Best Margalla Hills Hiking Trails in Islamabad 2021

Most of the capital cities of different countries are being developed artificially but Islamabad; the capital city of Pakistan is the only capital that has been blessed with natural beauty as well as artificial beauty. Islamabad, the second most beautiful capital in the world after London has many recreational tourist spots to enjoy with family and friends. The chain of Himalayan Mountains, Margalla Hills enhances the beauty of the capital city Islamabad. These hills are home to many species of animals and birds. There are many walking and hiking trails in Islamabad that magnetically attract scores of peoples around the year.

Furthermore, lush green scenery of the hills attracts many domestic as well as many international tourists every year. Pakistan has been blessed with cold as well as and hot Desserts, eye-catching waterfalls, mighty Mountains, lush green meadows, icy streams and much more at the same time. The capital city of Pakistan, Islamabad, possesses many recreational parks, cinemas, lakes, zoos etc. for the entertainment of the people. Among all the entertainment spots hiking trails are very important to discuss. There are a number of hiking trails in Islamabad for hiking lovers. All of the trails are safe to explore particularly for camping. The state of Pakistan has given the responsibility of the maintenance and security of these trails to (CDA) Capital Development Authority, Islamabad. According to Arab news there CDA is going to prepare many new trails with different pathways, apart from the existing six trails, for the assistance of hiking lovers.

Summer season is upon us and it is the time to tie the laces of your hiking boots to enjoy hiking on different trails of Margalls hills, Islamabad. Even in winters, people go hiking on these trails to keep themselves physically and mentally well. Health specialist suggests, going for hiking once in three months to maintain physical fitness.

Islamabad Margalla Hills Trails List

There are notably six best trails in Islamabad which are being frequently used by the hikers for the purpose of entertainment or hiking. A brief explanation about these trails is given below:

Trail 1 Islamabad

Trail No. 1 is considered as tougher as compare to the rest of the trails. It starts right in front of National Defense University, sector E/8 and leads you to the top of Pir Sohawa road approximately in 2 hours. You will come across three ridges before reaching the top destination, Pir Suhawa. The top ridge goes towards the Talhar village. Second ridge makes its way towards Sinyari Village which is behind E-10 Sector Islamabad. The final ridge accompanies the hikers till Pir Suhawa. There are many sub trails inside the main trail No1, which makes this trail adventurous and interesting. This trail is a little bit dangerous as compared to others because recently more than 5 leopards’ have been seen by the hawkers and woodcutters. Because of the threat of wild animals and the tough nature of the trail, few people prefer to go there for hiking but it is best for adventure lovers.

Trail 2 Islamabad

Trail No. 2 is newly rehabilitated and it was inaugurated on Wednesday by the Special Assistant to the Prime Minister for climate change Malik Aslam. This challenging track is surrounded by beautiful green trees, herbs and shrubs. Within a distance of 1.5 hours, it leads to Daman-e- Koh viewpoint. The starting point of this trail is situated near the Islamabad zoo. Because of the threat of wild animals, it is also considered unsafe for those who like to travel alone.

Trail 3 Islamabad

The old but the most popular walking and hiking track is Trail 3 Islamabad. It starts from Sector F-6, particularly from Margalla Road. Because of steep hills, it is proving to be a little bit tougher for the hiker. After 30-50 minutes of hiking, you will reach the viewpoint. To reach Pir Sohawa you need to complete another 45-60 minutes of hiking. When a hiker reaches Pir Sohawa, he feels the whiff of spell-binding and yummy food in the air. You need to choose from the two famous restaurants “The Monal” and La Montana” to satisfy your appetite when you get there

Trail 4 Islamabad

Trail No. 4 is the junction point or link between trails 3 and 5. The length of this track is roughly 8.5 km. It was not in the approach of the Public because of maintenance. It has been reopened for the visitors after restoration and rehabilitation. The visitors can use this track to get some fresh air as well as for exercise purposes.

Trail 5 Islamabad

Trail 3 and trail 5 accompany each other up to some distance. It starts from the Margaalla road of Sector F-5, Islamabad. At some points, it meets with trail 4 as well. Most of people prefer to start hiking on trial 5 because it is not so tough to climb. The ultimate destination of Margalla hills trail 5 is Pir Sohawa and almost 2.5 - 3.5 hours are required to cover the distance. It is one of the best Islamabad hiking trails, trail 5. It is also considered as the most scenic trail as compared to other trails. Freshwater stream, car parking facility, and refreshment facilities at the entrance of the trail make it a most favorable picnic spot for families. The walking path of trail 5 leads you to the beautiful Saidpur Village.

Trail 6 Islamabad

Most of the visitors don’t know about the entrance of this beautiful Islamabad walking trail. The entrance of this trail at the backside of Faisal Mosque Sector E-7. The unique quality of this trail is that, that it has a track for mountain bike adventurers. Furthermore, it has bird watching points to amuse visitors and hikers. After 2 hours of hiking, the track leads you to the top terminal of Pir Sohawa. This track is very challenging and you can find few people on this track because of its complex nature. Moreover, it is not for beginners but one of the best trails to do tough exercise.