1 destination · 9 things to do

Kazakhstan

Almaty is Central Asia's mountain city, a green grid of Soviet-era avenues, wooden churches and bustling bazaars pressed against the snowy wall of the Zailiysky Alatau. This guide books it properly: the Kok-Tobe cable car for the best evening view, the Medeu gondola up to Shymbulak, Big Almaty Lake's glacial turquoise, Zenkov Cathedral's nail-free timber domes in Panfilov Park and the Green Bazaar's dried apricots and spices, plus the big day trips to Charyn Canyon's Valley of Castles and the Kolsai Lakes. It is written for the cold, clear days of November, with honest notes on what is closed or changed, from the Medeu rink under reconstruction to vehicle limits on the road to the lake. Then it matches you to a hotel, from the skyline luxury of the Ritz-Carlton to a value four-star with a pool, because in a city this spread out, where you sleep decides how much time you spend in taxis.