Medeo
Medeo - The highest outdoor skating rink in the world
Medeo (also known as Medeu) is an outdoor skating rink near Almaty, located at the high-altitude of 1691 meters above sea level. It is the world’s largest outdoor high-mountain and Olympic-sized skating rink. The skating rink was named after a well-known entrepreneur Medeu Pusurmanov who first explored the picturesque nature in the foothills of the Trans-Alatau mountain range. The gorge, in which the skating rink is located in, carries the same name. The skating rink of Medeu is special, mainly because of the high level of solar radiation, low pressure as well as calm wind conditions, making it ideal for both training and records. The ice of the rink is also made from the clearest mountain water of the Malaya Almatinka River with the help it’s own water treatment system.
Note: Medeu is closed for reconstruction until 2027
The Medeu skating rink closed at the end of March 2025 for a full reconstruction, and it will not reopen for public skating before 2027.Â
The upgrade is intended to bring the rink up to International Skating Union standards so it can host speed skating and figure skating championships again, alongside bandy, ice speedway and large ice shows.
The valley, the dam and the cable car to Shymbulak all remain open. Medeu is still very much worth the trip — you simply can’t skate here yet.
Before Medeu was built, most of the skating competitions in the USSR were held in Siberia due to the long winter. The head coach of the Soviet National Team saw by coincidence the Kazakh athletes – particularly players from Almaty showing better results during the games in Siberia. When he asked the Kazakh skaters what their secret is, they said that the ice in Almaty is “faster”. The Soviet coaches were truly surprised to see that the athletes set new records in high areas nearby Almaty. Therefore they chose to build a new skating rink in Almaty which is now located in the Trans-Ili Alatau gorge to provide better conditions for the preparation of sportsmen in the highlands. In 1951, Medeu opened its doors and there were immediately two world records and six All-Union records set. With the help of the Medeo rink, the USSR national team become one of the leaders in speed skating and Medeo became a popular destination all over in the Soviet Union. Soviet sportsmen practiced here not only speed skating but also figure skating and ice hockey.
After the fame during the USSR, Medeo got quiet in the 1990s. The sports complex gradually fell into decay, until finally at the beginning of the 2000s, the Almaty authorities took over it. Since then Medeo has gone through two major renovations in addition to current one which is expected to be finished in 2027. Today this legendary skating rink, not only attracts professional athletes, but hosts large-scale sports events and various cultural events and is also very popular among ordinary skating enthusiasts and tourists alike.Â
In order to protect Almaty from a potential threat of a mud flow, a dam was decided to be built next to Medeo and it has actually already stopped at least one most likely disastrous landslide that happened in the 1970s. Next to the dam, there is reservoir holding almost 6 000 000 cubic meters of water. Additionally, at the end of the mountain gorge there is a ski resort of Shymbulak at an altitude of 2200 m above sea level.Â
What to do in Medeo?
In general Medeo and Shymbulak are the easiest mountain destination from Almaty. There is a station in Medeo from where you can purchase cable car tickets to travel straight to the Shymbulak ski resort. Alternatively, it is possible to hike to Shymbulak and to enjoy the very long stairs over the reservoir on the way. There is also a free hot spring destination about midway to Shymbulak. There are also many different level hiking routes on the Medeo area and further in the mountains with some that are very well suited also for beginners of mountain hiking.
Medeo is still an important center for the training of winter sports athletes from Kazakhstan and elsewhere in the region from November to April depending on the weather. The rink stays open until the evening and provides skates for rent. During the summer time, you can rent roller blades in absence of the ice and still enjoy Medeo. The surroundings are also beautiful and having a day trip to Medeo from the summer heat from Almaty is a great idea.Â
What to do at Medeu while the rink is closed:
Climb the dam stairway. The concrete mudflow dam above the rink is reached by a long flight of steps that has become an attraction in its own right, and locals treat it as a fitness challenge. The view back down over the valley from the top is the classic Medeu photograph.
Take the cable car to Shymbulak. The gondola runs from the Medeu station up to the Shymbulak ski resort at around 2,200 m, and continues in further stages higher up the mountain. It operates year-round and is the easiest way to gain serious altitude from Almaty without hiking.
Hike. Trails of every difficulty start from the Medeu area, including the walk up to Shymbulak on foot, and continue deeper into Ile-Alatau National Park. Several are genuinely suitable for people new to mountain walking.
See the rink from outside. Even closed, the 1972 arena with its Soviet concrete architecture is a striking piece of sporting history, and the setting between forested ridges is the reason people came here long before the ice was laid.
Travel to Medeo
Medeo is located 16 km south-southeast from Almaty and it is an easy to reach by the public transportation or by taxi. You can get to the bus 12 along Dostuk Avenue or in the stops across the street. Medeu is the end of the line. There is also parking place at Medeo but it can get crowded during the peak times. Three hundred meters north from Medeo, there is the 4,5 km cabin cable car that leads to the Shymbulak which is popular ski resort with few nice places for drinks or lunch in a beautiful mountain background and fresh air also outside the skiing season.