Out of TownOut of TownPhoto: YermuratD, CC BY-SA 4.0 · source
Kok-Zhaylau is a broad plateau situated at 2,200 meters elevation between the Maly Almaty and Bolshoy Almaty Gorges, roughly 10 km from the city. From here you can see the entire city at once, the Chimbulak ski resort, Medeo Gorge, and the Big Almaty Peak — a panorama that is rare even by Almaty standards, where mountains are visible from almost everywhere. The most popular ascent starts from the Ak-Bulak stop, served by bus number 12: the trail initially descends slightly, then climbs steeply to the ridge and continues along it all the way to the plateau, taking approximately 2–3 hours for those with average fitness. The route is so accessible that on weekends between 100 and 400 people hike it, including families with children and elderly visitors. You can also ascend from Dulati Street on the Medeo side — this route is longer, but the trail is wider and easier to follow. Along the way there is a spring with clean water, stairs, and rest shelters, and on the plateau itself wooden swings over the cliff have stood for several years — many people make the climb just for a photograph. In 2026, a QR code for paying an ecological fee appeared on the trail, allowing visitors to pay right along the way without stopping at the checkpoint.
The name translates from Kazakh as "green pasture," and this is not merely poetic language: for centuries livestock grazed here, herded to the summer pastures to escape the heat of the plains. This is a classic jailau of nomadic herding — with yurt settlements and watering holes nearby. A new chapter began in 2014 when a government decree transferred 1,002 hectares of the Ile-Alatau National Park to ski resort development — with slopes exceeding 100 km in length, hotels, cable cars, and a golf course. The project faced opposition from environmentalists, mountaineers, and thousands of Almaty residents: the petition was signed by approximately 20,000 people, and international organizations including UNESCO and the IUCN also called for preserving the ecosystem untouched. In October 2019, President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, taking public opinion into account, banned the project, and in 2022 the territory was restored to protected status.
The wildlife here is genuine, not decorative: over a hundred bird species nest on Kok-Zhaylau, including golden eagles and black storks listed in the Red Book, and snow leopards, brown bears, lynxes, deer, and marmots inhabit the area. Tian-Shan spruce grows in the forests, and wild apple trees of Sivers' variety grow in the understory — the wild ancestor of most cultivated apple varieties worldwide: their fruits reach 7 cm in diameter, nearly the size of orchard apples. Scientists became interested in this species as early as 1793, when botanist Johann Sivers first described apple forests in the Urdzhar River valley. During the Soviet era, Almaty scientist Aimak Dzhangazhiyev devoted his entire career to studying wild apple trees — a documentary film "Father of Apples" was even dedicated to him. Approximately 75% of all remaining groves of Sivers' apple grow precisely in the Zailiysky and Dzhungar Alatau mountains, surrounding Almaty. The species is considered vulnerable: forests were cleared for pastures and development, and since 1992 the area of wild fruit groves has noticeably declined. In spring, tulips and crocuses also bloom on the plateau, and it is precisely then that people come not only for the panoramic views but also for the walk itself through the flowering meadow.
The fate of this place has hung in the balance several times, and the dispute appears far from over. In 2025–2026, the resort project became relevant again — this time in a new form, with investments of 655.9 billion tenge and plans to build 65 km of slopes, 16 lifts, and a cable car. The resort is designed to accommodate over 10,000 skiers simultaneously. Road construction to the site began in summer 2026. So far this has not interfered with hiking routes — the trail to the plateau remains open — but the landscape around it is visibly changing before the eyes of those who visit regularly. Those who want to see Kok-Zhaylau as it was defended in 2019 should hurry.
From the plateau itself, near the picnic tables, your own routes begin: in five minutes you reach a viewing platform overlooking the city, and in fifteen to twenty minutes you can reach Batareyka Waterfall. Beyond this, the trail leads to the Three Brothers rocks and Kumbel Peak, but that is for those planning to spend the entire day on the route. You can return the same way through Ak-Bulak — about an hour and a half downhill — or descend into the Big Almaty Gorge: this takes three to four hours, though in winter people sled on this section.