ASTANA – Kazakh Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov announced plans for the large-scale development of the Almaty mountain cluster at a July 15 press conference. The project covers several areas: expansion of existing resorts and new tourist zones.
Mountain lake in the Almaty Region. Photo credit: Dmitry Pichugin.
“The Almaty mountains are our great wealth and asset. There are only a few places in the world with such beautiful mountains and such snow for skiing. Not using this potential is simply an unaffordable luxury. Therefore, we will develop the Almaty mountain cluster. Currently, we only have such a high level of infrastructure at Shymbulak, which is limited in the length of its trails, meaning the capacity to accommodate tourists is restricted,” he said.
Bektenov emphasized that a large program has already been adopted to expand the Almaty cluster. He explained that the expansion would begin from the Talgar side, including areas such as Oy-Karagay, Butakovka, Pionerskoye Gorge, and Kimasar, followed by the development of Shymbulak and the area towards Kaskelen, reported the Prime Minister’s press service.
It is planned to build a modern ski and tourist infrastructure, including hiking trails, cable cars and service facilities.
Bektenov noted that the construction of a modern ski infrastructure in the Kok-Zhailau tract will begin this year. The project will be carried out in an open and transparent manner, with particular emphasis on upholding high environmental safety standards.
