★4.9Aidos Serikov
Senior guide, mountain routes
Cable Car · Mountain Tour
Ride the cable car from Medeu to Shymbulak, covering 4.5 km above the gorge. In 5 hours, you'll see a glacier, panoramic views of the Zailiysky Alatau, and can walk along mountain trails. This tour is suitable for anyone who wants to quickly reach the mountains without long hikes.
Program
Meet at Abay Square, transfer to Medeu (15 min).
Board the gondola, ascend to Shymbulak (approx. 20 min).
Walk on the plateau, take photos against the backdrop of Talgar Peak, relax at a café.
Return cable car ride down to the ice rink.
Explore the architecture of the rink, walk around the bowl.
Snack at one of the cafés at the foot (at extra cost).
Transfer to Abay Square.
What's included
Already included in the tour price
Optional, on site
To make the day comfortable
Team
Routes are led by working guides and instructors. The same people answer in WhatsApp and accompany groups on tour.
★4.9Aidos Serikov
Senior guide, mountain routes
★5Dinara Kassymova
Guide-lecturer in Almaty
★4.8Marat Zhunussov
Trekking instructor
★4.9Oleg Kim
Driver-guide, jeep tours
★4.8Zhanna Abenova
Tour manager
★4.9Timur Beketov
Multi-day tour guide
★5Aliya Nurlan
Group coordinator
★4.8Sergey Volkov
Instructor, ski tours
Reviews
My relatives liked it. We learned to skate at Medeu. We went up on the cable car. The guide helped a lot
Ochen khoroshiy tur na Medeu i Shymbulak. kanatka na 3200 m eto klass. Vsem sovetuyu. nebolshoy minus chto avtobus byl staryy
Vzyal tur na Medeu i Shymbulak. kanatka rabotaet otlichno vidy potryasayushchie. edinstvennyy minus - vyezd zaderzhali na 15 minut
Thanks for the tour! Special thanks to the guide for the great mood. We had fun skating at the rink, the cable car is an extreme for the brave
Extreme on Shymbulak! We went with friends to ride the cable car and didn't regret it. We went up to the very top, snow was still there even in April. I recommend taking warm clothes, it's windy and cool up there.
On a colleague's advice, we chose this company. We didn't regret it. We skated, then rode the cable car. The guide told us where it's better to take photos. The only downside is that we waited a long time for our order at the cafe.
We went with children, wanted to show them the mountains without long hikes. The guide picked a time to avoid the crowds. First at Medeu — the skating rink impressed with its size, the kids were delighted. Then we went up on the cable car, the views are beautiful, but it's cool up top, good thing we brought jackets. The road up the mountain is a bit bumpy, the bus is old, but for us it wasn't a problem. We had lunch at a cafe, everything was tasty. We liked the organization, we returned on time.
Good tour. The only thing is the road uphill was bumpy, but that's just how it is. But the cable car views were fantastic. Zhanna did a great job organizing everything.
Poezdka na Medeu i Shymbulak ostavila nezabyvaemye vpechatleniya. Kanatka na 3200 m eto silno. Vse ponravilos spsiboo
We were with my family, we really liked it. The Medeu rink is wonderful, the mountains are beautiful. The guide helped us
We enjoyed the tour. But keep in mind that at 3200 m it can be cold even in summer. We didn't bring jackets and had to rent them. The organization was clear, Aliya helped us.
Thanks for the tour! We liked everything except the queue for the cable car. But that's not your fault. Aidos was responsive, the impressions are super. We climbed up, from there a panorama of the mountains opens up, it just takes your breath away. We also managed to go down to the skating rink and walk around Medeu.
We were there with my wife. We liked everything: both Medeu and the cable car. The tour organization was flawless. Special thanks to the guide for the tour
I recommend the tour to Shymbulak to all guests of the city. The cable car is long, the views that open up are breathtaking. Be sure to see the Shymbulak plateau
We went to Medeu and Shymbulak. Very beautiful. Riding the cable car was fun. Thanks to the guide.
We went as a big group, wanted to show our friends the mountains. We went up on the cable car, the views are simply unreal, especially when you ride over the gorge. At Shymbulak we walked around the plateau and took tons of photos. Then we went down to Medeu, looked at the skating rink, and walked around. The weather was great, sunny. The guide organized everything clearly, without delays. I recommend it to everyone, especially those who are in Almaty for the first time.
I spent a long time choosing a tour to Medeu and Shymbulak. I settled on this company because of the price. I liked that the cable car ride up to 3200 m was included. The views were unreal.
I took the tour for my guests. Everyone was thrilled with the skating rink and the cable car. Guide Aidos was very pleasant. The only downside was that the cafe took a long time to prepare food.
We wanted to go ice skating at Medeu. The rink is great, the ice is smooth. The tour organization was good; we left on time.
We had been dreaming of going up to Shymbulak for a long time. The tour met expectations. The skating rink at Medeu is huge, the cable car had three lines. Thanks to Sergey for his care.
My wife and I decided to spend the weekend in the mountains, we chose this tour because of the short program. The departure was delayed by about ten minutes, but we weren't in a hurry. The cable car is long, you go up and enjoy the views. It's cool up top, but beautiful — mountains, snowfields. We went down to Medeu, looked at the skating rink, and walked around. The guide met us at the rink and showed us everything. Overall, the trip left pleasant impressions, I recommend it.
I took a tour with a friend. The three-stage cable car ride was impressive. The view at the top is breathtaking. The organization was spot on, thanks.
We decided to go to the mountains with our family on a day off. The Medeu skating rink is very large, the children were happy. We went up to Shymbulak on the cable car, the view from the top of the mountain is amazing. The guide guided us along the way and told us a lot. Up top we walked around and took photos. We ate at a cafe and relaxed. We liked everything, only the transport is a bit old. The tour organization is good, we arrived on time.
I wanted to take beautiful winter photos, so I went on this tour with a photographer. At Medeu the skating rink is just huge, the ice is smooth, and the bowl around it creates a great atmosphere. We went up on the cable car, and from there a panorama of snowy mountains opens up — the shots turned out magical. The guide suggested where to stand to catch the light and the background. Up there the wind is strong, but that's a minor thing compared to the beauty. We walked around the plateau and stopped at a cafe to warm up. Overall, the trip was a success, and I came back with great photos.
FAQ
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 questionIt can be windy at altitude, so it's worth bringing a warm jacket even on a warm day. Footwear — sneakers or trekking boots: you'll be walking on foot across the Shymbulak plateau and around the Medeu bowl. Sunglasses, sunscreen and a water bottle will also come in handy — you can fill it right on the bus.
Yes, the route is designed for people with no special training: between Medeu and Shymbulak you ride the gondola rather than walking uphill. The walking sections are short — a stroll across the plateau and around the skating rink bowl, and everyone goes at their own pace and can rest at a café. A guide-instructor is nearby and will suggest where it's most convenient to take a break.
At Shymbulak you have time to stroll across the plateau, take photos against the backdrop of Talgar Peak and relax at a café. Then you descend to Medeu, where you look at the architecture of the skating rink and walk around the bowl. By 14:00 you're already back at Abai Square, so the whole tour takes 5 hours.
The price already covers the road from Almaty to Medeu and back, the gondola ride up and down, the guide-instructor's services, water on the bus and the ecological fee. You pay separately for lunch at the café at the foot of the mountain — from $4 — and personal purchases such as souvenirs. There will be no additional fees on site.
The tour is advertised as a group tour: you travel together with other tourists on the shared departure schedule. If you want to gather only your own group, write to us on WhatsApp — we'll check what can be arranged for your date. Departures are daily, winter and summer.
Write to us on WhatsApp — we'll book places without any deposit, just based on your message. You pay on the day of the trip: Kaspi, by card or in cash. If your plans change, cancelling the booking is free.