Comparison · Kazakhstan
Almaty vs Tashkent: Which Is Better for a First Trip?
Almaty adds mountains, lakes and a canyon to a city break; Tashkent has a Silk Road old town, bazaar and metro. Who each suits, airports, days and weather.
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The short answer
Almaty is a city in southeastern Kazakhstan, set beneath the Ile Alatau range of the Tian Shan. Walk the centre around Panfilov Park, Zenkov Cathedral and the Green Bazaar, then head up to Medeu and Shymbulak, Big Almaty Lake or Charyn Canyon.
Tashkent is the capital of Uzbekistan and the largest city in Central Asia, a 2,200-year-old Silk Road city. The Khazrati Imam complex and Chorsu Bazaar in the old town, a metro where every station has its own design, and plenty of museums are all in one city.
Who it suits: Almaty is for travellers who want mountains, lakes and canyons alongside a city break, and in winter maybe skiing at Shymbulak. Tashkent is for those who want Silk Road sights, markets and museums on a short trip, and perhaps to continue by high-speed train to Samarkand and Bukhara.
From the airport to the city
According to Almaty International Airport (ALA), the bus stop is right in front of the terminal as you leave the arrivals hall. The city has said route 92 links the airport and the city, but routes, timetables and fares can change, so check officially. For a taxi, use the official taxi counter or the official taxi rank. Korea's consulate in Almaty warns that unlicensed private drivers touting at the airport sometimes charge excessive fares.
Tashkent International Airport (TAS) is in Tashkent's Sergeli district. Check city bus route numbers and hours locally. According to Tashkent Metro, both the metro and buses accept the ATTO transport card or contactless bank cards, at UZS 1,700 per ride. For taxis, Uzbekistan's national tourism site advises using official taxi apps to avoid overpricing.
- Almaty: bus stop in front of the terminal (route 92; check routes and fares officially), official airport taxi counter and rank
- Tashkent: city buses UZS 1,700 per ride (ATTO transport card or contactless bank card); taxis via official taxi apps
- Tashkent airport has currency exchange, ATMs and SIM card sales in the second-floor check-in area
How many days, and getting around
The guides suggest 4 to 5 days for Almaty, including a day trip, and 2 to 3 nights for Tashkent. In Almaty, that means two days in the city, a day for Medeu and Shymbulak, and a day for Charyn Canyon or Big Almaty Lake; in Tashkent, a day for the old town and a day for museums and the city centre.
The Almaty Metro runs from 6:20 am to midnight, according to the operator, and a ride costs about KZT 120, paid with a smart token, an Onay transport card, or a bank card at station terminals. Arbat, Panfilov Park and the Green Bazaar are easy to explore on foot, and nature sights outside the city are usually reached by hired car or tour vehicle.
The Tashkent Metro opened in 1977 as the first metro in Central Asia and officially runs daily from 05:00 to 00:00. A ride is UZS 1,700 with an ATTO transport card or a contactless bank card; with cash, buy a one-ride QR ticket (UZS 3,000) at a station ticket office. For the high-speed Afrosiyob to Samarkand and Bukhara, book early on the Uzbekistan Railways site.
- Almaty daily budget: about KZT 25,000-35,000 per day (guesthouse, local food, metro and buses)
- Almaty daily budget: about KZT 50,000-80,000 per day (mid-range hotel, restaurants, taxis; cable cars and tours extra)
- Almaty daily budget: about KZT 150,000+ per day (upscale hotel, car hire, guide)
- Tashkent: UZS 1,700 per metro or bus ride, UZS 3,000 for a cash QR ticket. Hotel and food costs vary by date; check booking sites
What to do in Almaty: city walks, mountains, a lake and a canyon
In the centre, the Arbat pedestrian street (Zhibek Zholy Street), Panfilov Park and the Green Bazaar are close together. Panfilov Park is home to the wooden Zenkov Cathedral, opened in 1907, and the Green Bazaar (Kok Bazaar), more than a hundred years old, is a good place to browse and taste local food. It's busy, so watch your belongings.
A cable car from the lower station on Dostyk Avenue climbs to Kok Tobe, a hilltop park at about 1,100 m whose viewing deck looks over the whole city, best around sunset. The Central State Museum has a golden hall and galleries on ancient and medieval Kazakh history.
Almaty's strength is how close the mountains are. Medeu is a high-altitude outdoor skating rink at 1,691 m, and a cable car climbs from there to Shymbulak at about 2,260 m. Big Almaty Lake in Ile-Alatau National Park changes colour with the season and weather (it supplies the city's drinking water, so swimming is forbidden). Charyn Canyon, about 200 km east, is famous for the Valley of Castles; plan a full day. Check cable car operations and park entry conditions officially.
For food, try beshbarmak (boiled meat with wide handmade noodles), kazy (horse-meat sausage) and baursak (fried bread).
What to do in Tashkent: the old town, Chorsu Bazaar and metro stations
In the old town (Eski Shahar), the Khazrati Imam complex survived the 1966 earthquake, and the 7th-century 'Quran of Osman' manuscript is kept in the library of the Muyi Muborak Madrasah. Chorsu Bazaar formed around the 10th century where four trading streets met; the food pavilion under the blue dome sells dried fruit, spices and dairy products, and ceramics, national clothing and other souvenirs are plentiful. The 16th-century Kukeldash Madrasah and Gulbozor tourist street are a couple of minutes away on foot.
In the city centre, the State Museum of Temurids History stands next to Amir Temur Square, and the State Museum of History of Uzbekistan and the State Museum of Applied Arts are also worth a visit. The metro, where every station has its own mosaics and patterns, is called an 'underground art gallery', and in the evening you can stroll Taras Shevchenko Street, an official 'gastronomic street'.
For food, try plov, added to UNESCO's Intangible Cultural Heritage list in 2016, samsa baked in a tandir, hand-pulled lagman noodles and steamed manti. At mosques, avoid shorts, T-shirts and skirts, and women should cover their heads.
Weather by month
The figures below are normals from the Almaty station (Almaty OGMS), source: Kazhydromet (National Hydrometeorological Service of Kazakhstan) submission · WMO normals collection (NOAA NCEI), and from the Tashkent station, source: Uzhydromet (Hydrometeorological Service of Uzbekistan) submission · WMO normals collection (NOAA NCEI). Both cover 1991–2020, so we compare the same months.
Kazakhstan's official tourism portal presents Almaty as a year-round destination and highlights autumn, with its colourful leaves, as a lovely season for evening walks, while Uzbekistan's national tourism site calls spring and autumn the 'velvet season'. If you're choosing between the two, autumn suits both: the average October high is 17°C in Almaty and 22°C in Tashkent.
Summer is hotter in Tashkent: the average July high is 36°C there and 31°C in Almaty, and from around 20 June to early August comes 'chillya', Tashkent's 40 hottest days, so avoid midday walks and carry water and a hat. In winter, the average January low is -8°C in Almaty and -1°C in Tashkent. Almaty's rainfall peaks in April at 112 mm, the most of the year, while Tashkent gets 2-5 mm a month from July to September. Weather changes quickly in Almaty's mountains, so pack a layer even in summer.
- January: Almaty high 1°C, low -8°C, 35 mm / Tashkent high 7°C, low -1°C, 55 mm
- April: Almaty high 18°C, low 7°C, 112 mm / Tashkent high 22°C, low 10°C, 63 mm
- July: Almaty high 31°C, low 19°C, 43 mm / Tashkent high 36°C, low 20°C, 3 mm
- October: Almaty high 17°C, low 5°C, 50 mm / Tashkent high 22°C, low 8°C, 24 mm
How to choose, and what to check before you go
If you want city walks plus mountains, a lake and a canyon over 4 to 5 days, choose Almaty; if you want Silk Road sights, markets and museums in 2 to 3 nights, choose Tashkent. For the spring holiday, Tashkent's Navruz falls on 21 March every year, while for Almaty's Nauryz, check official dates.
If you plan to visit both cities on one trip, check the official information on travel between them before you go. Check the official information on entry requirements for Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan before you go.
- Almaty: Korea's embassy in Kazakhstan warns travellers to watch especially for pickpockets on buses and other public transport
- Tashkent: drones need prior permission from the civil aviation authority and other bodies
- Tashkent: the emergency number is 112, and the tourist safety call centre is 1173
Plan your Almaty trip
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Plan your Tashkent trip
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FAQ
Which is better for a first trip, Almaty or Tashkent?
Choose Almaty if you want mountains, lakes and canyons alongside a city break, and Tashkent if you want Silk Road sights, markets and museums on a short trip.
What is the best month to go?
Autumn suits both cities. The average October high is 17°C in Almaty and 22°C in Tashkent. In Tashkent, avoid midday walks during 'chillya', the hottest stretch from around 20 June to early August.
How many days do I need?
The guides suggest 4 to 5 days for Almaty, including a day trip, and 2 to 3 nights for Tashkent.
Can I visit both cities on one trip?
Check the official information on travel between the two cities before you go, and check both countries' official information on entry requirements as well.
Related reading
ⓘ Photo credits
- Panfilov Park & Zenkov Cathedral · Мазур Владимир / CC BY-SA 4.0
- Khazrati Imam complex · LBM1948 / CC BY-SA 4.0
- Kukeldash Madrasah · Humoyun Mehridinov / CC BY-SA 4.0