Green Bazaar
Көк базар
Almaty's largest traditional market, with horse sausage, mare's milk, honey, dried fruit and Aport apples all in one place. It is a must-visit for experiencing Kazakh food.
The Green Bazaar (Kok Bazaar, completed in 1975) is located at the junction of Zhibek Zholy Avenue and Pushkin Street in the city center, next to Panfilov Park. It is a large two-story indoor market in the Soviet style. The ground floor is divided by product. In the meat section you can see whole Kazakh horse sausage (kazy), horse meat and lamb. The dairy section has kumys (fermented mare's milk), shubat (camel milk), kurt (dried milk balls) and homemade yogurt. The dried fruit section is piled high with Uzbek raisins, dried apricots, walnuts and pistachios, and vendors often offer generous samples. Honey, spices, and Korean-style salads (known locally as 'Koryo' dishes) are also specialties. In autumn, the large Aport apples famous in Almaty are available. On the second floor and around the market are food stalls serving plov, manty dumplings, shashlik kebabs and samsa pastries, at about 2,000 to 3,000 tenge per person.
Shopping tips: you can bargain 10 to 20 percent on dried fruit and honey. Vacuum-sealed horse sausage can be taken home, but note customs restrictions on meat products, so it is best to buy only dairy products and dried fruit. Getting there: a 5-minute walk from Zhibek Zholy metro station.
Visitor notes: ask vendors' permission before photographing inside the market. The produce is freshest between 9 a.m. and noon, and some stalls close after 4 p.m. Keep an eye on your belongings. The market is closed on Mondays.
Opening hours
Tue–Sun 08:00–19:00; closed Mondays
Nearby sights
- Park of 28 Panfilov Guardsmen
- Ascension Cathedral
- Arasan Baths
- Museum of Kazakh Folk Musical Instruments
- Almaty Central Mosque
- Abai Kazakh National Opera and Ballet Theatre
- Zhibek Zholy (Almaty Arbat)
- Central Park of Culture and Leisure (Gorky Park)