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It is really easy to learn to orient oneself in Almaty thanks to its easy street layout and a peculiar location near the mountains. We would like to give you a few tips.
Almaty is located on a sloping valley at the northern Tien-Shan spurs at 650-1,200 meters above the sea level. That is why, when giving directions, locals usually use not only "right" and "left" but also "up" and "down". At first, it will sound unusual but later you will understand that it is convenient.
There is no Almaty without the mountains. In clear weather they are seen from everywhere and are a real city landmark indispensable for directions. "Up" or "towards the mountains" also means "to the south" because the mountains are in the south. "Down" means "to the north", "in the direction opposite the mountains".
Central part of Almaty is divided into small square districts. Numbering of buildings usually starts from the east if a street lies along the mountains. If a street goes to the mountains numbering starts in the north. In the direction of number growth even numbers will be on your right side and odd numbers will be on your left. This rule does not apply in Microdistricts (Mikrorayony), which have their own numbering system. Numbering in some streets in the lower part of the city (from Rayumbek avenue towards the railway stations) starts in the south.
Many streets have been renamed. Please see the list of new and old street and district names from the A-Business directory.
Our main advice is DO NOT BE AFRAID TO ASK!!! People in Almaty are very friendly and many of them speak English. To ask about a location in Russian say: «Izvinite, gde ulitsa ABC»(Excuse me, where is ABC Street?)
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