Minibus from Almaty to Shymbulak, with Drop-Off at Medeu
Into the mountains above Almaty with your whole group — no hunting for parking at Medeu and no need for several cars: your gear rides in the luggage compartment all the way to the lower cable car station. A private 13-seat Toyota Hiace with a driver takes you right to Medeu and picks you up from the same spot in the evening.
from 30,000 ₸ for the whole Toyota Hiace minibus, round trip
Not a scheduled bus or a taxi: the whole minibus for up to 13 people — just your group · a driver with 20+ years of experience
The same terms for every destination — price per vehicle, not per seat
Pickup at your door in Almaty
You choose the address and time: home, office, hotel or airport. No bus station and no meeting the group “at the bus stop”.
The whole minibus — just your group
The 13-seat Toyota Hiace takes no other passengers. One person or 13 — the price is the same; we don’t sell individual seats or tickets. More than 13 people — we’ll find a partner minibus for your date; on short routes two runs in a row also work.
Driver, fuel and road included
Our regular driver with 20+ years of experience, fuel, toll sections and pickup in Almaty are all in the quoted price; you don’t pay extra per passenger. National park entrance fees, ski passes and a local off-road vehicle, if your route needs them, are not included.
Round trip
The round trip is one price. The driver waits for your group on site for as long as you said when booking; if you stay longer, you pay only for the extra hours.
Luggage: 13 traveling light, up to 9 with suitcases
Bags and gear go in a separate compartment. If everyone has a large suitcase or a stroller, we take up to 9 people; with skis and snowboards, 9–10. Tell us what you’re bringing when you book.
Payment: cash, Kaspi or invoice
Trips in the city and nearby are paid after the trip. Long intercity trips and trips of several days need a partial prepayment to hold the date, the rest before departure. Companies get an invoice, a contract and closing documents.
We take groups from Almaty up to Shymbulak: a 13-seat Toyota Hiace with a driver, from 30,000 ₸ for the whole minibus, round trip. We drop you at the lower cable car station at Medeu, carry your gear in the luggage compartment and wait in the parking lot while you are on the slopes.
Medeu and Shymbulak are the two main mountain spots right above Almaty. Medeu is the famous high-altitude skating rink at about 1,691 meters, one of the highest in the world; it is now closed for renovation, expected to last until 2027, but the Medeu valley itself, the dam and the viewpoints are open, and from the upper terraces you can see the whole corridor of the Malaya Almatinka gorge. A little farther up the gorge is Shymbulak — Kazakhstan’s largest ski resort, which a cable car climbs to from Medeu.
In winter people come here to ski and snowboard; in summer, for cool air, views and a cable car ride up toward the snowy peaks of the Trans-Ili Alatau. It is about 15 km from Almaty to Medeu and some 25 km to Shymbulak itself, and the last stretch is a mountain road full of switchbacks where parking is tight and a big group has a hard time: on weekends the spaces at the lower station are gone by morning. A minibus takes care of this — the group is dropped right at the cable car, not a kilometer down the road, and you come in from the cold to a warm cabin.
Almaty to Shymbulak: the road and the stop at Medeu
The route runs from the city up Dostyk Avenue to Medeu — about 15 km, 30–40 minutes on the road, allowing for city traffic. From there it is about another 10 km up the gorge to Shymbulak, and the group covers this stretch by cable car: including the cable car, the trip from the city takes about an hour.
From Medeu to Shymbulak you ride up by cable car — in winter the cabin glides over the snow-covered Malaya Almatinka gorge. We bring the minibus right to the lower cable car station by the Medeu rink, and after your day we pick you up from the same spot: no searching for your car in a packed mountain parking lot on the weekend.
What to see in winter and in summer
Medeu is a high-altitude skating rink with artificial ice (currently under renovation); next to it rises the famous mudflow protection dam with its 842-step staircase, and this is also where the cable car to Shymbulak starts.
Shymbulak is the country’s largest ski resort: in winter there are runs for every level and lifts up to the Talgar Pass; in summer, hiking, cafés with panoramic views and a cable car ride up to the snowfields of the Trans-Ili Alatau. The mountain views are good in any season, so the trip is worth it in January and in July alike. In winter, groups also book a minibus with driver to Ak-Bulak — another ski resort near Almaty, beyond Talgar.
Minibus, your own car or a taxi to Shymbulak
Driving up to Medeu yourself means weekend traffic jams and a fight for a spot in the parking lot, which is packed in season. Several taxis for a group get separated on the way, and in the evening you have to find them all over again. One minibus takes everyone together, drops you at the entrance and waits as long as needed.
For a group of 8–13 people, one Hiace replaces three or four taxis: everyone rides together, the skis go in the luggage compartment, and a corporate outing to the slopes is arranged with one call. While you ski or walk, the driver stays reachable by phone and keeps the cabin warm — coming in from the cold, you step straight into the warmth instead of searching the parking lot for your car.
Flying in to ski? We will meet your flight at the airport, ski bags and all, and drive you to the lower cable car station at Medeu.
Shymbulak: how the trip works
Made for groups and company outings
A team, family or friends — everyone rides in one 13-seat Hiace. For a corporate day on the slopes, one cabin for the whole team.
Skiing and snowboarding in winter
We drive you to the lower cable car station at Medeu, and from there the cable car takes you up to Shymbulak. Your gear rides in the luggage compartment — no lugging ski bags along the switchbacks.
The cable car and views in summer
In the warm season, ride the cable car up toward the peaks of the Trans-Ili Alatau, walk by the dam and take photos overlooking the gorge.
A warm cabin in winter
While you ski, the driver waits nearby. You come in from the cold straight into a warm Hiace: the driver keeps the heater running.
Shymbulak: trip price
from 30,000 ₸ — for the whole Toyota Hiace minibus, round trip
The driver, fuel, toll roads and pickup in Almaty are included. Not included: national park entrance fees, ski passes, a local off-road vehicle, paid parking and pickup outside the city. We quote the total before departure; it only goes up if you decide to extend the waiting time.
This is the price for the minibus, not per seat as on shared group tours: the minibus is only for your group, with no other passengers and no one else’s schedule.
All day trips from Almaty →Customer reviews on 2GIS
“Efficient and fast — a clean bus with a driver arrived on time.”
“Excellent — they provided a minibus with a driver very quickly.”
Real photos — not a manufacturer’s catalog
All photos
- Driver with 20+ years of experience
- Air conditioning and heating
- DVD · TV · MP3
- Soft reclining seats
- Electric door
- Luggage compartment
These photos show our own 13-seat Toyota Hiace with a high roof and a wide aisle between the seats. We took them ourselves: the cabin, seats and luggage compartment of this very vehicle. We have one minibus: this is the one that will come for you, with its own driver at the wheel.
13-seat cabin
Luggage compartment
Shymbulak: frequently asked questions
How much is a minibus to Shymbulak from Almaty?
From about 30,000 ₸ for the whole Toyota Hiace minibus, round trip. The exact price depends on the waiting time on site and the route — we will tell you when you contact us by phone or on WhatsApp.
How long does it take to get from Almaty to Shymbulak?
About an hour each way, including the cable car: the minibus covers roughly 15 km along Dostyk Avenue to the lower station at Medeu (30–40 minutes), and from there the cable car takes you up to the resort. On weekends, allow extra time for traffic and the line for the cable car.
How many skiers does the minibus to Shymbulak take?
The cabin has 13 passenger seats, and all 13 can travel light. With skis and snowboards it is more realistic to count on 9–10 people: a full set for each person is bulky luggage, and thirteen ski bags plus boots won’t fit in the compartment. When you book, tell us how many people are bringing their own gear and how many will rent on site, and we will give you an exact answer.
Can we bring skis and snowboards?
Yes, the luggage compartment holds ski and snowboard bags, boots and warm clothes. No need to haul your gear up the switchbacks and across the parking lot — load it in Almaty, unload it at the lower cable car station.
Are Medeu and Shymbulak open year-round, and does the driver wait on site?
Shymbulak is open year-round: skiing and snowboarding in winter; the cable car, walks and views in summer. The Medeu valley, the dam and the viewpoints are also open, but the rink itself is closed for renovation until about 2027 — skating isn’t possible for now. The driver brings you and waits as long as needed to take the whole group back from the same spot.
Tell us where and when
We’ll bring a Toyota Hiace minibus with a driver to any address in Almaty at the time you need. Available 24/7.