The Helipad Walk

A guided half-day walk to the Helipad (Вертолетная площадка) — a forest meadow in the Almaty foothills that is officially the easiest mountain walk in our catalogue. At just 5.7 km round trip with 316 metres of elevation gain and a difficulty rating of 1/5, this is the hike for people who don’t think of themselves as hikers: families with young children, elderly travellers, visitors who arrived this morning and want fresh mountain air before dinner, or anyone who simply wants a gentle walk in the forest with mountain views.

The meadow is also known locally as “Tolkienists’ Meadow” (Поляна Толкиенистов) — named for the Almaty Tolkien fan community that has traditionally gathered here. The open clearing is home to wild horses, who graze peacefully and occasionally approach hikers with more curiosity than timidity. From the meadow, the trail continues toward Kok-Zhailau for those who want to extend the walk.

What to expect

The hike starts from the Butakovka (Бутаковка) bus stop — reachable by city bus #12 or #29 from central Almaty, or by the Bellagio restaurant landmark. No car needed; no national park fee; no special equipment. Sneakers are fine.

The trail climbs gently through a mixed forest of birch, maple, and wild apple trees. The path is wide and well-trodden — this is one of the most popular local walking routes in the Almaty foothills, especially on weekends. The gradient is mild throughout; there are no steep sections, no scrambling, and no exposure. Children and elderly walkers handle it comfortably.

The Helipad clearing is a flat, open meadow where helicopters historically landed for mountain rescue operations. The clearing offers views south toward the snow-capped peaks of the Zailiyskiy Alatau — the same peaks that form the backdrop to the entire city of Almaty. On clear days, the Furmanov–Panorama–Bashuta–Chimbulachka ridge (the Small Almaty Circumnavigation route) is visible as a continuous line above the treeline.

Wild horses are regular inhabitants of the meadow — expect to see them grazing or standing curiously in your path. They are generally calm but should not be hand-fed or approached too closely.

For those who want more: the trail beyond the meadow continues uphill and connects to the Kok-Zhailau trail — the classic Almaty day hike to the alpine meadow at 2,300 m. The Helipad serves as a natural “checkpoint” where you can decide whether to turn back (total: 2–3 hours) or continue to Kok-Zhailau (total: 5–6 hours for the full loop).