GETTING THERE
Almati is certainly linked to the world as you can see from this panel listing airlines that have code shares to Almati from major US, European and Asian destinations.

TRANSPORT
There are taxistands aplenty all over Almati at every main intersection and your hotel or restaurant will call you a taxi upon request.
A tramway line crosses the city with frequent stops, a most pleasant way to get around and enjoy the city.

SIGHTS
The Central State Museum of History open daily except Monday.
Museum of Arts & Gallery next to Hyatt Almati.












a short drive only and you are out of the city limits and on the greenest pastures, surrounded by wild flowers, the freshest air imaginable and temperatures a few degrees lower than downtown the stars on the velve blue sky appear like almost nowhere else in the world and with the city's observatory accessible to the public (can be arranged through the Eco-Tourism Information Centre) why not indulge in star gazing activities while in Almati?






arrange your travels in & beyond Almati
from transportation to home stays
here a most helpful address








..... or gamble the night away, there is a casino and gambling establishment on almost every street corner downtown and driving around at night there is a distinctive touch of Las Vegas in the air





fun for kids at the Medeo skating rink, once the largest
open air ice rink in the entire Sovjet Union now the
open air playground for city kids. In-line skates, rollers
and ice skates in the winter can be rented right by the rink


EATING OUT

Almati has a restaurant scene unmatched anywhere in Central Asia.
Tastefully decorated cafes and restaurants that offer a wide choice of Asian and European cuisine in sophisticated settings. Add to this the many alfresco terraces and the trendy fast food places. For a quick bite, do what the locals do, stop at a "stalova" selfservice venue, grab a tray and select freshly cooked simple local dishes, get a pot of tea and you are all set - for a really affordable price

popular eateries: Vanilla Sky Namaste
Princess Palladium with a Swiss Chef
Tropicana Chian Lung Dublin Pub Beijing Aul Yurte next to Medeo Bellaggio Soho Thai Green Bar Dolce Vita AB Swiss Chalet Mad Murphy Biskuit Kishlak before Medeo Lionbrew Alasha San Remo Morocco Shampula at the Almati Hotel

One thing you will miss around Central Asia is a professionally brewed cup of coffee, espresso, cappuccino, made from ground beans, you know, the one with the froth...
The absolut ultimate luxury beyond Almati but standard fare in this city

SHOPPING





Zum Department Store has a souvenir section on the 2nd floor where coffee table books are available





If Almati is your last destination in Central Asia, it is also your transition point to the world as you know it. Escada, Gucci, Lacoste to name but a few have opened stores along Almati's main downtown boulevards.

International Food items and goods you are used to back home in Europe or the US are conveniences you find in the newly emerging super and mega markets. Handmade craft to bring back to friends and family is equally available and the range of "something nice from Almati" ever expanding

Music from Kazakhstan is available at the Museum of History both as CD and tape

you may remember from an article in a recent Discovery issue about the trees from Almaty being the mother of all apples?
New York owes the city something... pluck an apple from one of the orchards on your way to Medeo or stock up at a local bazaar

Inside the yurt in front of the Ministry, Sergej sells newly designed jewelry based on traditional Kazakh patterns that are thousands of years old, and still lend themselves ideally for these timeless pieces. The rings make great gifts for fashion conscious men by the way behind these arches lies Expo Center where a pavilion hosts a permanent crafts exhibition cum sales hall CAMP is the Central Asian Mountain Partnership, founded and supported by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation and is designed and implemented by the Center for Development and Environment (CDE) of the University of Berne. In 2000, CAMP started operating in Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, and Tajikistan. One of their activities is the development of local artisans and their products. Whenver you buy one of the quality items in their shop behind the Ramstor mega supermarket, a fair share of the profit goes to the artisan and you support a truly worthy cause