Oi Qaragai Resort is an excellent option for your next ski holiday (2025 update)

Another Almaty gem, this resort ticks a lot of boxes for all ability levels

Oi Qaragai is a great ski resort just outside Almaty. A small yet still somehow sprawling resort with a number of slopes, it is a popular alternative to Shymbulak Mountain Resort. It also takes just as long to arrive at as Shymbulak, if you leave from the corner of Dostyk Avenue and Al Farabi. Read on to find out why you should make this resort your next ski destination in Kazakhstan.

What are the Oi Qaragai slopes like?

Skiing and boarding at Oi Qaragai is good. There are a range of slopes to choose from and they are well spread out, with decent variation in steepness. Have a look at the OQ map to see just how spread out the slopes are in comparison to Shymbulak. Plenty of the runs are fine for you if you are beginner/intermediate. There is a terrifying looking Black run which I have avoided so far. I am not an expert skier 😉

This resort has many different routes you can take from the mountain top and there are currently three main chair lifts for the different slopes, with T Bars for the smaller areas. Make sure to head over to the Lesnaya Skazka side for some pretty forest skiing. It’s a tiny right turn about 50m down from the top. There is also a new section, called Aqtas, being developed which will increase the top altitude of the resort, from the current 1820m to a respectable 2140m. I don’t believe it’s open as of February 2025.

How busy does it get?

In my opinion the biggest selling point of Oi Qaragai, after the variation in slopes, is the lack of crowds. Oh yes, its does get busy. It’s a mountain resort near a big dense city, so of course there are crowds here on a weekend. But have you seen Shymbulak on a Saturday afternoon? Jokes aside, the earlier in the day you arrive, the quicker you’ll be renting your equipment, the fewer people in line for the chairlift, the more of the slope you’ll have to yourself. Then, even once the crowds start arriving, Oi Qaragai has so many slopes to ski down and so everyone is spread out across the different pathways. On the other hand, Shymbulak has one main slope, so the density of skiers and boarders is quite…high.

And when you want to leave, oh boy, Oi Qaragai is much easier. You simply walk to your car (or wait for your taxi) near the base of the chairlift and then you’re off. As much as I love the gondola at Shymbulak, if everyone is trying to get down the mountain at the same time, sometimes because heavy fog moves in or its 5.30pm and everyone’s day ski passes are about to end, then it can be a bit of a miserable experience to get onto the gondola. You have to shuffle along with all of the other Shymbulak visitors in a massive line in the frigid mountain air for 20 minutes to reach the gondola so that you can make it back down the mountain. It sucks when you have your kids with you and you get stuck in this crowd. We have opted for an electric taxi on afternoons when this has happened, and yes we paid an extra 5,000KZT to do so (on top of our gondola ticket). Yes, leaving the ski resort at the end of your visit is one aspect that Oi Qaragai wins hands down.

What kind of facilities are there?

There are plenty of restaurants in Oi Qaragai Resort, though it might not be immediately obvious when you first arrive at the entrance. On the entrance side of the resort you can find a cafe at the baby slope Ride School, another kiosk right near the base of the main chairlift, and then the great Aport restaurant a bit further along the road, right next to the incoming slopes. On top of the mountain is Restaurant 1820 which is a lovely dining experience. Across the other side of the resort, in Lesnaya Skazka, you will find three more restaurants against the slopes. They are the Italian Restaurant (Storia Trattoria), the Georgian Restaurant (Restaurant Gruzinskoy Kukhni Chashnagiri), and the Kazakh restaurant (Restaurant Vostochnoy Kukhni Ak Aulin – its the giant yurt!). There are also a range of smaller eateries off the main slope area in Lesnaya Skazka serving diner and kiosk fare.

If you’re not bringing your equipment, Oi Qaragai has several rental shops on the resort itself. The most obvious ones are next to the Ride School as you enter the resort, another one underneath the Aport Restaurant, and on the other side of the resort, in Lesnaya Skazka, next to the Italian Restaurant. They offer an online Price List but it’s all in Russian, so you might want to check it with the help of the Google Translate app (here are their IOS and Google versions). Please remember to bring your passport or relevant ID document with you to rent equipment.

It’s often cheaper to rent down in the city and bring your kit up with you. I can recommend Skadi (adults), on Dostyk Avenue, and Fischer (kids), located in the Rits Palace development (not to be confused with the Ritz Carlton Hotel area), for ski equipment rental.

Is the resort good for kids?

Yep, this resort is a great place for kids. Not only are the slopes well suited for a wider range of ages and abilities, but the facilities for the littlest skiers and non-skiers are also very good.

There are creche facilities here called the Ugusha Children’s Centers, one is in Lesnaya Skazka, the other is just up along the road behind Aport Restaurant. The Aport location consists of a couple of warm yurts stocked with games, and also a small ski slope for lessons. We used this once just for babysitting and another time both the kids took part in a ski class as well. It was a pretty basic lesson which is probably great for little beginners, however my 6 year old wasn’t that impressed. But given she’s been skiing for a couple of seasons now, and is no longer really a beginner, I’m not going to hold that against the Ugusha instructors! She also went to the Lesnaya Skazka location recently and reported that the Yurt was a bit boring but that the tubing was fun.

To book your child into the Aport location, just go straight to the entrance and pay the fee. To book your child into the Lesnaya location, it is necessary to pay at the kiosk just down the hill from the centre. Its worth noting the Lesnaya location doesn’t accept children under 5 without an adult (the Aport location doesn’t have such a rule – or at least it didn’t last season!).

Whats the bathroom situation like?

Oi Qaragai has plenty of clean, western-style toilets and you do not have to pay for them. You’ll find them scattered all over the main side of the resort: next to the main chairlift (Lift A), in the Ride School building, under Aport restaurant in the ski rental area, and of course in all the restaurants. On top of the mountain you can find them just below Restaurant 1820, and in Lesnaya Skazka they are to be found between the Italian restaurant and the ski rental shop (near Lift E), as well as next to the reception of the resort hotel (near Lift B).

How long is the season at Oi Qaragai?

The resort’s season is usually December through to early March. This is a little shorter than neighbouring Shymbulak, as it is lower in altitude. In 2023 the season finished in mid March, whereas you could still ski in Shymbulak in early April. 

Consider downloading the apps for iPhone and Android that Oi Qaragai has developed. You can buy ski passes, pay for parking and access information about the resort. Note that you’ll still need a plastic ski card to load your ski pass onto (you can use the Shymbulak card for Oi Qaragai passes and vice versa). Adult all day lift passes go for 17,500 (35USD) in February 2025, but do check the latest prices on their site here.

How to get to Oi Qaragai Resort

For this resort, you will want to either drive or take a Yandex taxi (they have an app for both IOS and Google). There is a bus serving this route, number 210, apparently every 25 minutes. You could catch it from Astana Square and pay less than 100 KZT. However, I very rarely see this bus on a weekday (it’s more frequent on a weekend). So I would highly recommend you go by car or Yandex taxi, at least during the week.

Parking is straight forward; there is an easily accessible car park across from the main chairlift, though you’ll want to be early to get a spot! If you’re staying at the resort then you might prefer to park in the Lesnaya Skazka side, where there is a multi level car park right beside the hotel reception. Parking is about 2,000 KZT, (5,000KZT on weekends) and you can pay via the app or at the parking machines or booths. Parking for guests of the hotels is free. You just need to mention that you need a parking voucher when checking out.

Flights to Almaty are served by many well known airlines: Qatar Airways, Turkish Airlines, Lufthansa. National carrier, Air Astana is also a great premium option, with flights most days from London Heathrow.

Staying in Oi Qaragai

On the Resort: There are many types of accommodation in the resort itself. Stay in a traditional, yet luxurious, Kazakh yurt right on the slope for a ski in/ski out experience. Alternatively you can opt to spend your night in the trees in one of the gorgeous treehouses. There are also Cottage Rooms (apartments in a colourful alpine house), Hotel Ak Tas or the fabulous 5-bedroom Chalets for bigger groups. If you stay in one of the Cottage Rooms, see if you can get a room in Building 7 or 8, as they are the closest to the ski lift. We stayed in Building 11 and it was a bit of a walk to either Lift B or E. See Oi Qaragai’s hotel style accommodation availability on booking.com. Cheaper options for the budget-conscious can be found in the hostel style rooms at the Tourist Village, which are located on the other side of the resort, near Aport Restaurant.

Off the resort: There are also plenty of options in the surrounding areas if you don’t mind driving into the resort each day. If this is your preference, then check out Airbnb’s options nearby. There is also a new spa hotel just next to the entrance to Oi Qaragai, called Sulu Sai Resort & Spa. It is reasonably priced and not too far from the chairlift but I haven’t stayed there yet.

What do I know about Oi Qaragai?

I’ve been living here and visiting Oi Qaragai since mid 2021 with my family. Visit my About Me page to understand more about my perspective. And check out my Kazakhstan page to find out more about why I think why you should travel to Kazakhstan!

Also take a look at my other posts on Oi Qaragai and skiing in Kazakhstan!

• The best place to stay at Oi Qaragai Resort
• The Best View In Shymbulak: Le Mont Hotel Review
• Kazakhstan should make your list for great ski destinations
• Why Shymbulak is a great choice for a ski holiday
• Why I think you should visit Ak Bulak Ski Resort
• The best place to stay in Shymbulak Mountain Resort