Central Gorky Park

Address: Eastern end of Gogol Street, Almaty

Phone:  + 7 (727) 91 37 19

Timings: 10 am to 5 pm, all days of the week

Tickets: 20 KZT
Go straight all the way east (walk, drive, or take the bus – bus # 65, 94, & 166, and trolleybus # 1 & 12) till Gogol Street ends, and you come to the grand entrance of the Gorky Park.
This is the largest park in the city. It contains quite a lot of entertainment for one evening – you will have to spend at least a couple of days here to fully take in all the experiences the park has to offer! Walking pathways lined with beautiful seasonal flowerbeds, serene boating lakes, a water-park complex with slides and tube-slides, and, to the south, a large amusement park with themed rides, carousels and other fun stuff for kids and adults alike.
Gorky Park also houses, to the east, a zoo containing some 4000 animals, including some of Kazakhstan’s most endangered species like the black stork, the pink pelican, and the striped hyena.
The park contains numerous eating/resting spots – try some soup or coffee on a winter evening, and a cool soda or ice cream on a summer afternoon.
Sundays and holidays are usually crowded – go on a weekday to avoid noise and commotion if you are not a people person. Otherwise, it provides a great opportunity to practice your social anthropology skills!