Jim_Duncan Posted November 30, 2023 Share Posted November 30, 2023 Will be in Almaty in February for 24, perhaps 48 hours. Has anyone been there? Any recommended places to see in the city? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ron Burgundy Posted November 30, 2023 Share Posted November 30, 2023 (edited) 11 minutes ago, Jim_Duncan said: Will be in Almaty in February for 24, perhaps 48 hours. Has anyone been there? Any recommended places to see in the city? Dress appropriately. Edited November 30, 2023 by Ron Burgundy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
been here before Posted November 30, 2023 Share Posted November 30, 2023 13 minutes ago, Jim_Duncan said: Will be in Almaty in February for 24, perhaps 48 hours. Has anyone been there? Any recommended places to see in the city? Nah, never been. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim_Duncan Posted November 30, 2023 Author Share Posted November 30, 2023 9 minutes ago, been here before said: Nah, never been. Top bants. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim_Duncan Posted November 30, 2023 Author Share Posted November 30, 2023 12 minutes ago, Ron Burgundy said: Dress appropriately. Top pants. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ron Burgundy Posted November 30, 2023 Share Posted November 30, 2023 Out of curiosity what's the reason for your visit? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim_Duncan Posted November 30, 2023 Author Share Posted November 30, 2023 1 minute ago, Ron Burgundy said: Out of curiosity what's the reason for your visit? Long story as to why I’ll be in that part of the world at that time, but the fun part is I’m going to travel from Almaty to Edinburgh overland (bar a quick hop from Western Kazakhstan to Armenia or Georgia as I can’t be hooped getting a visa for Russia in the current climate). Have done a few long distance rail trips in Europe and North America, so this is another excuse to see parts of the world I haven’t visited before and have some fun. Best part is not booking anything in advance except my hotel in Almaty. That way, no rush to make it anywhere and just go with the flow. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tian447 Posted November 30, 2023 Share Posted November 30, 2023 Never been, but it's one of those odd places on my destination list. Will you have access to a car, or just in the city? There are some stunning looking places around Almaty: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charyn_National_Park About 100 miles away, so a fair trek to do unless you can arrange a tour. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Big_Almaty_Lake About 10 miles south. In the city itself, there's a cable car that goes up the wonderfully named Kok-Tobe mountain to the park at the top: There's a TV tower nearby on the hill, but I don't think you can go up it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tian447 Posted November 30, 2023 Share Posted November 30, 2023 Probably best just having a read through this and seeing what's possible with your time there: https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Attractions-g298251-Activities-oa0-Almaty.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim_Duncan Posted November 30, 2023 Author Share Posted November 30, 2023 13 minutes ago, tian447 said: Never been, but it's one of those odd places on my destination list. Will you have access to a car, or just in the city? There are some stunning looking places around Almaty: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charyn_National_Park About 100 miles away, so a fair trek to do unless you can arrange a tour. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Big_Almaty_Lake About 10 miles south. In the city itself, there's a cable car that goes up the wonderfully named Kok-Tobe mountain to the park at the top: There's a TV tower nearby on the hill, but I don't think you can go up it. Cheers. I don’t think I’ll have time to head out of town, so will be keeping it city-based. I like Silk Road and Soviet history, so hopefully enough to fill a day or so. I did watch a few travel blogs and it looks like a fun place. For a laugh, check out the lovely but somewhat naive Indian guy on YT doing a vlog about visiting Almaty. Poor sod can’t find his hotel, communicate with anyone (and is shocked when nobody speaks English) and basically wanders about Almaty with no idea what’s going on. Ends up in a shopping centre eating a wrap. Planning to move on to Shymkent and Turkestan for the old architecture and a wee look around. Very tempted to head south to Tashkent from there but it’s a bit of a deviation from my original plan and, despite being free and easy, I have to get back at some point I suppose. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tazio Posted November 30, 2023 Share Posted November 30, 2023 26 minutes ago, Ron Burgundy said: Out of curiosity what's the reason for your visit? International arms dealer is my bet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ron Burgundy Posted November 30, 2023 Share Posted November 30, 2023 2 minutes ago, Tazio said: International arms dealer is my bet. Yeah he's keeping his cards close to his chest. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greedy Jambo Posted November 30, 2023 Share Posted November 30, 2023 (edited) . Edited November 30, 2023 by Greedy Jambo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim_Duncan Posted November 30, 2023 Author Share Posted November 30, 2023 9 minutes ago, Tazio said: International arms dealer is my bet. 6 minutes ago, Ron Burgundy said: Yeah he's keeping his cards close to his chest. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shooter McGavin Posted November 30, 2023 Share Posted November 30, 2023 Just Google it, mate. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim_Duncan Posted November 30, 2023 Author Share Posted November 30, 2023 53 minutes ago, Shooter McGavin said: Just Google it, mate. Google v The Shed with its resident experts on everything? Yeah, I know which one I prefer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
henrysmithsgloves Posted November 30, 2023 Share Posted November 30, 2023 1 minute ago, Jim_Duncan said: Google v The Shed with its resident experts on everything? Yeah, I know which one I prefer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobboM Posted November 30, 2023 Share Posted November 30, 2023 3 hours ago, Jim_Duncan said: Long story as to why I’ll be in that part of the world at that time, but the fun part is I’m going to travel from Almaty to Edinburgh overland (bar a quick hop from Western Kazakhstan to Armenia or Georgia as I can’t be hooped getting a visa for Russia in the current climate). Have done a few long distance rail trips in Europe and North America, so this is another excuse to see parts of the world I haven’t visited before and have some fun. Best part is not booking anything in advance except my hotel in Almaty. That way, no rush to make it anywhere and just go with the flow. Brilliant, I'm jealous! 🙂 I've wasted loads of time on the Seat61 website daydreaming about routes like that. Good luck and enjoy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim_Duncan Posted November 30, 2023 Author Share Posted November 30, 2023 15 minutes ago, RobboM said: Brilliant, I'm jealous! 🙂 I've wasted loads of time on the Seat61 website daydreaming about routes like that. Good luck and enjoy I’m with you. Been a fan of Seat 61 for years. Cheers. I’m lucky to be in a work position that allows me to take extended leave. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gordon Zola Posted November 30, 2023 Share Posted November 30, 2023 God Almaty Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
been here before Posted November 30, 2023 Share Posted November 30, 2023 3 hours ago, Jim_Duncan said: Google v The Shed with its resident experts on everything? Yeah, I know which one I prefer. Just bear in mind that no JKB collection of the Experts On Everything is complete until @Victorian pipes up. Until he's here there's always hope... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim_Duncan Posted November 30, 2023 Author Share Posted November 30, 2023 (edited) 32 minutes ago, been here before said: Just bear in mind that no JKB collection of the Experts On Everything is complete until @Victorian pipes up. Until he's here there's always hope... Like a woman on a sex swing, I await his input. Edited November 30, 2023 by Jim_Duncan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shooter McGavin Posted December 1, 2023 Share Posted December 1, 2023 17 hours ago, Jim_Duncan said: Google v The Shed with its resident experts on everything? Yeah, I know which one I prefer. True 😄 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greenbank2 Posted December 1, 2023 Share Posted December 1, 2023 I was there about 15 years ago. It was about the same time of year you are visiting. Very very cold which meant limited time wandering around outside. It may have changed, but at that time is was a pretty typical soviet style provincial city with wide open spaces (which in the summer are probably very green but when I went were freeze dried brown!), wide multi-lane roads and big monolithic concrete buildings. There were few "western" type shops/hotels/entertainment facilities. I stayed in the Intercontinental, one of the few chain hotels available at the time. Anything "western" was very expensive eg burger and chips, couple of beers in the hotel bar was the most expensive I had ever had at the time. It is a stunning setting though with spectacularly high mountains on 3 sides. I did get out into the foothills and went to a traditional Yurt type tent for dinner where you sat on the floor. I was asked "Ow do you like your Yers?" Every dish was then based on "Yers" which I then found out was horse. It was very good though. Horses are the mainstay of everything. People were very dour and not very communicative. As ever in the wild east, stay away from anyone in a uniform. It is easy to forget how far east you are with the chinese border only a couple of hours drive away. Do your research and plan your activities/trip taking a taxi to get around. I'm sure you'll have a great experience I'm glad I had the chance to visit, its a visa in your passport that not many others will have! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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