(2) August 2025 Central Asia 🇰🇿 Kazakhstan - Walking up Kok Tobe Hill -
August 2025 Exchange Rate: 100 KZT Tenge = 30 JPY
(There are many currency exchange offices in the city with good rates. Credit cards are generally accepted in many places.)
After eating breakfast at the hotel, we started from the RIXOS HOTEL (in the center of Almaty, near the Ascension Cathedral)!
From the center of Almaty, you can takebus route 99 or 95directly to the foot of Kok Tobe.
1️⃣ What kind of place is Kok-Tobe Park?
・1130 meters above sea level
・Means "Blue Hill"
At the top, there is a small amusement park, a monument typical of Almaty, and an observation deck.
In the past, this area was called "Verigina Mountain." This name comes from a wealthy merchant who built a house at the foot of the mountain.
・In the 1960s, Almaty's leaders decided to turn this hill into a park, and infrastructure development began.
・In 1965, the mountain station at the foot of the ropeway was completed.
・In 1967, construction was finished. A grand opening ceremony for Kok-Tobe Park was held.
・This ropeway was the first in Central Asia!
It was designed and built together with engineers from Georgia.
The cable car ride takes 6 minutes, is 1620m long, and has an elevation difference of about 250m.
2️⃣ How to climb Kok Tobe Hill by bus + walking
You can go up to the top of Kok Tobe by ropeway or on foot!
Whether you come by taxi or bus, you will walk up 1.8km (20 minutes) from the plaza at the foot of the hill. The path is concrete, not a mountain trail, so it is easy to walk on, though there are stairs at the end.
First, take a bus from the city to the foot of the hill.
🚌 You can take bus route 99 or 95 directly from the city to the foot of the hill.
There is a Tourist Information Center and a restroom at the foot of the hill, and the bus stop is right across from them.
It is a plaza, and you will know it immediately because several buses are parked there.
You will arrive here on bus route 99 or 95.
From here, you will climb the hiking course; it is a gentle and pleasant walk.
🚌 Bus route
Take route 99 or 95 directly from the city to this plaza at the foot of the hill.
The fare is a flat 200 Tenge (70 JPY).
By the way, as I will mention later, the ropeway costs 2200 JPY round trip.
You can also see the Almaty TV Tower.
A 387m free-standing steel pipe structure!
Looking back after starting to climb the slope.
The information center is on the right, and the bus stop is across from it.
Please check on Google Maps ☺️
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It says "Healthy Pass"!
We climb while following signs like this; it is a single path, so you won't get lost.
The view is great on the way! ☀️
You can overlook the snow-covered mountains of the Trans-Ili Alatau range.
It is important for children to feel those
simple and genuine questionslike "Why are the mountains white?" or "Why is there snow even though it's summer?" themselves.That's why I love slow travel ❤️
Climbing the hiking course is fine, but be careful if you are not good with stairs.
There was no detour to avoid the stairs.
There is a small observation deck here where you can take a break.
Hello there! The kids climbed up energetically, and I ended up having to chase after them... The summit feels great.
Since we arrived first thing at 9:30 AM, there were still few people, but after 10:00 AM, the number of tour groups increased. It's the off-season, but it's definitely a popular spot!
It's also nice to come here to watch the sunset or the night view ⭐️
The building on the left in the photo is the top of the ropeway station.
Ticket office attached.
As expected of Almaty, the city of apples 🍎
☕️ It's a cafe.
They have ice cream, cookies, drinks, etc.
The restroom was relatively clean.
Ice cream is 750 KGS.
(Actually, I'm afraid of ropeways and I'm not good with them...)
I enjoyed hiking and went back down the same route.
This is the Information Center; it was closed.
The bus stop is across the street.
3️⃣ Kok Tobe Hill: Latest Ropeway Fares and How to Climb
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🚡 Google Maps: Ropeway station.
About a 15-minute walk from Abay subway station, or a 5-minute walk from the nearest bus stop.
⭐️ August 2025 Kok Tobe Hill Ropeway Fares
They have been aggressively raising prices for the past few years. Considering the local standard of living, it's too expensive... But of course, it's fast, and although there's no air conditioning, you arrive in 6 minutes~
🚡 Ropeway: Adult round trip 8000₸ (2200 yen), one way 4500₸ (1300 yen)
Child (6-12 years old) round trip 4000₸, one way 3000₸
Credit cards accepted.
You can use the ropeway only for the ascent, and walk + take a local bus for the descent!
I'm pretty sure it was 6000₸ for an adult round trip last year... Will it go up again next year...?
From around 2013 to 2018, it was 2000 tenge for an adult round trip, and there were no price hikes for several years...
It's located a bit back from the main street.
But you can see the ropeway from far away, so you'll know it right away!
August 2025 Kok Tobe Hill ropeway price list
Walking from around the ropeway area to the nearest subway station.
Both children and adults are enjoying soft-serve ice cream; it's melting quickly in the heat... I'd love to have some refreshing shaved ice...
Along the way, there are cute cafes and restaurants lined up along the river, perfect for lunchtime♡
Nearby, there is the Dostyk Plaza shopping mall, the 6m-tall Independence Monument (Golden Statue), and the Central State Museum of Kazakhstan.
Almaty city with pleasant dappled sunlight
3️⃣ Almaty City: Trying out the subway
There is only one line (Line A), and it's not really necessary for today's travel; in fact, the local bus network is more comprehensive and convenient, but since I'm here, I'll explore the subway!
Opening date: December 1, 2011
Train interval: 10-12 minutes
・Basically stairs only!
・X-ray inspection of luggage before the ticket gate!
Subway fare: Flat rate
・VISA touch payment available (with discount)
・Cash or credit card payment available at the counter: 200 KZT Tenge
Just receive the token (blue coin) and insert it into the gate!
It happened in an instant and the token was sucked in, so I couldn't take a photo (lol)
・ONAY card: A card like Japan's SUICA. Discounts available
This is the closest station to Kok Tobe, Abai Station
. It is named after the great Kazakh writer Abai Qunanbaiuly.
Ⓜ️ Easy-to-find subway entrance: Abai Station
This is the closest subway station to Kok Tobe.
Ⓜ️ Abai Station; since it's on a main street, there are several entrances.
The entrances were stairs only!! There are attachable escalators for wheelchairs.
It seems difficult if you have a stroller or suitcase.
Ⓜ️ The subway is 70m deep, and this Abai Station is the deepest one.
A terrifying escalator that feels like an attraction!!
I'm not good with these things... I was walking timidly.
Ⓜ️ Abai Station subway interior
The station is decorated with a large mural of Mr. Abai.
There were quite a lot of locals using it.
A clean station without a single piece of trash, and there is security.
Trains run about every 10 minutes.
Ⓜ️ Almaly Station: The walls are also beautiful✨
Popular tourist spots like Panfilov Street, the Abai Opera and Ballet Theatre, and Astana Square are nearby. You can see beautiful stained glass on the platform.
Ⓜ️ Line A. There's only one! For now.
Extension work is ongoing, and more stations are being added.
The main street in front of Abay station.
🌺 Greenery and flowers are beautifully maintained all over the city.
Returning to the RIXOS HOTEL for a break.
While playing in the pool and my child takes a little nap...
I'm opening my PC to get some work done!
I work as an 'Entrepreneurship x Overseas Relocation Coach,' and today I have a group session with my students in Japan ☺️
I can work like this from anywhere in the world whenever I want, and I want all my students to step up and make their dreams come true too! They absolutely can.
Well, my child woke up right as I finished work, so we're going for a night walk to get some dinner.
4️⃣ Arbat Almaty pedestrian paradise light-up.
I was just talking to a student about Kazakhstan, and they asked, 'You're staying at a 5-star hotel, but you take the 70-yen local bus? ...The gap is huge! By the way, why don't you hire a private car?'But...
Hmm, sometimes I do. If it's necessary.
Is it that strange for someone with an 8-figure annual income to ride a local bus??
I'm not always living a glamorous life every day (lol).
Also, I don't want to spoil my child unnecessarily.
I don't want a 'trip' where I just see photo spots by car, and I'm not pressed for time, so I choose to walk and take the local bus!
When you walk, you can see the city and the people better, and I love the interesting discoveries from a child's perspective! That's why I love traveling, I love walking trips, and I love traveling like I'm living there 🩷
Experiences are priceless ✨
30-minute walk from the hotel to the downtown area.
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It's a weekday, but there are many people. Including children.
It's hot during the day in summer, so it seems they play and go out at night.
Cotton candy, mojitos, ice cream, and street stalls are lined up.
There are so many sweets, I wonder if everyone will get cavities.
None of my business, though...
The fountain wasn't running.
Eating kebabs while walking through this lively pedestrian paradise feels like a summer festival.
We took a YandexGo back quickly.
After a good night's sleep, tomorrow we will continue sightseeing in Almaty 🍏