Minibus from Almaty to Shymbulak, with Drop-Off at Medeu
Into the mountains above Almaty with your whole group in one vehicle: your bags and skis ride in the luggage compartment to the lower cable car station. A 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
Pickup at your address · passenger insurance · available 24/7
Our drivers don’t speak English. Phone calls are in Russian or Kazakh, so WhatsApp works best: write in English and we’ll reply using a translator. Need an interpreter? We can arrange one for an extra fee, agreed in advance.
How the trip works
Pickup at your door in Almaty
You choose the address and time: home, office, hotel or airport. When you book, we name the vehicle and give you the driver’s phone number; the driver arrives early and helps with the luggage.
The minibus is yours
The 13-seat Toyota Hiace travels with your group only. The price is for the vehicle, so the bigger the group, the less each person pays. If there are more than 13 of you, you can book a second minibus, or we do two runs in a row on a short route.
Driver, fuel and road included
The driver’s service, fuel, toll sections and pickup in Almaty are all in the quoted price. Paid separately, if your route needs them: national park entrance fees, ski passes, a local off-road vehicle, paid parking and pickup outside the city.
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. The last stretch is a mountain road full of switchbacks where parking is tight: on weekends the spaces at the lower station are gone by morning. The minibus drops the group right at the cable car.
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.
In winter the cable car 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, and a corporate outing to the slopes is arranged with one call. While you ski or walk, the driver stays reachable by phone.
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 ride together in one 13-seat Hiace, handy for a corporate day on the slopes too.
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.
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 and fuel are included. We quote the total before departure; it only goes up if you decide to extend the waiting time.
Only your group is on board, and you decide how long to stay at each stop.
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.”
Toyota Hiace: cabin and luggage
All photos
- 13 passenger seats
- Air conditioning and heating
- High roof
- Soft reclining seats
- Electric door
- Luggage compartment
These photos show a 13-seat Toyota Hiace with a high roof and a wide aisle between the seats. We took them ourselves: the cabin, the seats and the luggage compartment.
13-seat cabin
Luggage compartment
Shymbulak: frequently asked questions
How much is a minibus to Shymbulak from Almaty?
From 30,000 ₸ for the whole Toyota Hiace minibus, round trip. Tell us how many hours you’ll ski. We’ll give you the exact price right away, 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. Load your gear in Almaty and 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.
Our drivers don’t speak English. Phone calls are in Russian or Kazakh, so WhatsApp works best: write in English and we’ll reply using a translator. Need an interpreter? We can arrange one for an extra fee, agreed in advance.