Medeu Ice Rink

Medeu skating rink located close to Shymbulak ski resort is one of the most famous in this mountain region. All sports’ fans who want to get to Medeu use the popular route from Gornaya Street. To get to the rink, everyone need go to Dostyk Avenue. This avenue stretches southeast of the city center through the hills and Malaya Almatinka valley.

The route through the hills will be the easiest and it takes about 30 minutes after leaving the city center. Tourists can see a group of buildings near a large-scale open-air skating rink. This is Medeu resort sport complex with a large playground. Together with Shymbulak, you can visit Medeu for one day while relaxing on the weekend. In 2011, these sports grounds were modernized for Asian Winter Games.

Medeu is located about 16 km far from Almaty in a beautiful, harmonious point of the valley at 1500-1750 m high. The rink is surrounded by evergreen forests and birch groves, the Malaya Almatinka' waters flow here. In the center of the complex there is a large ice rink and a stadium with 8 large floodlights. This pavilion was built in 1972 with an area of 10500 sq. meters. Here was Olympic center for Soviet skaters. Various records and victories were achieved periodically.

There is a beautiful relief on the facade reflecting two athletes striving for victory. Today Medeu is an educational center for professionals in Kazakhstan and neighboring countries. From November to April, tourists and ordinary citizens go in for sports here. It’s great to skate in this grand space listening nice pop music. Skating rink Medeu is open for visitors till late in the evening, here everyone can spend free time perfectly and with health benefits. People come here even when the rink is closed. It is nice to sit in the stands and enjoy a barbecue, drinks and go for a walk through the hills and valleys. Skates can be rented with a passport or money deposit.

Another famous attraction of Medeu is a dam in a south part. The dam erected in the 1960s was made after a series of controlled explosions. The dam was necessary to protect Almaty city from crumbling rocks caused by torrential rains and melting snow in the mountains. For example, in 1921, a strong mud stream caused great chaos in the Malaya Almaty gorge. For this reason, a dam was launched in 1973, it stopped 4.5 million cubic meters of water and mud; and the gorge was protected. Now tourists can climb 830+ steps to the very top. On the high peak people can visit a nice local cafe.

The largest number of visitors come to Medeu on weekends. Parties, weddings, holidays are held here. Many guests park cars upstairs, but permission is required to climb. From the dam people can admire a beautiful view of the north of Medeu and the Shymbulak's south, as well as high peaks of Zailiski Alatau. On the weekend, many people take pictures in the company of friends and a wild golden eagle.

Now Medeu is one of the few points in the Alatau National Nature Park with a public transport route. Everyone can get here by bus from Dostyk Avenue, Kazakhstan hotel to be exact. Passengers can take a taxi and minibuses, which will take everyone to the venue. Edited 2020apr21