In three days I managed to visit Shymbulak–Medeu, the Museum of Modern Art, and Charyn Canyon. I loved everything and will definitely come back again. Both Almaty and the Kazakh people are wonderful 
By the way, the mountains and canyons are an excellent workout if you explore them on foot. It felt like I lost about 7 kilos—despite all the baursaks, belyashi, and beshbarmak I enjoyed along the way )
