from the sky bar were highly enjoyable.

sky bar kazakhstan hotel almaty — *The sky bar at the Kazakhstan Hotel. ©Paliparan*

kazakhstan hotel sky bar beer almaty — *Weizen beer at the sky bar of Kazakhstan Hotel ©Paliparan*

Dinner

While I was drinking beer, I was pondering where to head for dinner.

As I casually browsed Google Maps, I noticed there was a Georgian restaurant just a stone’s throw away from the hotel, which I had somehow completely overlooked.

I’ve travelled to Georgia many times and absolutely love its cuisine, so I couldn’t resist enjoying some delicious Georgian food in Almaty as well.

I ordered an Adjaruli khachapuri and a glass of Georgian red wine – both of which were delicious.

With this dinner, my visit to Almaty effectively came to an end, as I planned to go to bed early again since I had to get up early the next day to get to my next travel destination in Kazakhstan.

khachapuri red wine dinner — *Adjaruli khachapuri and a glass of Georgian red wine for dinner. ©Paliparan*

Conclusion

Almaty, the largest city of Kazakhstan, is a great travel destination and the perfect introduction to the country.

There is a lot to see and do on your Almaty visit, with the Green Bazaar, Panfilov Park, and Zenkov Cathedral being by far the most interesting of the city’s sights.

Located at the foothills of the Zailiyskiy Alatau mountain range, Almaty is also a great base for venturing into the mountains for hiking in summer or winter sports in the colder months of the year.

Almaty is also by far the most vibrant and sophisticated city in Central Asia, and there are tons of great cafés, bars, and restaurants to choose from if you want to experience contemporary Kazakh culture and life.

Simply put, Almaty is a highly pleasant city to spend a couple of days in before you travel onward to your next destination in Kazakhstan or elsewhere in Central Asia.

Trip report index

This article is part of the ‘Back to Central Asia: Travels Through Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan‘ trip report, which consists of the following chapters:

1. Review: TAROM Domestic Flight Bucharest to Cluj-Napoca
2. Cluj-Napoca: A Travel Guide to Transylvania’s Vibrant Capital
3. Turda Salt Mine and Gorge: An Easy Cluj-Napoca Day Trip
4. Cheile Turzii: Hiking Through the Impressive Turda Gorge
5. Review: Cluj-Napoca Airport Business Lounge
6. Guide: Free Turkish Airlines Transit Hotel at Istanbul Airport
7. Minsk, Belarus: Chasing Soviet Ghosts in Europe’s Last Dictatorship
8. Review: Minsk Airport International Business Lounge
9. Review: Turkish Airlines Business Class Minsk to Istanbul
10. Flight Review: Turkish Airlines Business Class Istanbul to Almaty
11. Almaty Travel Guide: Visiting Central Asia’s Most Vibrant City (current chapter)