Shymbulak Peak - An easy hike near Almaty

 


From Almaty you can reach Medeu, famous for having the highest ice skating rink in the world, by public bus number 12. From there cable cars can take you further up to Shymbulak, the largest ski resort in Central Asia (offering skiing only in winter). After the first line, you have the option of taking a line with closed or another one with open gondolas - I took the closed one up, and the open one when coming down, and the latter is definitely the better. The last cable car line did not work when I visited, so I had to walk the last stretch along a steep road. It leads to a saddle where a few yurts stand, providing accommodation for those who are on a longer trek. I only went up to Shymbulak Peak, a relatively easy hike, from where you can have magnificent views of both Almaty with the plains behind it on one side, and the snow-covered mountain ranges on the other.






















































































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