Free tour

ALMATY: All the Highlights of the City Centre (4 and 3 h. options)

4.88

Excellent(83)

Almaty

Duration: 4 hours

Languages: English

Guru: Aiguerim

PRO

Verified quality

Registered on 14 November 2024

Hello and welcome! My name is Aiguerim (like "i+green" with "m" instead of "n"😜, or just Amy) — I’m a certified guide in Almaty 🙋‍♀️ I’ve been living in the “city of apples” (Almaty) for 17 years and I really love this city! I think, Almaty is very special: a place where nomadic, imperial, Soviet and national heritages meet, while remaining modern and dynamic! I invite you to join my walking tour — I’ll be happy to show you the highlights of this beautiful city at the foot of the magnificent Alatau mountains!

Free reservation and cancellation

Pay-what-you-want tour, no set price, reservation and cancellation are free

Tour description

Hello, travelers from all around the world! 😀

Welcome to Kazakhstan and its "Southern capital” at the foot of the magnificent mountains – wonderful Almaty! This city breathes history: here the country's rich past, vibrant culture and everyday life meet modern energy and stunning mountain scenery!

On my tour, I will introduce you to the history of Almaty and Kazakhstan (and answer the question :), and will show you the Highlights of the City Center - All in ONE tour! (4 h option) + popular local places and recommendations😉

You will see, how the country's rich history, culture, and everyday life are reflected in this beautiful city!

Some of the landmarks we will visit:

- graceful Ascension Cathedral

- Memorial of Glory and Eternal Flame🔥

- Green Bazaar with hands-on cultural experience - traditional sweets, snack, mare and camel milk sampling😎

- House of officers⭐
- House of officers' meetings (Museum of folk musical instruments - exterior view)
- Arbat pedestrian street 🎶
- Panfilov pedestrian street with important landmarks along it - 1st and 2nd Kazakh SSR Government buildings✊, Aliya and Manshuk monument, "Astana" square, etc.
- Charming Opera House
- several buildings from the Russian empire era

- ...and more! ✨

The duration of the tour is around 3,5-4 hours, depending on the pace of the group
There is an option to take a 3 h. tour finishing at the Arbat pedestrian street. It's a perfect place to stay and soak up the lively atmosphere enjoying a relaxed meal or coffee in one of the numerous local cafes and restaurants😌

Please, note that the tour involves a walk of around 4,2 km - for 4 h. option, and around 3 km - for 3 h. option. But don't worry - we'll stop several times to sit on benches at several sights, and i'll use these breaks to share stories about the city😊)

During the tour, I will be glad to help you and give you some advice on your stay in Almaty from a local's point of view – feel free to ask me!😉

I look forward to meeting you on the tour!

Highlights

What will we see on this tour?

Meeting point:

Qalalyq emhana #1, 050000 Almaty, Kazakhstan

The meeting point is a long "bench" on the alley to the left of the main entrance to "Ever jazz" cafe in 28 Panfilov's guardsmen park (the main entrance to the "Ever jazz" is from the Gogol street side) . In one of the pictures I marked this bench🙂 I will be holding a red shopping bag with "Aiguerim Almaty" writing and the Guruwalk red and white globe picture on it 🌏😉

Free entry

Park of 28 Panfilov Guardsmen

We will start our journey at Panfilov Park — one of the oldest and most beautiful parks in the city 🌿 There we will explore: ⦁ Ascension Cathedral (we are welcome to go inside; it's free, but men are required to remove their caps, and ladies to cover their heads — a cap, hat, or scarf is acceptable!) ⦁ Memorial of Glory ⦁ Eternal Flame ⦁ Officers' House ⦁ House of Officers' Meetings (Museum of Folk Musical Instruments) ⦁ Who Panfilov was and the heroic act of soldiers from his division ⦁ Open-air museum

Free entry

Green Bazaar

Next, we will visit the Green bazaar – the oldest market of Almaty, which is a 10 min walk from the Panfilov Park. It's a vibrant place that provides a good insight into local cuisine and culture! There, you will be able to not only see but also try some Kazakh traditional sweets and snacks (and how about camel and horse milk?😀). Merchants swll a wide range of products such as nuts, dried fruits, local apples (when it's season), and many other things (even dried snakes🤪)!

Outside visit

Arbat G. Almaty

Then, we will walk to the very popular and truly vibrant Arbat walking street, which is about a 10-minute walk from the Green Bazaar. It is the favorite spot of Almaty’s youth and a popular "stage" for street musicians, as well as the city’s hub for street art, shops, and restaurants! Here the 3-hour tour finishes, but even this time is enough to get to know 💯 a lot about the city, the country, and its culture 😉

How much does this tour cost?

Free tours do not have a set price, instead, each person gives the guru at the end the amount they consider appropriate (amounts usually range from €15 to $50 depending on satisfaction with the tour).