Things to Do at Medeu Ice Skating Rink
Complete Guide to Medeu Ice Skating Rink in Almaty
About Medeu Ice Skating Rink
Medeu sits at 1,691 metres above sea level in the Medeu Valley on Almaty's southeastern edge. The air hits you first. Thinner, cooler than the city below, it carries the sharp mineral scent of mountain rock and, in winter, that clean bite of fresh ice. The rink's concrete bowl nestles between dark green slopes of Tien Shan spruce.
On clear days the peaks behind look painted on. The ice spans roughly 10,500 square metres with capacity for around 8,500 spectators. This gives the complex a grand, arena-like feel even when half empty on a Tuesday afternoon.
Construction began in fall 1949. The first competition ran on 4 February 1951. The rink takes its name from Medeu Pusurmanov, a local entrepreneur whose name became synonymous with the valley itself. For decades the surface relied on natural ice. An artificial system replaced it in 1972. The altitude and consistently cold, still air produced fast ice that speed skaters loved.
The venue earned its nickname as a factory of records. Medeu hosted the 2011 Asian Winter Games and the 2017 Winter Universiade. This cemented Almaty's reputation as a serious winter sports city. Since 2022, the rink has operated year-round. Summer visitors can glide across ice while the surrounding mountains stay green and warm.
What to See & Do
The Rink Itself
The scale catches most people off guard. At roughly 10,500 square metres, it dwarfs typical city rinks. Sound carries differently at this altitude. Blades scraping the surface echo off concrete tiers and valley walls, creating a layered hiss-and-scrape that feels almost theatrical. Under evening floodlights the ice takes on a bluish glow. The surrounding mountains vanish into silhouette. Worth the trip.
The Stairway and Dam Wall
Most visitors arriving by bus face the long stairway leading up. It is a workout, at this elevation. Halfway up, turn around. The city of Almaty spreads below, its grid of streets blurring into haze toward the steppe. The massive mudflow dam behind the rink is engineering in its own right. Built to protect the city from catastrophic debris flows that have hit the valley before.
Mountain Panorama from the Upper Tiers
Climb to the top rows. The reward is a wide-angle view of the Zailiysky Alatau range. In winter, peaks turn white against deep blue sky. In autumn, lower slopes blaze orange and rust. You can feel the wind shift up here. Cooler air pulls down from glaciers above. The quiet surprises, given how many people skate below.
The Surrounding Alpine Meadows
Explore the valley on foot. Warmer months bring wildflowers carpeting the slopes, air smelling of warm grass and pine resin. Trails lead into hills in several directions. Meltwater runs through rocky channels almost everywhere you walk. Remember this. The rink sits inside a mountain park, not a suburb.
Practical Information
Opening Hours
The rink generally operates from around 10:00 to late evening. Exact closing times and technical breaks shift by season. Some sources list sessions running as late as 23:00. Since 2022, Medeu has stayed open year-round with artificial ice. Prime skating season runs roughly October through May when temperatures cooperate most naturally. Confirm the day's schedule before heading up. Maintenance closures and event bookings do happen.
Tickets & Pricing
Entry tickets and skate rental are available on-site. The cost is modest by most standards. Renting skates adds a bit more. You do not typically need to book in advance for public sessions. Weekends and holidays draw heavier crowds, during core winter months. Weekday mornings mean shorter queues. More elbow room on the ice.
Best Time to Visit
Weekday mornings between November and February deliver the best combination. Good ice, thin crowds, crisp winter atmosphere. Your breath hangs in the air. Mountains dusted white. Skating under floodlights on clear evenings has its own appeal. City lights visible far below. Summer sessions are possible thanks to artificial ice. The experience feels different. Warm air, green slopes, the slight oddity of skating in a t-shirt at nearly 1,700 metres.
Suggested Duration
Plan for two to three hours minimum. A skating session runs about ninety minutes. Allow time to walk the grounds, take in views from upper tiers, climb the stairway at a pace that respects the altitude. Combining Medeu with the cable car up to Shymbulak? Set aside the better part of a day.
Getting There
Bus No. 12 offers the most straightforward public transport. It departs from near the Hotel Kazakhstan in central Almaty and heads directly to the Medeu complex. The ride takes about thirty minutes and is inexpensive. Bus No. 6 covers a similar route. The road winds uphill through increasingly green neighborhoods. Then the city falls away.
The valley narrows around you. Taxis from central Almaty are also reasonable. They save you the walk from bus stop to rink entrance. Driving? Parking is available at the complex, though it fills on weekends. One note: the cable car connecting Medeu to Shymbulak ski resort above does not stop at the rink itself. Reach the Medeu station on foot or by road first. Board the gondola from there if you want to continue higher.
Things to Do Nearby
The gondola from Medeu climbs to Shymbulak at around 2,260 metres. You will find ski runs in winter and alpine hiking trails in summer. The views during the cable car ride alone are worth the trip. The valley opens up below you as you rise above the treeline. It pairs naturally with a Medeu visit. The two are physically connected.
About a forty-minute drive deeper into the mountains, this glacial lake sits in a steep-walled cirque. It shifts color from turquoise to deep emerald depending on the season and the light. The road is rough. Access is sometimes restricted. The lake is one of Almaty's most striking natural sights.
Back toward the city, Kok-Tobe has a cable car ride to a hilltop park. You get panoramic views over Almaty and the mountains beyond. It is a lighter, more urban experience than Medeu. There are cafes and observation platforms. It works well as a late-afternoon stop after a morning on the ice.
If your legs are sore from skating at altitude, the Arasan Baths in central Almaty offer Russian, Finnish, and Turkish bath options. They sit inside an ornate Soviet-era building. The humid heat and eucalyptus-scented steam rooms are a sharp contrast to the mountain cold. The complex has been a local institution for decades.
Tips & Advice
Tours & Activities at Medeu Ice Skating Rink
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