Excursion · small group

Trip to Medeu and Shymbulak from Almaty

4.9 · 24 reviews

In just 3 hours, you'll visit the famous high-altitude skating rink Medeu and ascend to the Shymbulak ski resort. Small group up to 8 people, comfortable transfer, and free time at each location.

WhenDaily, time upon request
Duration3 hours
StartAlmaty
Pricefrom $38/person

Program

Itinerary of the trip to Medeu and Shymbulak by the hour

09:00

Group meeting in Almaty

Meet in the city center (Tole bi St., 67) or your hotel. Board the minibus.

09:30

Arrival at Medeu

Stop at the high-altitude skating rink. Free time for a walk, photos, and visiting the museum.

10:30

Ascent to Shymbulak

Transfer to the lower cable car station. Ascend by gondola lift to the ski resort (altitude 2260 m).

11:00

Free time at Shymbulak

Stroll around the area, panoramic views of the Zailiysky Alatau. You can have a snack at a cafe.

12:00

Descent and Return

Descend by cable car. Transfer back to Almaty.

12:30

End of the tour

Arrival in central Almaty (approximately). Farewell to the group.

What's included

What's included in the trip to Medeu and Shymbulak

Included in Price

Already included in the tour price

  • Transfer by comfortable minibus
  • Services of a Russian-speaking guide-driver
  • Ascent and descent by cable car to Shymbulak
  • Entry fees to the Medeu territory
  • Bottled water in the car

Paid separately

Optional, on site

  • Personal expenses (souvenirs, cafe)
  • Lunch (optional, at a cafe on Shymbulak)

What to Bring

To make the day comfortable

  • Comfortable shoes and weather-appropriate clothing (windbreaker/jacket)
  • Sunglasses and sunscreen
  • Camera or smartphone
  • Cash for extra expenses

Team

Our team — guides and instructors from Almaty

Routes are led by working guides and instructors. The same people answer in WhatsApp and accompany groups on tour.

Aidos Serikov — Senior guide, mountain routes★4.9

Aidos Serikov

Senior guide, mountain routes

187 reviews · experience 14 years

Dinara Kassymova — Guide-lecturer in Almaty★5

Dinara Kassymova

Guide-lecturer in Almaty

142 review · experience 11 years

Marat Zhunussov — Trekking instructor★4.8

Marat Zhunussov

Trekking instructor

96 reviews · experience 9 years

Oleg Kim — Driver-guide, jeep tours★4.9

Oleg Kim

Driver-guide, jeep tours

164 review · experience 13 years

Zhanna Abenova — Tour manager★4.8

Zhanna Abenova

Tour manager

78 reviews · experience 7 years

Timur Beketov — Multi-day tour guide★4.9

Timur Beketov

Multi-day tour guide

118 reviews · experience 10 years

Aliya Nurlan — Group coordinator★5

Aliya Nurlan

Group coordinator

64 review · experience 6 years

Sergey Volkov — Instructor, ski tours★4.8

Sergey Volkov

Instructor, ski tours

103 review · experience 12 years

Reviews

Reviews of the trip to Medeu and Shymbulak

Leave a review
4.9 ★
Our rating · 312 reviews
4.8 ★
Google · 540
4.9 ★
Yandex · 268
4.8 ★
2GIS · 197
1317
Total reviews
PN
Pavel N.
2GIS ·
★★★★★

I liked the excursion. The guide is erudite. It's a pity we didn't see a snow leopard (joke). We went with friends to the mountains for the weekend. We went up to Shymbulak, the panorama of the Trans-Ili Alatau is mesmerizing. At Medeu we visited the museum, learned a lot of interesting things. Thanks for the trip.

Verified review · Order #46551
GT
Gulmira T.
2GIS ·
★★★★★

Great trip! The guide showed us all the beautiful places. Very heartfelt

Verified review · Order #46089
LM
Larisa M.
Our website ·
★★★★★

Second time with this tour company. Service quality is top-notch. The driver drove carefully on the serpentine road.

Verified review · Order #45439
OS
Olga S.
Yandex ·
★★★★★

Vybiral etot tur po sovetu. Vse ponravilos', no ochen' mnogo turistov v odno vremya. Zhdan' na kanatku byla dlinnoi

Verified review · Order #41704
AK
Aigul K.
Our website ·
★★★★★

Vse proshlo zamechatel'no. Tol'ko ochen' mnogo lyudei. No eto i ponyatno – vykhodnoi

Verified review · Order #41564
IZ
Igor Z.
Our website ·
★★★★★

Good tour, but there wasn't enough time for independent exploration. Everything is on schedule. I went with a friend, we wanted to see Medeu and Shymbulak. At Medeu we walked around, took photos near the rink. At Shymbulak the views are impressive, but there was little free time. Overall I liked it.

Verified review · Order #41152
ZM
Zhanat M.
Google ·
★★★★★

Really enjoyed it. Mountain air, glacier. The only thing is the bumpy road, but that's minor.

Verified review · Order #38547
EB
Erzhan B.
Our website ·
★★★★★

Shymbulak is a wonderful place. I admired the mountain peaks. The coordinator Aliya gave a lot of information. We went with our family, the children liked it too. We walked around Medeu and took photos. The ascent by cable car was very impressive.

Verified review · Order #36248
NP
Natalya P.
Our website ·
★★★★★

Thanks for the organization. Our guide is a professional. Medeu and Shymbulak left vivid impressions

Verified review · Order #33693
BN
Bakhytzhan N.
Our website ·
★★★★★

Edili na Me deo c zhenoi. Ochen' krasivo! Vse prishlos' po dushi. Chut' opozdali na vyezd, no eto ne isportilo vpechatleniya

Verified review · Order #33292
GA
Gulnara A.
2GIS ·
★★★★★

Scenic nature, the skating rink. Thanks to the tour organizers. Aidos is a great guide. We went on vacation with our family. We planned to visit Medeu and Shymbulak. The tour is short, but the impressions are huge. At Medeu we walked around and took photos. When we went up to Shymbulak, the mountain views amazed us. Riding the cable car was very interesting. The kids liked it too. We will go again next time.

Verified review · Order #32900
SI
Svetlana I.
Google ·
★★★★★

I liked the small group format. A small group, comfortable bus. Aydos is a super guide.

Verified review · Order #31793
TA
Tatyana A.
Yandex ·
★★★★★

A trip to the mountains is the best decision. The views from the cable car are mesmerizing. Thanks to Zhanna for the clothing tips. My husband and I decided to take a break from the city and didn't regret it. The tour is convenient, a mini-group, no one rushed us. At Medeu we looked at the skating rink, then went up to Shymbulak. There we walked around and drank tea at a cafe. The only downside is that the departure was delayed by half an hour, but it didn't spoil the impression. Overall, everything is well organized.

Verified review · Order #30976
EK
Elena K.
2GIS ·
★★★★★

Everything is very well organized. It's a pity that the weather let us down – it was foggy. But the guide lifted our spirits

Verified review · Order #30153
RT
Roza T.
Google ·
★★★★★

I went with a friend. Very beautiful, especially at Shymbulak. The guide told a lot of interesting things. We had long planned this trip, but kept putting it off. Finally we made it. At Medeu we walked by the skating rink and took photos. Then we went up to Shymbulak, the panorama of the mountains there is simply stunning. There was enough free time to have a snack at a cafe. We got a bit cold, but that's a trifle. Overall we liked everything, thanks for the organization.

Verified review · Order #29832
SB
Saltanat B.
Google ·
★★★★★

Okay! Medeu is beautiful, Shymbulak is high. Only there were long lines. The rest was great.

Verified review · Order #29467
AG
Aliya G.
Our website ·
★★★★★

Davno hoteli poekhat'. Vse slozhilos'. Tol'ko doroga malen'kaya ustanala, no zhivopisnaya

Verified review · Order #21507
AK
Arman K.
Our website ·
★★★★★

My friends and I are very satisfied. The nature of the Tien Shan is breathtaking. The 15-minute delay in departure was not critical.

Verified review · Order #20871
ID
Ivan D.
Google ·
★★★★★

My wife and I decided to celebrate our anniversary. But the tour exceeded expectations. The manager helped with the choice. Shymbulak is a fairy tale. The only downside is that the departure was a bit delayed, but it didn't ruin the celebration

Verified review · Order #19515
NE
Nikolay E.
Our website ·
★★★★★

I bought the tour as a gift. The people were happy. Thanks to Zhanna for help with the choice. My friends had long wanted to go to the mountains, but there was never time. I decided to make a surprise for their anniversary. They went in a mini-group, they liked everything. They said Medeu impressed them, and the views at Shymbulak are simply fabulous. The cable car ride was memorable. They got a bit tired, but happy. I will definitely go myself next time.

Verified review · Order #19192
SP
Sergey P.
2GIS ·
★★★★★

The car-and-walking tour was great. We went up to Shymbulak, and the views were incredible. Thanks to Aidoss for organizing it.

Verified review · Order #18864
VL
Vadim L.
Google ·
★★★★★

I decided to take the tour for my parents. They liked everything. Thanks to the guide for the attention to the elderly

Verified review · Order #12082
KU
Kanat U.
Our website ·
★★★★★

I liked everything. Only the line for the cable car was long. But it was worth it. My sister and I came for the weekend, we had long wanted to see Medeu and Shymbulak. We chose this tour because it is short and convenient. At Medeu we walked around, took photos by the skating rink, and visited the museum. Then we went up to Shymbulak, it's very beautiful there, the mountains are impressive. We got a bit tired, but happy. Thanks to the guide for the interesting story.

Verified review · Order #11454
OR
Oksana R.
Our website ·
★★★★★

The tour is excellent. But I want to note that the skating rink was slippery. Although it's ice, after all. We came with the family for the weekend, we had long wanted to show the children Medeu. We walked around the rink, went into the museum. Then we went up to Shymbulak, the views are simply fabulous. We got a little tired, but satisfied.

Verified review · Order #11224

FAQ

Frequently asked questions about the trip to Medeu and Shymbulak

We've collected the questions travelers ask most often. Didn't find your answer? Write to us — a guide will reply in a couple of minutes.

Ask a question

The whole tour lasts about 3 hours: we start at 9:00 and finish around 12:30 in the city centre. During this time we manage to visit Medeu, go up to Shymbulak and come back down. The exact return time may shift slightly due to traffic — the guide will keep you informed along the way.

Meeting at 9:00 in Almaty — in the city centre at 67 Tole Bi Street, or at your hotel if it is convenient for the route. We get into the minibus and set off straight away. We will confirm the exact place and time via WhatsApp for your date.

There is no serious physical exertion: you go up to the resort by gondola lift, not on foot. At both stops you have free time — just stroll around the area and take photos at your own pace. This format suits children, older people and those without any sports training.

Take comfortable shoes and clothing suitable for the weather; it is usually cooler at altitude, so a windbreaker or jacket will come in handy. Sunglasses, sunscreen, a phone or camera and some cash for souvenirs and a cafe are also useful. Bottled water is already in the vehicle.

The programme already includes minibus transfers, the services of a guide-driver, a round-trip cable car ride, entry to Medeu and water in the cabin. You only pay extra for personal wishes — souvenirs or a snack at a cafe in Shymbulak. The cost of the trip is $38 per person.

Yes, if you are travelling as a group, we book places in the mini-group of up to 8 people for all of you at once. Message us on WhatsApp, stating the date and number of people — no prepayment is needed, and you can pay on the day of the trip via Kaspi, by card or in cash. Cancellation of the booking is also free.