Tour Route: Almaty Region, Kazakhstan
Season: November-March
Best Period: December-February
Route Complexity: Suitable for beginners and experienced skiers and snowboarders. The route involves riding on both groomed slopes and off-piste riding with the possibility of organizing backcountries in close proximity to resorts. Good physical training is desirable. A set of avalanche equipment is required for off-piste riding and backcountry.
Height Difference: 1000-1500 meters
Next point of interest is a popular place for townspeople - the Green Bazaar (except Mondays), where it is impossible to refrain from shopping. It is the great chance to experience an atmosphere of the real eastern market, its colors, smells and crowds. There you can obtain famous oriental sweets, dried fruits, buy local products and souvenirs, but don't forget to bargain. In the market they accept cash in tenge (local currency), so it would be good to have some with you or there is an exchange point just nearby to the market area.
After the bazaar, the tour will continue at the Kok-Tobe hill where the tallest TV tower in the world is located (if to count from the sea level) and where you will get by the picturesque winding mountain road on the park eco-minivans. In Kok-Tobe Park you can stroll along the winding paths of the park, admire the magnificent panorama of the city from the special observation deck, throw a coin in the "apple" fountain, see the monument devoted to "The Beatles" (the only one in CIS countries), visit the shop of national souvenirs and many other interesting things. The tour ends with the short ride from the top of the hill to the center of the city by the famous Almaty cableway.
Transfer to the ethno-village "Huns", which is located in 35 km from Almaty. Meeting in traditional Kazakh style with a demonstration of national rituals and customs.
Triple and quadruple accommodation in a hotel in the form of the yurts of the modern type with all the amenities. Free time, rest.
Culinary master class on cooking of national Kazakh dish - baursak.
Dinner in the best traditions of Kazakh hospitality. Overnight at the hotel.
During preparation for 2011 Winter Asian Games, much work was done for reconstruction of ski resort, freestyle park Quiksilver Chimba was opened, new cableway from Medeu sport complex to Shymbulak with 4.5 km length was built. In 2012, another cable car "Left Talgar" was launched, perfectly suitable for beginners. In February 2017, international sport event - the 28th World Winter Universiade happened and competitions in such disciplines as alpine skiing, freestyle skiing and snowboarding were held on the territory of the resort. In 2013, the Russian "Forbes" included Shymbulak in the top ten visa-free ski resorts for Russians. Total length of the slopes is 25 km. On the ski slopes there is the system of snow cannons, which allow to start the season earlier and extend it until April, and sometimes even till May. Wide range of services, comfortable gondola and chair lifts, restaurants, cafes and bars for every taste will let you to enjoy the atmosphere of coziness and modest luxury that reigns on the territory of one of the best ski resorts in the CIS.
Freeride skis/snowboard
Ski/snowboard boots
Poles (for skiers)
Comfortable functional clothing for riding (base layer (thermal underwear), gore-tex jacket and pants, additional layers of clothing for insulation, downy sweater or vest)
Avalanche equipment (ABS system or avalanche safety kit: shovel, probe and transceiver)
Freeride backpack of volume 20-30 liters with ski/snowboard fixation
Goggles with a spare lens for bright sunlight and cloudy weather.
Helmet
Gloves
Sunscreen
Thermos with tea
Personal AID kit
* On request, if you wish to ride exclusively on the groomed slopes on the territory of the ski resorts, the program can be revised and Elik-Sai ski base is replaced with another ski resort.