
Best Destinations for Extreme Sports in Almaty, Almaty, Kazakhstan
1. Shymbulak Ski Resort
A popular destination for winter sports with the highest cable car in Kazakhstan, offering challenging slopes and breathtaking views.
- Variety of Slopes: Offers a range of difficulty levels from beginner to expert.
- Scenic Views: Features stunning panoramic views of the Tian Shan mountains.
- Easy Access: Located just 25 km from Almaty city center, making it easily accessible for tourists.
2. Medeu Ice Stadium
The world's largest high-altitude ice rink, perfect for figure skating and speed skating enthusiasts.
- High Altitude: Situated at an altitude of 1,691 meters above sea level, providing unique conditions for ice sports.
- Historical Significance: Built in the 1950s and has hosted numerous national and international competitions.
- Ice Quality: Known for its high-quality ice that is well-maintained year-round.
3. Chimbulak Bike Park
A mountain bike park offering a variety of trails for all skill levels, from beginner to expert.
- Diverse Trails: Features different types of terrains such as forest, meadows, and rocks.
- Scenic Rides: Offers panoramic views of the Tian Shan mountains while riding.
- Rental Facilities: Provides bike rentals, as well as guides and safety equipment for visitors.
4. Tourist Alley Zi-Usken
A canyoning spot where you can rappel down waterfalls and explore the canyon.
- Adrenaline Rush: Provides an adrenaline-pumping experience with its steep waterfalls.
- Natural Beauty: Surrounded by lush greenery and crystal-clear waters, creating a picturesque environment.
- Professional Guides: Offers guided tours with experienced canyoning instructors for safety.
5. Kok-Tobe Hill
A scenic spot offering a range of extreme sports like paragliding and zip-lining.
- Thrilling Activities: Offers thrilling experiences such as paragliding and zip-lining with beautiful city views.
- Panoramic Views: Provides breathtaking panoramic views of Almaty city from its summit.
- Safety Measures: Ensures safety measures for all extreme sports activities.
6. Ak Bulak Gorge
A rock climbing paradise with vertical cliffs and various routes for climbers.
- Vertical Cliffs: Features vertical cliffs that offer challenging climbing routes.
- Scenic Surroundings: Located in a picturesque valley surrounded by towering mountains.
- Safety Equipment: Provides safety equipment and guides for beginners and experienced climbers.
7. Borovoe National Park
An adventure park offering activities like bungee jumping, zip-lining, and hiking.
- Adventure Activities: Offers a range of adventure activities such as bungee jumping, zip-lining, and hiking.
- Natural Beauty: Surrounded by lush forests, crystal-clear lakes, and picturesque valleys.
- Eco-Friendly Approach: Promotes eco-tourism and sustainability in the national park.
8. Sharyn-Golden Gorge
A canyon with unique red rock formations and opportunities for trekking and zip-lining.
- Unique Landscapes: Features unique red rock formations that are millions of years old.
- Trekking Opportunities: Offers trekking routes through the canyon with breathtaking views.
- Zip-lining Adventure: Features a zip-line that spans over the canyon for an adrenaline rush.
9. Kolsai Lakes
A series of three crystal-clear alpine lakes, offering hiking and horseback riding opportunities.
- Clear Alpine Lakes: Features three beautiful alpine lakes with pristine waters.
- Hiking Trails: Offers hiking trails of varying difficulty levels around the lakes.
- Horseback Riding: Allows visitors to explore the area on horseback, offering a unique experience.
10. Kaindy Lake
A flooded forest lake, perfect for hiking and exploring sunken trees.
- Unique Sunken Trees: Features sunken trees that create a spooky yet beautiful underwater forest.
- Hiking Trails: Offers hiking trails around the lake, with stunning views of the surrounding mountains.
- Cold Water Protection: Provides wetsuits and other cold-water protection gear for visitors.
11. Kumtor Cave
An underground cave system with various speleological activities like caving and rock climbing.
- Speleological Activities: Offers caving, rock climbing, and other speleological activities.
- Natural Wonders: Features natural wonders like stalactites and stalagmites.
- Safety Equipment: Provides safety equipment and guides for all caving and rock climbing activities.
12. Big Almaty Lake
A high-altitude lake offering trekking, horseback riding, and camping opportunities.
- High-Altitude Trekking: Offers challenging treks around the lake at high altitudes.
- Horseback Riding: Allows visitors to explore the area on horseback, offering a unique experience.
- Camping Sites: Provides camping sites for overnight stays near the lake.
13. Almaty Zoo
A zoo with a high-altitude safari park offering wildlife encounters and extreme sports like zip-lining.
- High-Altitude Safari Park: Features a high-altitude safari park where you can encounter various wildlife.
- Zip-lining Adventure: Offers a zip-line that lets you soar over the zoo, providing an adrenaline rush.
- Educational Experience: Promotes education and conservation of local and exotic wildlife species.
14. Almaty Arena
An indoor sports complex offering activities like ice hockey, rock climbing, and trampoline jumping.
- Indoor Activities: Offers indoor activities such as ice hockey, rock climbing, and trampoline jumping.
- Safety Measures: Ensures safety measures for all extreme sports activities indoors.
- Multiple Sports Options: Provides a variety of sports options under one roof, catering to different interests.
15. Almaty Mountain Bike Park
A bike park offering cross-country trails for mountain bikers of all skill levels.
- Variety of Trails: Features various cross-country trails with different difficulty levels.
- Scenic Rides: Offers scenic rides through forests and meadows, providing beautiful views of the city.
- Rental Facilities: Provides bike rentals for visitors who do not have their own bikes.