Hiking & Camping Gear Rental in Almaty – Where to Rent, What It Costs

Nobody flies to Kazakhstan with a tent in their luggage – and nobody needs to. Almaty has a mature gear-rental scene: for the price of a couple of coffees a day you can kit out an entire camping weekend, and hand everything back before your flight home. Here is how it works, what it costs, and what you can skip renting entirely.

First: what you may not need to rent

If you are hiking with us, the logistics gear is largely solved. On guided multi-day treks we provide the group equipment – tents, cooking kit, first-aid – so what remains is personal: boots, layers, a sleeping bag, a headlamp. Day hikes need no camping gear at all; our packing guide covers the personal checklist in detail. Rent only what fills the gap between that checklist and your suitcase.

What’s easy to rent in Almaty

  • Camping sets – tent, sleeping bag, mat, often bundled per person or per pair; the standard rental product here
  • Trekking poles, headlamps, gas stoves, thermoses – cheap add-ons at every shop
  • Backpacks (50-90 l) – widely available; check the harness fits before you leave the shop
  • Winter equipment – skis, snowboards, ski touring and snowshoe gear from specialist outlets and at Shymbulak itself; see our ski resorts guide
  • Camp comfort – folding chairs, grills, cauldrons for a kazan dinner, power banks, even blankets

What it costs

Prices are per day and refreshingly low. As a rule of thumb: a two-person tent runs roughly 3,000-4,500 ₸, a sleeping bag 1,000-1,500 ₸, a mat around 1,000 ₸, and complete two-person combo sets start near 5,500 ₸. Most shops take a deposit (cash or a document), offer discounts for multi-day rentals, and knock something off for sets. Book ahead for July-August weekends – the whole city goes to the mountains.

Where to rent

A non-exhaustive shortlist of established rental points, roughly from the centre outwards. Opening hours vary – call or check 2GIS before you go.

  • Atlant (Dostyk Ave) – full hiking range plus camp-comfort extras: grills, cauldrons, chairs
  • Barys (Dostyk Ave) – individual items or 1-4-person sets; stoves, tripods, lamps
  • Boomprokat (Satpayev St) – among the cheapest combos in town; poles, gaiters, power banks
  • GoTourist (Kurmangazy St / Dostyk Ave) – ski rental in winter, full camping range in summer
  • Zev’s (Dostyk Ave) – everything down to mosquito repellent; frequent set promotions
  • Skadi (Abay Ave) – ski and hiking gear network, up to full “VIP” camp packages
  • Tolagai (near the centre) – solid basics with student and promo discounts

Renting smart: five rules

  • Pitch the tent in the shop – or at least check the poles and zips. Trailhead is the wrong place to find a missing pole section.
  • Check the sleeping bag’s comfort rating against where you are sleeping: valley campsites are mild, but nights at 3,000 m drop near zero even in July – see when to hike.
  • Never rent boots if you can avoid it. Blisters from someone else’s footwear will cost you the trip; bring broken-in boots from home.
  • Photograph everything at handover – condition disputes are rare, but a 30-second video ends them instantly.
  • Weekends sell out. Reserve by Thursday for a Saturday start in season.

Still unsure what you need for a specific route? Tell us where you are headed – we plan hikes daily and will send you an exact rent-vs-bring list for your dates.