Walk in the hills of Margalla Potsed by bachelor party in Portland

 

The Margalla Hills are effectively the foothills of the Himalayas - and are very easily accessible from Islamabad. However, these hills are quite large and steep, and should not be underestimated - if you are planning a walk to the top of the first ridge (where the Monal restaurant is located), sturdy shoes, a large bottle of water and one It is necessary to change t-shirt (chances are you will be soaked in sweat before you get to the top). Between March and November, it is best to start walking early in the morning (before 7:30 a.m. or 6:30 a.m. in the height of summer) as it is extremely hot during the day. Give plenty of room to monkeys, as they can be aggressive. Bachelorparty in Portland wants to guide the people.

 

You can choose from many trails, some of which have been numbered by planners. The most popular walks are Trail 3, Trail 5, and the Zoo Trail. Google Earth offers a good way to orient yourself before you go. It takes about 3.5 hours round trip to complete trail 3 or 5.

 

Trail 6- also known on the E7 or Faisal Mosque trail. Little used, partly because it's so hard to find the trailhead. Head to the parking lot behind the Faisal Mosque and look for a door with a sign for the Margalla Tree Planting Project. Go through the portal, take the first right, then right again (in a gray metal box with a hole at the top) into a small clearing and turn left at the end. Head north towards a large concrete water storage tank, then go right on a well-defined path (GPS coordinates 33.734112 °, 73.038421 °). From there, navigation should be straightforward. Trail 1 winds its way to the ridge, where you can turn right and reach Pir Sohawa Road, near the turnoff for Talhaar. Takes about 2 hours to reach the top. From Pir Sohawa road, 20 minutes walk from Monal restaurant,

 

Trail 2 / Zoo Trail  - Trail 2 starts a little uphill from Pir Sohawa (just past the Jungle Shack drink bar - GPS 33.7346 °, 73.0545 °) or you can start to the right of the entrance to the Islamabad zoo. This is a good choice if you are looking for a walk of an hour or two - the trail leads to the Daman-e Koh viewpoint - if you want to continue walking to Cactus Ridge, you will come to the checkpoint of police located near the checkpoint. entrance to Daman-e Koh. From Cactus Ridge you have a good view of where AirBlue Flight 202 crashed.

 

Trail 3  - starts from Margalla Road, F-6/3 (junction between Margalla Road and Ataturk Avenue). It's a bit steep and tiring in the first stage, which goes up to the viewpoint and takes around 30-50 minutes. hiking. After the viewpoint, you can continue for 45-60 minutes and reach the Pir Sohawa, where you can choose from 3 restaurants, the Monal, the Treehouse, and the Capital View restaurant. This is the most popular walk so the litter levels are high.

 

Path 4  - This is the path that goes up into the hills, just 1 km from the zoo on the road to Monal. It is one of the most beautiful trails offering a breathtaking view of the forest and the hills.

 

Trail 5  also starts from Margalla Road on F-5 (about 500m down from trail 3 - across from Judge's Enclave) and is initially an easier trail to climb. Trail 5 connects to trail 3 (via trail 4) and passes the viewpoint of trail 3. If you continue on trail 5 you will eventually come across the Pir Sohawa road (33.7675 °, 73.0771 ° ) although it is possible to get lost on trail 5 and steer too east, only to end up at the top of trail 6. Whichever you choose. Eventually he'll take the Pir Sohawa road, so it's hard to really get lost. From the top of trail 5 it's a mile to the top of trail 3 - so you can do a 3-4 hour loop.

 

Trail 6 is  in the valley east of trail 5. Start at the parking lot for trail 5, walk parallel to the two-lane blocked road eastbound, then head north when you see the mouth of the valley. Walk past a small cluster of houses and you'll come across a sealed single lane road. Follow it for a short while and you will find yourself on the path. Then follow this one into the valley, going up to the left. You will eventually find yourself on the road to Pir Sohawa. From there you can head west to the top of trail 5. The trail is devoid of signage and markers, is lightly used but very scenic.

 

Saidpur trail  - follow the river through the village (dodging a few alleys) and you will emerge into a valley and a path leading to the Monal restaurant. This will allow you to easily do a loop down trail 3. Saidpur The trail is not heavily used so it is virtually litter free.

 

Bari Imam Trail - for the more adventurous, this is a good hike. Drive towards Nurpur Shahan (east of the government complex beyond the end of Margalla Road) - go to a junction at 33.7457 °, 73.1050 ° and turn left until you come to at a detour for a small hotel at the trailhead (33.7569 °, 73.1135 °). The walk begins with steps leading to Bari Imam cave, then you can continue up the steep hill, then cross the road to Pir Sohawa where there are some cafes and a hotel (33.7843 °, 73.1107 ° - it's about 5 miles from here to the top of trail 3 if you follow the road). You can return to the valley to your starting point. Be careful though that you go through Khyber Paktunkwa and that you have to be charmed by the police.

 

Trails 3 and 5 have large maps and guide boards placed at the entrance.

 

For more walks and information, purchase a copy of Hiking around Islamabad (available from the Saeed Book Bank at F7 Markaz) or read the   original 1992 version. Also read this blog on some of the best hiking trails in the Margalla Hills. For read more click on bachelor party in Portland