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Clouds rise over the snowy Talgar Pass slopes and chairlift at Shymbulak, above Almaty.
Explore / Shymbulak / Food & Après-ski

SHYMBULAK

📍Almaty, Almaty Region, Kazakhstan

🏞️ Scenic Cruiser💎 Hidden Gem🟢 Beginner Friendly🤙 Local's FavoriteIndependent☀️ Year-round destination

Photo: Matti Blume · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Photo details

⬇️
Vertical drop
3,018 ft*
🗻
Skiable terrain
100 acres*
❄️
Avg snowfall
60 in*
🚡
Lifts
8*
⭐

Editor's Pick

For a Kazakh dinner after skiing, head to Tarih on Abylai Khan Avenue in Almaty. At the resort, Chalet Shymbulak offers a warm place for a sit-down meal.

THE FOOD SCENE

Compare the picks below by cuisine, setting and location. Each venue’s page has its current menu and service arrangements.

DINING PICKS

4 curated spots for eating and drinking at Shymbulak

Location:
Vibe:

On-Mountain Dining

On-Mountain

1 pick

Summit restaurant and hot drinks

ŞYŃ32

Combi-2 upper station, Shymbulak

🌯Quick Bite🏞️Views

ŞYŃ32 serves hot drinks, soups and burgers at the top of Combi-2. At 3,200 metres, it is a natural stop between runs or on a sightseeing ride.

Why We Like It

Check the upper lifts and last descent before coming up for lunch. The Medeu gondola alone does not take you this far.

Sources & planning details

Checked: identity, location, cuisine type, description, recommendation details, website.

Supporting source ↗ · checked 2026-10-31

Visit website

Base Area

1 pick

Local mountain-resort cooking

Chalet Shymbulak

Shymbulak mountain resort, above Medeu

🍔Casual👨‍👩‍👧‍👦Family Friendly

Chalet Shymbulak is a family-owned restaurant at the ski resort with local cooking, timber interiors and fireplaces.

Why We Like It

Plan a sit-down meal here on the resort side of the Medeu cableway, with mountain views and somewhere warm to linger.

Sources & planning details

Checked: identity, location, cuisine type, description, recommendation details, website.

Supporting source ↗ · checked 2026-10-31

Visit website

In Town

2 picks

$$$Earlier budget guideCentral Asian chaikhana

NAVAT Chaikhana

48 Dostyk Avenue, Almaty

🍔Casual🍲Traditional

NAVAT is a Central Asian chaikhana with several Almaty addresses. The Dostyk Avenue branch is a useful city meal after returning from the mountain.

Why We Like It

Choose the branch near your lodging and settle in for tea and a shared meal in town.

Reservations recommended
Earlier guide details

Earlier menu idea: Festive plov with lamb, quince, and chickpeas. Choose from the restaurant’s current menu when you visit.

Sources & planning details

Checked: identity, location, cuisine type, description, recommendation details, website.

Without current field-level confirmation: price guide, dish recommendation.

Supporting source ↗ · checked 2026-10-31

Visit website
Contemporary Kazakh cooking

Tarih Restaurant

10 Abylai Khan Avenue, Almaty

🍲Traditional💑Date Night

Tarih serves modern interpretations of traditional Kazakh dishes on Abylai Khan Avenue in Almaty.

Why We Like It

A good city dinner for anyone interested in how local chefs reinterpret familiar Kazakh recipes.

Sources & planning details

Checked: identity, location, cuisine type, description, recommendation details, website.

Supporting source ↗ · checked 2026-10-31

Visit website
💡

Plan your meal

Check whether your chosen venue takes reservations or uses a walk-in waitlist. For mountain dining, plan around lift access and service times.

Sources & planning context

Historical planning figures · Figures marked * come from earlier references and may differ from current resort figures.

Other names · Chimbulak, Shymbulak Mountain Resort

Use the picks for atmosphere, cuisine and location; the restaurant’s own page has current menus and service times.

Typically mid November to mid April

A broad planning range from the historical guide, conditions permitting. Use the operator’s schedule for your travel dates.

Official schedules & conditions ↗
Schedule source ↗Official resort ↗
Official website
https://shymbulak.com/en/
Source ↗ · Oct 21, 2026
Summer and winter destination
Yes
Source ↗ · Oct 25, 2026
Beyond winter
Summer walking, mountain hiking and horse riding.
Source ↗ · Oct 25, 2026

Historical mountain figures awaiting field-level confirmation: Vertical drop (ft), Skiable area (acres), Lifts, Runs, Reported average snowfall (in), Base elevation (ft), Summit elevation (ft), Longest run (mi).

Individual listings retain their own sources and check dates. A source check covers only the named details; it does not confirm availability. Snowfall averages describe climate, not a forecast.

Visit Almaty | Medeu and Shymbulak ↗City bus 12 from Dostyk Avenue reaches Medeu. Upper road access is restricted and the gondola serves the ski resort. · Checked Oct 31, 2026. This check covers these details only.

Shymbulak | Cableway routes ↗The Medeu gondola reaches the resort base. Combi-1 and Combi-2 continue to the station at 3,200 m. · Checked Oct 31, 2026. This check covers these details only.

Almaty city | Medeu reconstruction ↗The Medeu ice rink is under reconstruction with completion planned for the fourth quarter of 2027. · Checked Oct 31, 2026. This check covers these details only.

Republic of Kazakhstan | Country information ↗All Kazakhstan has used UTC+5 since March 2024. · Checked Oct 31, 2026. This check covers these details only.

Shymbulak | 2026 winter update ↗Winter start and end dates depend on conditions. · Checked Oct 27, 2026. This check covers these details only.

The Ritz-Carlton, Almaty | Almaty Business District Luxury Hotel ↗The Almaty business-district hotel lists rooms and suites, restaurants, a fitness center, indoor pool, hot tub and complimentary Wi-Fi. · Checked Oct 27, 2026. This check covers these details only.

Shymbulak Resort Hotel & Spa ↗Operator locates the hotel near the Medeu–Shymbulak gondola’s mountain arrival and Combi-1, lists standard twin/double rooms, a sauna and a pool. · Checked Oct 31, 2026. This check covers these details only.

IHG · InterContinental Almaty ↗Central Almaty hotel with classic rooms, suites, mountain-view room choices, several restaurants, swimming pool and spa. · Checked Oct 31, 2026. This check covers these details only.

Hotel Kazakhstan · Almaty ↗Landmark hotel opened in 1977 on Dostyk Avenue, with a distinctive golden crown, city views and a restaurant on the 26th floor. · Checked Oct 31, 2026. This check covers these details only.

Almaty Backpackers · property booking listing ↗The property-specific reservation listing names the hostel at 22 Markov Street and shows bunk rooms and a kitchen. No ski transfer or guide service established. · Checked Oct 31, 2026. This check covers these details only.

Shymbulak Ski and Snowboard School ↗The resort school lists ski and snowboard instructors. Its booking instructions direct group students to register in person. · Checked Oct 31, 2026. This check covers these details only.

Shymbulak individual lesson booking ↗The individual lesson form lets guests choose their discipline and lesson. The operator gives a contact for booking questions. · Checked Oct 31, 2026. This check covers these details only.

Ski Touring Kazakhstan freeride guiding ↗The operator describes lift-accessed freeride and sidecountry outings around Almaty, including Shymbulak, and takes direct enquiries. · Checked Oct 31, 2026. This check covers these details only.

Shymbulak winter rental location ↗The lift operator identifies Medeu as the main ski-equipment rental and locker location below the Medeu–Shymbulak gondola. · Checked Oct 31, 2026. This check covers these details only.

Chalet Shymbulak | About the restaurant ↗Family-owned restaurant at Shymbulak mountain resort serving local cuisine in a wood-lined room with fireplaces and mountain views. · Checked Oct 31, 2026. This check covers these details only.

abr | ŞYŃ32 ↗The operator places the restaurant at Combi-2 at 3,200 metres and describes soups, burgers and hot drinks. · Checked Oct 31, 2026. This check covers these details only.

NAVAT | Almaty chaikhana branches ↗The operator lists Almaty branches including 48 Dostyk Avenue, serving the chain’s Central Asian chaikhana menu. · Checked Oct 31, 2026. This check covers these details only.

Visit Almaty | Gastro guide ↗The city destination directory places Tarih Restaurant at 10 Abylai Khan Avenue and describes contemporary preparations of traditional Kazakh food. · Checked Oct 31, 2026. This check covers these details only.

  • Shymbulak Winter Season 2026–2027 ↗

    October 1, 2026 announcement states exact opening and closing dates will depend on weather and slope conditions; no dates are specified.

  • About Shymbulak ↗

    Summer walking, mountain hiking and horse riding.

SEE YOU UP THERE.

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