Street Art in Almaty: My Favorite Murals + Recommended Walking Tour

Post overview: In this post, I will share a little bit about the street art in Almaty, including why I think taking a street art tour with Walking Almaty is the best way to be introduced to the scene.

I have been coming to Almaty for the last thirteen years and even lived here for a short period of time. And one thing that kind of shocked me back in my earlier Almaty days was the lack of street art in the city. I vividly remember a Superman pop-art mural, but that was about it.

However, over the years, I have noticed more and more street art in Almaty. Whether it be murals on the sides of buildings or sculptures along the street, these creative works always put a smile on my face as I saw the scene evolving over the years.

So when I saw that Walking Almaty, a renowned local tour company, offered a street art tour, I knew I had to sign up. Walking Almaty was founded by a friend of mine, Dennis Keen, and he has done wonders advocating for the art scene here in Almaty, particularly the preservation of Soviet-era monumental art (you can read more about his mission and work on his site Monumental Almaty).

Nevertheless, Dennis knows his history and pretty much every inch of Almaty, so I knew I would get far more out of this walking tour than I was paying for.

A Quick Overview of Street Art in Almaty

You can find street art in several areas of Almaty, but there is quite a bit concentrated in the Golden Quarter (Central Almaty). It can be found on the side of residential buildings, on the front of coffee shops, and even in courtyards between apartment blocks.

It took this public art a while to find its feet in the city. There was very little happening until around 2008, when Almaty’s first mural went up as part of the ArtBat Fest.

This ended up igniting a creative wave in Almaty over the next decade, and the inaugural Mural Fest took place in 2016. Artists from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Ukraine, and Russia took place at the 2016 Mural Fest. It ran until 2019 and never picked back up post-pandemic.

While street art still exists in Almaty, murals are not being painted at the same rate they were 6+ years ago, except for some random public service announcements (trust me, you will see one or two when you’re here and know right away).

How to Take a Street Art Tour with Walking Almaty

👟 Walking distance: about 2km (a little over 1 mile)
⏳ Duration: 2-3 hours
➡️ Check rates & availability here

As someone who has spent significant time in Almaty, I know better than anyone else that you really can’t get a full picture of anything happening here without chatting with locals. 

And Walking Almaty knows all the mini ‘eras’, if you will, of art in this city… whether it be monumental art or the recent murals and street art. Dennis has had a chance to interview the artists behind the murals, and he can break down hidden details in each, giving you a better appreciation for the story and symbolism in each.

Some of my Favorite Murals in Almaty

Father of Apples (Stepan Krasnov)

This mural is easily the most famous one in Almaty. It was painted by Stepan Krasnov of 310 Moscow. It is pop-art, and honestly, I thought for years that this was Superman on the side of the building and never really thought much differently (until I learned additional details from Walking Almaty). Apparently, I am not the only one who thought this was a Superman mural.

Anyway, this is one of the contemporary OGs in Almaty, so it is worth checking out!

📍 Location: Kurmangazy Street 33

Snow Leopard (Neon & Shaman)

Created by Kazakhstani art team Neon & Shaman, this mural was painted for Almaty City Day 2017.

Later down the road, Coca-Cola painted over it, and backlash ensued (as it should). Eventually, the team was commissioned to repaint the mural and it stands beautifully on Ablai Khan today.

📍 Location: Abylai Khan 59

Kazakh Girl in a Saukele (Mukhit Dulu)

Another mural that was created for the 2017 Almaty Mural Fest, this one is easily one of my favorites in the city!

This street art was created by Mukhit and his brother, Gleb, and it is of a Kazakh girl wearing a traditional wedding headdress called a saukele.

📍 Location: corner of Zheltoksan and Zhibek Zholy

A Venetian Drinks Arabic Coffee with Nomads (Alexandra Kalacheva)

This mural was painted in 2020 by Alexandra Kalacheva and is on the building where Pro Barista is located. The photo below only shows part of the mural.

It is a little bit hidden but worth going out of the way for because the cafe serves one of my favorite cups of coffee in the city!

📍 Location: Panfilov 92/63

Is an Almaty Street Art Tour Worth It?

If public and street art are your thing, absolutely! Do I think it is a tour to prioritize on your first trip to Almaty if you only have a few days? Maybe not. While you’ll learn a lot on the tour, I think Walking Almaty has some other tours better suited to a rookie visitor with limited time. If you have more than a few days in Almaty, however, I do think their street art tour is one to consider!

Let me know if you have any questions about the Almaty street art scene or this walking tour below. Thanks!

*This site uses affiliate links, meaning that if you make a purchase through my links, I may earn an affiliate commission.