Shymbulak. Our Favourite Resort
What are the residents of Almaty proudest of? Where do we rush to at any opportunity, even while complaining that we can’t get there as often as we’d like to? What lures visitors back, time after time? It is, of course, the ski resort of Shymbulak.
When people say that those who live in Almaty don’t often go to Shymbulak, and that only visitors and tourists use the resort, they have to be joking. Local residents are just as enthusiastic about this legendary resort as the tourists are, and this year, with the season at its height, let’s look at some of the changes and improvements on offer.
The organisers of the a new snow park built in the Left Talgar Gorge are expecting to have the longest season they’ve ever had. Thanks to the weather conditions, the park opened in early December and, as it is located at an altitude of 3,200 metres, it can stay open until 12 May. This means we can celebrate not only a Christian and Orthodox Christmas, but also the May holidays, freestyling down the slopes.
Another new attraction at Shymbulak is the opening of the new bar/restaurant, Clouds, 3,200 metres above sea level. I can hardly wait to get up to that scenic terrace with its panoramic views to enjoy a cup of hot coffee, before setting off downhill through the fresh snow.
To make it easier to rent skis and equipment, the rental facilities have been expanded to cover 2,000 square metres, and all the equipment has been replaced. There are now more lockers available to store your skis and clothing, and more washrooms and shower cubicles have been installed.
Another new service has been introduced this season. Visitors to Shymbulak can now take advantage of a VIP package that provides a transfer from the Medeu car park to Shymbulak in top-of-the-range vehicles, access to the Mastercard lounge, rental of premium equipment and the services of an instructor. The package has various options and more information is available at the resort’s website shymbulak.com.
There is also a useful mobile app called Shymbulak Mountain Resort you can use to access realtime data, check webcams, and get information about the snow and weather forecasts and the condition of the ski runs. You can use the new app to make bookings and share your experiences with other users. If you subscribe to push notifications you will receive all the latest news and information about activities and discounts available at Shymbulak.
Overseas visitors will be interested in a package that includes accommodation with daily transfers to Shymbulak, and this is easy to book before you arrive in the country.
You can now book a tour on a snowcat, a special vehicle with caterpillar tracks used for grooming the slopes. The snowcat takes eight passengers and you can tour the slopes in a comfortable heated cabin with a speakerphone to allow you to talk to the driver. You can go up to the pass, 3,200 metres above sea level, see how the big machinery prepares the pistes for skiers and stop for lunch at one of the restaurants there.
One great advantage of Shymbulak is the length of its season, as by April, when spring has really hit the city, in the ski resort the ground is still covered with snow. Anyone can go and grab some winter fun just half an hour’s drive out of the city.
This year, the moguls’ World
Cup will be held at Shymbulak on 1 March, giving us the opportunity to watch the world’s best professional freestyle skiers compete against each other. Put this date in your diary so you don’t miss out on a stunning spectacle.
In the Gorilla Winter Jungle, skiers and snowboarders compete to perform the coolest manoeuvres while in the air and on the snow. This is not the first time this competition has been held here. It attracts many sportsmen from
Kazakhstan and abroad, and the public interest in this competition is growing every year. This spectacular event will take place in the snow park in the Left Talgar Gorge at the beginning of spring. More information is available at shymbulak.com.
And of course, even those Almaty residents who have never been to Shymbulak will certainly have heard about the high-spirited competitions called Red Bull Jump and Freeze. Taking a giant leap into a swimming pool in full ski gear, while surrounded by screaming fans cheering you on, loud music and a party atmosphere is not for the faint hearted. You may not feel up to entering yourself, but there is nothing to stop you joining the crowd and enjoying the show. So I look forward to seeing you in Shymbulak on 22 March.
Right now I’ve got to pack up my equipment because the season has started and I don’t want to miss the fun.