We're taking you to Almaty, Kazakhstan, where we attended the TBEX travel creators conference and explored the city and the Tian Shan mountains around it! We share some of the best highlights of Almaty, Kok Tobe, the Green Bazaar, Ayusai waterfall hike and Alma-Arasan hot springs, Shymbulak and the best Kazakh food - including horse meat! - we ate along the way.

Highlights of this Almaty episode:

• How to get to Almaty

• Where to stay in Almaty

• Where and what to eat in Kazakstan

• Sky Lounge & Vista at the Ritz-Carlton

• Kok Tobe: bob carts, Ferris wheel & eagle photoshoot

• Rakhat chocolate store

• Green Bazaar

• Panfilov Park & Zenkov (Ascension) Cathedral

• Arbat Street

• Le Petit Chef dinner experience

• Ayusai (Bear Valley) waterfall hike

• Alma-Arasan Gorge & Hot Springs

• TBEX conference & opening night party

• Color analysis

• Arasan Spa experience

• Arba Wine tasting 

• Shymbulak gondolas to Talgar Pass

Hotels in Almaty we recommend:

• Rahat Palace - where we stayed; big atrium, pool, hot tub, sauna & steam room 

• The Ritz-Carlton, Almaty - home of the Sky Lounge, Vista, and Le Petit Chef 

• InterContinental Almaty by IHG

• Holiday Inn Almaty 

Stay connected with an e-SIM from Gigsky or Airalo.

Check out our Kazakhstan Viator Experiences for all activities we recommend and even some we wanted to do but couldn't get to.

Find a great flight deal with Thrifty Traveler Premium's flight deals — including business class award redemptions. Use our promo code TSP to get $20 off your first year subscription.

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