{"id":2937,"date":"2024-07-28T12:37:41","date_gmt":"2024-07-28T09:37:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/zabugorshiki.com\/en\/?p=2937"},"modified":"2026-07-29T08:37:57","modified_gmt":"2026-07-29T05:37:57","slug":"medeo","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/zabugorshiki.com\/en\/medeo\/","title":{"rendered":"Medeo in Almaty: The Ultimate Ice Skating Rink"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Nestled in the picturesque mountains just outside Almaty, Medeo is a must-visit destination in Almaty. Known as the highest ice rink in the world, Medeo offers an extraordinary skating experience against a stunning backdrop of snow-capped peaks and crisp alpine air. Whether you\u2019re a seasoned skater or a beginner, this ice rink promises an unforgettable adventure.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Medeo at a glance<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\n
Altitude<\/strong><\/td>1,691 m – the highest ice rink in the world<\/td><\/tr>\n
Skating season<\/strong><\/td>Early November to late March (open-air; the arena hosts events year-round)<\/td><\/tr>\n
The rink<\/strong><\/td>Opened 1972; over 120 world records set on its high-altitude ice<\/td><\/tr>\n
The dam<\/strong><\/td>Built 1966 to shield Almaty from mudflows – climb its famous staircase of 842 steps for the gorge view<\/td><\/tr>\n
Getting there<\/strong><\/td>Bus 12 or taxi from the centre, ~30 minutes; the road ends here – beyond Medeo it is cable car or your own legs<\/td><\/tr>\n
Cable car<\/strong><\/td>Medeo station (1,600 m) to Shymbulak resort (2,280 m)<\/td><\/tr>\n<\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Medeo\u2019s History<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Medeo is more than just an ice rink; it\u2019s a piece of history. Established in 1972, it quickly became a premier location for international skating competitions. The rink has seen numerous world records in speed skating, thanks to its high altitude and expertly maintained ice surface. Skating at Medeo is like stepping into a storied past, where champions once raced and records were shattered.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why Medeo is Unique<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

What makes Medeo stand out from other ice rinks? It\u2019s all about location and quality. Perched at 1,691 meters above sea level, the rink benefits from the natural purity of mountain air and glacial water used to create its ice. The surrounding Tian Shan mountains provide a breathtaking view, turning every skating session into a visual feast. Plus, the rink\u2019s large surface area means there\u2019s plenty of space to glide, spin, and race.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

More Than Just Skating<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

While ice skating is the main attraction, Medeo offers so much more. During the winter season, visitors can enjoy a variety of activities, including ice hockey, figure skating, and curling. The nearby Shymbulak ski resort adds another layer of adventure with world-class skiing and snowboarding facilities. After a day of exhilarating sports, you can relax in cozy mountain cafes and enjoy local cuisine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Walking from Medeo to Shymbulak<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The classic first hike in the Almaty mountains starts right here. From the rink, climb the 842 steps up the dam wall – a rite of passage locals use as a fitness test – and continue up the gorge to the Shymbulak resort<\/a>: roughly 4.5 km with about 590 m of ascent, 1.5-2.5 hours up at a walking pace, under an hour back down. The route follows the gorge road and path through spruce forest, with the peaks of the Maloalmatinsky cirque growing above you the whole way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Two honest notes: the walk is entirely uphill, and in summer the road carries resort shuttle traffic – start early for quiet and cool air. If one way is enough, walk up and ride the cable car down (or the reverse). The side valleys along the way hold some of our favourite short routes: the Butakovka waterfalls<\/a>, the Gorelnik gorge<\/a>, and the start of the trail toward Kok-Zhailau<\/a>. The full gorge guide – the history, the thermal barrels and the quiet trail – is in our Medeo-Shymbulak walk<\/a> post.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Can you walk from Medeo to Shymbulak?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Yes – about 4.5 km and 590 m of climbing, taking most people 1.5-2.5 hours up. It is the most popular beginner hike in Almaty. The cable car runs the same corridor if you would rather ride one way.<\/p>\n\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Nestled in the picturesque mountains just outside Almaty, Medeo is a must-visit destination in Almaty.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2938,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[17,15,18,12],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2937","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-ile-alatau-national-park","category-kazakhstan","category-malo-almaty-gorge","category-hiking"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nMedeo Ice Skating Rink Almaty 2026 - Prices, Hours & How to Get There<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"World\u2019s highest ice rink with 2026 prices, opening hours, cable car info and private transfer options from Almaty\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/zabugorshiki.com\/en\/medeo\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Medeo Ice Skating Rink Almaty 2026 - Prices, Hours & How to Get There\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"World\u2019s highest ice rink with 2026 prices, opening hours, cable car info and private transfer options from Almaty\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/zabugorshiki.com\/en\/medeo\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Zabugorshiki\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/zabugorshiki\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2024-07-28T09:37:41+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-07-29T05:37:57+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/zabugorshiki.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/medeo.jpg?v=1722159250\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"2000\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"1162\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Renat\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@zabugorshiki\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@zabugorshiki\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Renat\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"2 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/zabugorshiki.com\\\/en\\\/medeo\\\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/zabugorshiki.com\\\/en\\\/medeo\\\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Renat\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/zabugorshiki.com\\\/en\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/ee0d50a0971d9dec4130cf7b2fe44043\"},\"headline\":\"Medeo in Almaty: The Ultimate Ice Skating Rink\",\"datePublished\":\"2024-07-28T09:37:41+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-07-29T05:37:57+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/zabugorshiki.com\\\/en\\\/medeo\\\/\"},\"wordCount\":591,\"commentCount\":0,\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/zabugorshiki.com\\\/en\\\/medeo\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/zabugorshiki.com\\\/en\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2024\\\/07\\\/medeo.jpg?v=1722159250\",\"articleSection\":[\"Ile-Alatau National Park\",\"Kazakhstan\",\"Malo-Almaty Gorge\",\"Our Tours\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"CommentAction\",\"name\":\"Comment\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/zabugorshiki.com\\\/en\\\/medeo\\\/#respond\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/zabugorshiki.com\\\/en\\\/medeo\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/zabugorshiki.com\\\/en\\\/medeo\\\/\",\"name\":\"Medeo Ice Skating Rink Almaty 2026 - Prices, Hours & How to Get There\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/zabugorshiki.com\\\/en\\\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/zabugorshiki.com\\\/en\\\/medeo\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/zabugorshiki.com\\\/en\\\/medeo\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/zabugorshiki.com\\\/en\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2024\\\/07\\\/medeo.jpg?v=1722159250\",\"datePublished\":\"2024-07-28T09:37:41+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-07-29T05:37:57+00:00\",\"author\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/zabugorshiki.com\\\/en\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/ee0d50a0971d9dec4130cf7b2fe44043\"},\"description\":\"World\u2019s highest ice rink with 2026 prices, opening hours, cable car info and private transfer options from Almaty\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/zabugorshiki.com\\\/en\\\/medeo\\\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/zabugorshiki.com\\\/en\\\/medeo\\\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/zabugorshiki.com\\\/en\\\/medeo\\\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/zabugorshiki.com\\\/en\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2024\\\/07\\\/medeo.jpg?v=1722159250\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/zabugorshiki.com\\\/en\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2024\\\/07\\\/medeo.jpg?v=1722159250\",\"width\":2000,\"height\":1162},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/zabugorshiki.com\\\/en\\\/medeo\\\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\\\/\\\/zabugorshiki.com\\\/en\\\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Medeo in Almaty: The Ultimate Ice Skating Rink\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/zabugorshiki.com\\\/en\\\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/zabugorshiki.com\\\/en\\\/\",\"name\":\"Zabugorshiki\",\"description\":\"\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\\\/\\\/zabugorshiki.com\\\/en\\\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/zabugorshiki.com\\\/en\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/ee0d50a0971d9dec4130cf7b2fe44043\",\"name\":\"Renat\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/b08cd17c2706ba717c3ae59b9e8813317967e4bfbca729095634e8e37c54754d?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/b08cd17c2706ba717c3ae59b9e8813317967e4bfbca729095634e8e37c54754d?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/b08cd17c2706ba717c3ae59b9e8813317967e4bfbca729095634e8e37c54754d?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"Renat\"}}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Medeo Ice Skating Rink Almaty 2026 - Prices, Hours & How to Get There","description":"World\u2019s highest ice rink with 2026 prices, opening hours, cable car info and private transfer options from Almaty","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/zabugorshiki.com\/en\/medeo\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Medeo Ice Skating Rink Almaty 2026 - Prices, Hours & How to Get There","og_description":"World\u2019s highest ice rink with 2026 prices, opening hours, cable car info and private transfer options from Almaty","og_url":"https:\/\/zabugorshiki.com\/en\/medeo\/","og_site_name":"Zabugorshiki","article_publisher":"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/zabugorshiki","article_published_time":"2024-07-28T09:37:41+00:00","article_modified_time":"2026-07-29T05:37:57+00:00","og_image":[{"width":2000,"height":1162,"url":"https:\/\/zabugorshiki.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/medeo.jpg?v=1722159250","type":"image\/jpeg"}],"author":"Renat","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_creator":"@zabugorshiki","twitter_site":"@zabugorshiki","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Renat","Est. reading time":"2 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/zabugorshiki.com\/en\/medeo\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/zabugorshiki.com\/en\/medeo\/"},"author":{"name":"Renat","@id":"https:\/\/zabugorshiki.com\/en\/#\/schema\/person\/ee0d50a0971d9dec4130cf7b2fe44043"},"headline":"Medeo in Almaty: The Ultimate Ice Skating Rink","datePublished":"2024-07-28T09:37:41+00:00","dateModified":"2026-07-29T05:37:57+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/zabugorshiki.com\/en\/medeo\/"},"wordCount":591,"commentCount":0,"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/zabugorshiki.com\/en\/medeo\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/zabugorshiki.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/medeo.jpg?v=1722159250","articleSection":["Ile-Alatau National Park","Kazakhstan","Malo-Almaty Gorge","Our Tours"],"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"CommentAction","name":"Comment","target":["https:\/\/zabugorshiki.com\/en\/medeo\/#respond"]}]},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/zabugorshiki.com\/en\/medeo\/","url":"https:\/\/zabugorshiki.com\/en\/medeo\/","name":"Medeo Ice Skating Rink Almaty 2026 - Prices, Hours & How to Get There","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/zabugorshiki.com\/en\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/zabugorshiki.com\/en\/medeo\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/zabugorshiki.com\/en\/medeo\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/zabugorshiki.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/medeo.jpg?v=1722159250","datePublished":"2024-07-28T09:37:41+00:00","dateModified":"2026-07-29T05:37:57+00:00","author":{"@id":"https:\/\/zabugorshiki.com\/en\/#\/schema\/person\/ee0d50a0971d9dec4130cf7b2fe44043"},"description":"World\u2019s highest ice rink with 2026 prices, opening hours, cable car info and private transfer options from Almaty","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/zabugorshiki.com\/en\/medeo\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/zabugorshiki.com\/en\/medeo\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/zabugorshiki.com\/en\/medeo\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/zabugorshiki.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/medeo.jpg?v=1722159250","contentUrl":"https:\/\/zabugorshiki.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/medeo.jpg?v=1722159250","width":2000,"height":1162},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/zabugorshiki.com\/en\/medeo\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/zabugorshiki.com\/en\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Medeo in Almaty: The Ultimate Ice Skating Rink"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/zabugorshiki.com\/en\/#website","url":"https:\/\/zabugorshiki.com\/en\/","name":"Zabugorshiki","description":"","potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/zabugorshiki.com\/en\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/zabugorshiki.com\/en\/#\/schema\/person\/ee0d50a0971d9dec4130cf7b2fe44043","name":"Renat","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/b08cd17c2706ba717c3ae59b9e8813317967e4bfbca729095634e8e37c54754d?s=96&d=mm&r=g","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/b08cd17c2706ba717c3ae59b9e8813317967e4bfbca729095634e8e37c54754d?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/b08cd17c2706ba717c3ae59b9e8813317967e4bfbca729095634e8e37c54754d?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"Renat"}}]}},"views":11922,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/zabugorshiki.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2937","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/zabugorshiki.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/zabugorshiki.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/zabugorshiki.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/zabugorshiki.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2937"}],"version-history":[{"count":7,"href":"https:\/\/zabugorshiki.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2937\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3835,"href":"https:\/\/zabugorshiki.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2937\/revisions\/3835"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/zabugorshiki.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2938"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/zabugorshiki.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2937"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/zabugorshiki.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2937"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/zabugorshiki.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2937"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}