Almaty with kids: parks, the cable car, theatres and day trips
A city where children are not bored: rides in Central Park, the Kok-Tobe cable car, a puppet theatre and a circus, a water park and skating at Medeu. What suits which age and how to plan the day.
By Super Admin2 min read
Almaty is an easy city for a family trip: distances are short, there is a park on every corner, and the mountains start where the bus route ends. Below are tried-and-tested places by age and a ready-made plan for the day.
Parks and rides
Central Park has old trees, a pond with boats and rides for every age. Calm in the morning, lively by evening. Fantasy World on Abay Avenue is a compact amusement park right in the centre: carousels for the little ones and bigger rides for school-age children, an hour and a half.
Theatre and circus
The Puppet Theatre runs daytime shows for small children, usually at 11 and 13; check the programme ahead. For older children there is the Kazakh State Circus on Abay Avenue, with weekend performances.
Kok-Tobe
The Kok-Tobe cable car is a ride in itself: a cabin over roofs and treetops, and at the top a Ferris wheel, a small zoo, cafes and the Beatles monument everyone poses with. Go towards evening to catch the sunset and the lights.
A whole day
The water park on the edge of town fills a full day, especially in summer or in rain. In winter Medeu does the same: skate hire, hot tea and mountains all around. More in our article on Almaty in winter.
Into the mountains with children
The simplest walk is to the Butakovka waterfall: two and a half hours there and back on a riverside trail with a gentle climb; no pushchairs, but a five-year-old manages easily. In summer take the gondola up to Shymbulak, where there is a playground and cafes.
A day plan
- Morning in Central Park.
- A 13:00 show at the puppet theatre, or Fantasy World.
- Lunch of plov or lagman, which children usually eat.
- Evening on the Kok-Tobe cable car for sunset.
The same plan on a map: “Almaty with kids”.