Some 69km east of Almaty, the main road into the settlement of Esik/Issyk is lined with a dozen or so Saka burial mounds dating back to the early Iron Age period. This is where Kazakhstan's most significant archaeological find – the Golden Man – was unearthed, and though the intricate jewellery, gold suit and headdress from the kurgan (burial mound) now reside in Nur-Sultan, the excellent museum lets you admire copies of the exquisite finds. Frequent marshrutkas run from Almaty (400T, 45 minutes).
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
25.82 MILES
Almaty’s best museum takes you through Kazakhstan’s history from Bronze Age burials and nomadic culture to WWII sacrifices, telecommunications and the…
24.68 MILES
This 1100m hill on the city’s southeast edge is crowned by a 372m-high TV tower visible from far and wide, and affords great views over the city and the…
27.3 MILES
This is the best art collection in the country, with Kazakh, Russian and some Western European art and a room of top-class modern Kazakh handicrafts, with…
8.83 MILES
Part of the Ile-Alatau National Park and located 70km east of Almaty, this beautiful, densely forested gorge, carved out of rock by the whitewater of…
Kazakh Museum of Folk Musical Instruments
24.99 MILES
In a striking 1908 wooden building (designed by cathedral architect Zenkov) at the east end of Panfilov Park, the city’s most original museum is a must…
25.18 MILES
This large and attractive rectangle of greenery is one of central Almaty's most popular strolling and hangout places for all ages. At its heart stands the…
26.01 MILES
This broad, Soviet-created ceremonial square provides a panoramic view of the snowcapped mountains on a clear morning and is surrounded by several…
25 MILES
This large, two-level market has a true flavour of Central Asia, and is worth putting on your itinerary even if you're not really food shopping. It's been…
Nearby Kazakhstan attractions
8.83 MILES
Part of the Ile-Alatau National Park and located 70km east of Almaty, this beautiful, densely forested gorge, carved out of rock by the whitewater of…
24.51 MILES
Central Almaty’s biggest recreational park is a somewhat untidy place whose boating lakes, funfair rides, pony rides, a waterpark, rather sad zoo, cinema,…
24.68 MILES
This 1100m hill on the city’s southeast edge is crowned by a 372m-high TV tower visible from far and wide, and affords great views over the city and the…
4. Kazakh Museum of Folk Musical Instruments
24.99 MILES
In a striking 1908 wooden building (designed by cathedral architect Zenkov) at the east end of Panfilov Park, the city’s most original museum is a must…
25 MILES
This large, two-level market has a true flavour of Central Asia, and is worth putting on your itinerary even if you're not really food shopping. It's been…
25 MILES
Almaty’s multitowered, gold-domed, white-marble central mosque, built in 1999, is one of the largest in the country, with space for 3000 worshippers in…
25.08 MILES
This dramatic socialist-realism memorial in Panfilov Park depicts soldiers from all 15 Soviet republics bursting out of a map of the USSR. An eternal…
25.18 MILES
This large and attractive rectangle of greenery is one of central Almaty's most popular strolling and hangout places for all ages. At its heart stands the…