Traditions of Almaty
A city at the foot of the Tian Shan mountains, where nomadic hospitality, horse meat and Nauryz meet.
Almaty is the largest city in Kazakhstan and was its capital until 1997. Kazakh traditions of the nomadic steppe survive in the music of the dombra, in felt yurts and in hospitality customs. The city sits beside high mountains and is known for its apples, with its name often linked to the word for apple.
Nauryz and the dombra
Nauryz, the spring new year around March 21, is a public holiday with yurts set up in parks, games of horseback wrestling, and a shared cooked porridge, nauryz kozhe, made with seven ingredients. The dombra, a two-string lute, accompanies epic songs, and the kuy tradition of instrumental pieces is passed on.
At the table
Beshbarmak, boiled meat on flat noodles, is the national dish and is served at celebrations, with the host serving the choicest cuts to guests by custom. Kumis, fermented mare's milk, and shubat, from camels, are drunk. Tea comes with baursaks, fried dough puffs, and the guest is always offered more.
Signature traditions of Almaty
Also part of it, and being written: Nauryz (The Central Asian spring new year.), Dombra (The Kazakh two-string lute.), Kumis (Fermented mare's milk.), Kokpar (The horseback game.).
A trail idea for Almaty
- Green Bazaar Taste horse meat sausage, dried fruit and apples.
- Zenkov Cathedral A wooden Orthodox cathedral built without nails.
- Medeu A mountain valley with an ice rink.
Written by the EveryParampara desk with AI assistance. Opening hours, markets and festival dates change; check locally before travelling. Customs differ from place to place and family to family. If this is your tradition and we have it wrong, tell us.
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Photo credits on this page
The small pictures above come from Wikimedia Commons under free licences. Some are cropped to fit.
- Meshrep: https://www.flickr.com/photos/travelingmipo/, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
- Beshbarmak: NataAllice, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Independence Day: Вачи, CC BY-SA 4.0, source