Unconventional skiing in undiscovered country: Kazakhstan!
Kazakhstan – an interesting and “undiscovered” country
Almaty is the former capital of Kazakhstan with a very interesting history. This territory is located on the former Silk Road, and flourished the most in the 10th to 14th Centuries. In 1997, the title was taken over by Astana, which is currently seeing a construction boom. The first thing you will notice about Almaty is the pleasant local atmosphere. Often, you won’t know if you’re in a European or Asian city. Another thing that will appeal to you are the peaks of 3000 metre high mountains, which create a truly stunning backdrop for the entire city.
The free-ride paradise of Kazakhstan and legendary stadium, all in Shymbulak
The Shymbulak ski resort is a real luxury at an elevation ranging from 2220 to 3136 metres. It takes less than an hour to drive there from Almaty. The highest station of the single chairlift ends in the Talgar pass. The Shymbulak ski resort is also home to the famous speed-skating stadium Medeo, which was built in 1972. Just take the chairlift down and trade in your skis for skates.
Almaty hosted the Asian Winter Games in 2011. Shymbulak, as the popular ski resort in the area, offers complete luxury facilities, wellness and accommodation in addition to chairlifts. An exceptional experience is taking a series of chairlifts all the way up to the pass at an elevation of 3200 metres, shortening the time to travel to the Left Talgar Gorge.
Tabagan is one of many options
The Tabagan ski resort is close to Almaty (17 km) and was built in 2005. The highest point of the slope is around 1650 metres above sea level. The run is 1 km long with an elevation drop of 400 metres.
Finally a luxurious relaxation tip
If you want to relax your body a little, we recommend Kok Tobe – the “Green Hill” which is the highest point in the city of Almaty with an elevation of 1100 m above sea level. The chairlift is 1620 m long and the ride takes 6 minutes, during which you can observe the surrounding nature and life in the city. From the summit, there is a luxurious view in all directions!
