Ticket Hall

Private high mountain ice rink Medeo and ski resort Shymbulak tour

5.03 reviews

Descriptions come from the operator and are translated automatically.

  • 4–6 hours
  • Free cancellation up to 24h before
  • 3 languages
  • Instant confirmation

Highlights

Want to visit top sights in Almaty in one day?! Then do it to us! We visit the world-famous Medeo high mountain ice rink at an altitude of 1691 meters above sea level. Next, we make a mini ascent up the Health Mountain Staircase to Medeo Dam - 842 steps. From here you can enjoy a fantastic panorama of the mountain peaks of the Ile-Alatau National Park. Afterwards, we drive to the Medeo – Shymbulak gondola road and take the high-altitude cable car to the Shymbulak ski resort. Here you will understand why this Resort has been officially added to the Guinness Book of Records, and you will be greatly impressed by the beauty of the peaks and glaciers of the Tien Shan Mountains. All three locations in one day as part of a luxurious, action-packed excursion!

Inclusions

What's included

  • Private transportation
  • Bottled water
  • Accompanied by a mountain guide
  • Landing and facility fees
  • Air-conditioned vehicle

What's not

  • Lunch
  • Alcoholic Beverages
  • Soda/Pop
  • Snacks

Itinerary

  1. We visit the most important architectural attraction of Almaty - the highest open ice skating rink in the world - Medeu Ice Rink. Located at an altitude of 1,691 meters above sea level, the Medeu ice rink is still the highest ice rink in the world. You will learn about the monumental architecture of the USSR. The rink is also the absolute record holder in the world in terms of the number of world speed skating records set here. Above the ice rink is the world-famous Medeu health staircase of the same name, which consists of up to 842 steps. At your request, we can climb the health ladder on foot (a popular place for Kazakh and foreign tourists for mountain fitness) or take a mountain taxi to the highest point of the Medeu ladder. From here you can enjoy breathtaking views of the Medeu area and the mountains of the Ile Alatau National Park. In winter we can also visit the ice rink and go ice skating ourselves

    1 hAdmission included

  2. After the Medeo ice skating rink, we continue to the high mountain marble dam Medeu (on foot along the health ladder or by mountain eco-taxi). The dam is the largest architectural structure in Almaty since the times of the USSR and to this day protects the city from mountain mud flows. There are fantastic views of the entire Medeu area and the Tien Shan Mountains. You will receive interesting information about the history of the largest high mountain construction site in the world and will be amazed by the size of the architectural structure

    45 minAdmission included

  3. After descending from the dam to the rope lift station, we begin a climb on a high-altitude cable car to the world-famous Shymbulak ski resort. On the way we admire the wonderfully beautiful nature of the mountain town of Almaty. After reaching the Shymbulak base station, we take a short break to rest. We then take the cable car even higher to enjoy the real mountain scenery. Here you will understand why Shymbulak is in the Guinness Book of Records and a popular destination for tourists from all over the world. If we are lucky and another cable car route opens at this time of year, we will go even higher - to the Talgar Pass, which is at an altitude of 3200 meters above sea level. Here you can admire the views of the Bogdanovich Glacier and the mountain ranges of the Tien Shan Mountains. During ski season you can also rent ski equipment and go skiing (an additional fee is required).

    2 hAdmission included

Cancellation

Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the experience starts, for a full refund.

Reviews

5.0

  • 53
  • 40
  • 30
  • 20
  • 10

Ratings come from 3 reviews collected by our booking partner. They are travellers' own words, in the order they were written — never reordered to flatter the experience.

Know before you go

Meeting point
Gornaya street 465, Medeu skating rink
Pickup
Pickup is offered, or you can meet at the starting point.
Ticket type
Mobile or paper ticket accepted
Operated by
Incredible Kazakhstan
  • Public transportation options are available nearby
  • Specialized infant seats are available
  • Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
  • Suitable for all physical fitness levels

How it compares in Almaty

  • Its from-price is 30% below the median of the 317 experiences we list in Almaty.
  • It is shorter than most of them.
  • By number of reviews it ranks 150 of 317.
  • The operator lists free cancellation on it.

About Almaty

Almaty is Kazakhstan's largest city, set beneath the snow peaks of the Tian Shan, with leafy parks, Soviet-era monuments, cafés and mountain lakes nearby.

Almaty lies on a plain at the foot of the Trans-Ili Alatau, a range of the Tian Shan mountains, whose snowy peaks rise to the south. It was the capital of Kazakhstan until 1997, when the title passed to Astana, and it remains the largest city and the cultural centre. Wide avenues are shaded by poplars and elms, and Panfilov Park holds the brightly painted wooden Ascension Cathedral and a memorial to soldiers of the Second World War.

See all 317 experiences in Almaty

Special offers in Almaty

Was/now prices come from the operator, never from us.

Similar experiences

1 / 6

Three steps to add it

Plan with AIYour trip, day by day