Kok-Tobe: the cable car, TV tower and viewpoints above Almaty

Kok-Tobe is the hill that rises straight out of Almaty’s south-eastern districts: around 1,130 m high and roughly 200 m above the city, topped by a park, viewing platforms and the city’s TV tower. A cable car from Dostyk Avenue gets you to the top in 6–8 minutes, so it is the easiest mountain view in town — no hiking boots needed. The park is open every day of the year, and it is at its best on a clear day or after dark, when the city lights come on below.

Kok-Tobe at a glance

Sources disagree slightly on the height: Russian Wikipedia says 1,130 m, the English infobox 1,100 m. The 372 m Almaty TV tower stands on the slope; according to English Wikipedia, construction started in 1978.

The hill has a shaky past. In 2004 the city closed it because of landslide risk, and crews drilled and filled 395 concrete wells up to 24 m deep to hold the slope (English Wikipedia). The amusement park on top opened in 2006, and the Beatles monument followed in May 2007.

The Kok-Tobe cable car

The first cable car opened on 4 November 1967. Today’s line dates from 2015, and in November 2025 it had its first major overhaul in ten years, reopening on 20 November (Bizmedia). The loop is 3,240 m, or 1,620 m each way, and the ride up takes 6–8 minutes.

The lower station is at 104B Dostyk Avenue, on the square by the Palace of the Republic at the corner of Abay Avenue. The park’s marketing director told Forbes.kz in September 2025 that routine maintenance happens every Tuesday, that major repairs are done by licensed specialists from the Russian firm Snowprom, and that there have been no accidents since the line opened.

Opening hours

From the Sxodim listing updated on 17 June 2026:

Getting to Kok-Tobe

• Cable car — the obvious choice: 6–8 minutes from Dostyk Avenue.
• City bus — routes 95 and 99 end at the Kok Tobe stop; from there walk up or switch to the park minibus.
• Park minibus — paid shuttles run from Omarova Street and from Dostyk Avenue.
• On foot — the pedestrian Health Trail climbs the hill; the park itself suggests it as an alternative to driving.
• By car — a winding road goes up, but from 1 February 2026 the private car fee jumped to several times the 2023 level (Tengrinews). The park blames litter, noise and bad behaviour at the viewpoints and says it may raise the fee again. Parking is extra. If you just want the view, leave the car below.

What it costs

We don’t print prices, because they change; check the park operator before you go. What the sources tell us:

• the cable car is paid, with one-way and return fares;
• rides are paid individually; the zoo is free to enter, only animal feed costs money (Sxodim);
• car entry and parking are paid, and the car fee rose sharply in 2026;
• weekday discounts (Tengrinews): children under 5 and WWII veterans travel free by cable car, minibus or on foot; pensioners and people with disabilities ride the cable car and minibus free; large families get 30% off.

Things to see on top

• Viewpoints looking straight down onto the city.
• The Beatles monument, in place since May 2007 — Wikipedia calls it the first in the former USSR countries (CIS).
• An apple-shaped wishing fountain.
• Rides: a Ferris wheel, the Fast Coaster and more, plus a climbing wall and a rope park.
• A small zoo with free entry.
• The TV tower — you can admire it, but we found nothing on whether visitors can go inside.

The top of Kok-Tobe and its roller-coaster ride, filmed by the Amrit Gautam Travel Stories channel:

When to go

Any time of year. Come on a clear day for the mountains, or in the evening for the city lights — on Friday to Sunday the cable car runs until midnight. Summer weekends are busy (Bizmedia counts about 4,500 visitors a day in summer), so a weekday is calmer. Remember the late Tuesday start.

More near Almaty

• Medeu — the mudflow dam and trails further up Dostyk Avenue.
• Shymbulak — the ski resort reached by gondola from Medeu.
• Kok-Zhailau — a plateau for a full-day hike.
• Big Almaty Lake
• Nature near Almaty: 15 day trips