Experience in Almaty, Kazakhstan by Altynai

What is it like to live in Almaty? Would you recommend it? What is the city like?

Almaty is a sunny, immersed in the green city with wide streets, beautiful buildings, numerous parks, gardens and fountains. Magnificent city at the foot of the emerald ridges of the Tien Shan is called «garden city».

What is the student lifestyle like in Almaty?

A lot of students come to Almaty from different countries and cities. In Almaty a lot of foreign students. Your student lifestyle will completely depend on the university you are in and students around. Most of the students have entertaing and interesting lifestyle.

How much does it cost to live in Almaty?

In Kazakhstan, Almaty you will find it not difficult to find friends among locals and even practise your Russian. And YES, the cost of living especially in Almaty,Astana is VERY EXPENSIVE:(though if you are really adventurous and open-minded you will gain a lot more.

Is it difficult to find accommodation in Almaty? Is there any advice you can give?

It is not a prolemb to find accomodation. You can rent a flat or live the in shared flat with other student. For the first time you can live in the hotel. There a lot of wide range hotels in Almaty, everything depends on money.

What is the food like? What are your favourite dishes?

Don't be afraid to try the local foods. Our food is very meat-based. Ethnic Kazakhs were traditionally nomadic roaming the steppe with their livestock; vegetables were hard to come by so horsemeat, camel meat and mutton made up the bulk of the nomad’s diet. Kazy, horsemeat sausage, remains a favorite and the national dish is besbarmak, consisting of meat and strips of pasta with the broth drunk separately. The name means “five fingers” and refers to the way the dish was traditionally eaten. Kumis, a mildly alcoholic drink of fermented mare's milk, is a traditional tipple, but nowadays beer, vodka and wine are just as likely to be drunk with a meal.Personally, I am keen on fish and sushi. You can find different cousines like Kazakh, European, Russian,Italian, French, Chinese, Korean in various parts of the city. Also, don't be afraid to explore your surroundings. You can learn a lot just by walking and observing.

What places would you recommend visiting in Almaty?

There are a plenty of attracting sights for visitors and guests in Almaty. You will never be short of things to do and see in Kazakhstan. Almaty has the Zailisky Alatau mountain range on its doorstep which offers winter sports such as skiing and snowboarding at the resort of Shymbulak and outdoor ice-skating at Medeu stadium. These mountains are also great in the summer months for trekking and climbing.

The nearby Kapshagay reservoir has sandy beaches and safe swimming. It has been chosen as the site for the Kazakh version of Las Vegas as the casinos are moved out of the main cities. Five hours’ drive from Almaty is Sharyn Canyon, which rivals the Grand Canyon in its beauty, and the singing sand dunes in the Altyn-Emel national park are an unusual attraction.
Besides, there are a lot of museums, parks,cinemas,theatres etc. F.eg large collections of the Central State Museum of Kazakhstan and the Museum of Fine Arts Kasteev attracts a lot of visitors. The Museum of Kazakh folk instruments represents unique and large collection of national instruments. There is a lot of gold and precious metals jewelry in the museum of the history of Kazakhstan. Almaty city also has many art galleries.

Is it good to eat out in Almaty? Can you tell us your favourite spots?

Almaty’s restaurant scene has kept pace with a slew of new establishments designed to meet the ethnic, traditional, fusion and casual dining preferences of it visitors. You can find great Italian, Korean and Chinese food in Almaty along with a strong selection of Indian and traditional Central Asian cuisine. The restaurants also vary greatly in price with everything for Sushi for a few dollars to exquisite French cuisine served on silver platters beneath elaborate chandeliers. Personnaly, I like Manga sushi, KFC, Hardees.

Is the nightlife good in Almaty? Where is good to go?

Club is most popular place. You can find fun music, good-looking people and lots of liquor at any of these night-time party spots. I suggest you Esperanza:popular with Turkish men and hookers, but there is also another Almaty audience that seems to enjoy it. Would not go there as a woman, though.0:33Burst onto the scene, but seems to now attract less people every weekend. Remains a popular place for students.Faberge Like 0:33, some say Faberge is great and they adore the music, others are annoyed for some reason or another.

What advice would you give future students heading to Almaty?

I would be a good experience for you, don't worry here you'll find hospitable, sociable friends, which help you in every situation.