Kok Tobe
Көктөбе
A small hill 1,100 meters high on the southern edge of the city. A 6-minute cable car ride takes you to the top, where you will find a TV tower, a small amusement park and a Beatles statue. It is the best night view over Almaty and the snowy mountains.
Kok Tobe (Kazakh for 'green hill') rises to about 1,100 meters on the southeastern edge of the city. At the summit stands the 372-meter Almaty TV Tower, a city landmark, which is not open for climbing. A cable car from the lower station near the junction of Dostyk Avenue and Abai Avenue takes about 6 minutes to reach the top. A round-trip ticket costs about 4,000 to 5,000 tenge, and you can see the whole city on the way up. The summit is a small park and amusement area with a viewing platform (north over the city and steppe, south toward the snow-capped Outer Ili Alatau), the only Beatles quartet statue in the CIS, a small zoo, the Fast Coaster mountain roller coaster, a carousel, restaurants and cafés, and a 'lovers' wishing tree.
The evening is the best time to visit. First watch the snowy peaks turn gold, then wait for the city lights to come on. Getting there: the lower cable car station can be reached on foot from the city center or by bus to Dostyk Avenue. You can also drive or take a taxi up the switchback road to the summit (about 2,000 tenge), where there is a parking lot.
Visitor notes: the cable car stops in high winds. Queues are long on weekend and holiday evenings. Restaurant prices on the summit are high. Rides in the park are charged separately. In winter, the summit is very windy, so dress warmly.
Opening hours
Cable car 10:00–24:00 (from 13:00 on Mondays)
Nearby sights
- Central State Museum of Kazakhstan
- Central Park of Culture and Leisure (Gorky Park)
- Republic Square & Independence Monument
- Museum of Kazakh Folk Musical Instruments
- Park of 28 Panfilov Guardsmen
- Ascension Cathedral
- Abai Kazakh National Opera and Ballet Theatre
- Green Bazaar