Trail 1 Margalla Hills Islamabad has it all

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WIK February 16, 2021

Trail 1 Margalla Hills Islamabad has it all

Trails 1 starts at E-8 Sector in front of National Defense University and ends at
Talhar Village.
The intensity level of Trail 1 is moderately tough.

There are three ridges before you get to Pir Sohawa Road or the top Margalla Ridge.

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The reason why Trail 1 Margalla Hills Islamabad is the best
Trail 1 Margalla Islamabad is tougher than the rest.
This trail has some sub trails, which makes it more adventurous.
It has danger too, which makes it exciting
They recently found that there are 5 leopards roaming these hills after dark and one
of them is called Shehzadi.
At some spots, rocky formations rise to above 1000 meters.
Water streams on the track flow pretty fast in the rainy season.
Drinking water must be carried on the trail during winters.
There are no hawkers and locals hanging around the track.
Views of Islamabad, Faisal mosque and the Sunset are excellent from Trail 1 first
rest point.
You can catch glimpse of wild boars, snakes, horses, Hawks, and beautiful birds in
these mountains.
Some spots lead to scary cliffs and high rock faces.
A few Wild Olive Groves on the second ridge along Trail 1 are an excellent place to
camp for the weekend.
Not too many people go there, so you have the place all to yourself.
Trail 1 Margalla Islamabad gives you a good feel of your fitness level for the real
hikes and climbs up north in Gilgit Baltistan.
It is safe.

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Details of Trail 1 Margalla Hills
Trail 1 Google Maps Route is posted here
https://goo.gl/maps/2G6j8HtjbD95K7rV6
Coordinates Kilenger Village Start Point 33.73188804802678, 73.01617844813866

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Trail 1 Margalla Islamabad starts at Kilenger/Gandhian Village, just beside the Pizza
restaurant at the end of the double road between E-9 PAF AHQ and E-8 Navy HQ.

The starting point is opposite National Defense University.

A guard on the check post between Air University and Bahria University will ask for your
ID Card.

If you say you must go to the Gandhian village, they let you go.

The track is not marked, so take visual clues from the canopy installed at the top of the
first ridge.

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There are three ridges before you get to Pir Sohawa Road or the top Margalla Ridge.

Ending Point can be either of

Talhar Village across the top Ridge

Sinyari Village Behind E-10 Sector Islamabad
Pir Sohawa Road; I could not find the route, but here is one if you walk Eastwards.

This hike is of medium intensity, but at a few spots, the track disappears with a drop of 30
feet on one side and a rock wall on the other.

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Women, children, and families can do the easier first leg and return after watching the
sunset under the shaded seating area.

As the track is not marked, starting off early is imperative, or you might find yourself lost
after sunset.

There are only woodcutters and random Bakarwal goat herders that you meet during the
climb, and that is after walking for hours.

The total time from E-8 Sector to

Kilenger village E-8 Sector to Talhar Junction is 5 h

Gandhian/Kilenger village E-8 Sector to Sinyari Village E-10 is 4 h
Kilenger village to Talhar village is 4.5 h
Gandhian/Kilenger to first rest stop sunset viewpoint is one hour

Women and elders over 60 will not be able to do any of these tracks on trail 1 Margalla
Islamabad.

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What else can be done there?
Camping overnight at the Wild Olive Wood in the summers.
Sipping Tea and Barbecuing on the cliff with a clear view of Faisal mosque and
Rawal Lake with hawks flying beneath you
Just below Margalla top Ridgeline, there is an abandoned ranger post from where
you can get a panoramic 270-Degree view of Islamabad
The view starts from Bari Imam in the East, Rawal Lake, and Faisal mosque on to
GT road on the Western side.

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Essential Equipment to carry along on Trial One Hike Margalla
SunGlasses, as the Sun is dazzling above the city smog.
Proper hiking boots, with high angles.
Wooly Cap, Fleece, and inner thermals during winters.
Night headlamp, with a headband.
Accurate GPS cell phone, with spare power pack.
A pocket knife.
Fingerless Gloves to hold on to the rocks and not cut your hands on the prickly
bushes
The water bladder with 3 liters of water with ORS mixed into it.
Hiking stick with handle securing loops.
Dates, Chickpeas, Fruits such as Banana and Oranges.
A white scarf in summers.
Money, in case you do not get a lift where you end up.
An adventurous spirit.
Good company.

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PRO TIP 1

Foreigners might have a problem of being stopped and questioned by the Pakistan Air
Force and Navy guards at the post just inside Shaheen chowk, not Pakistani nationals.

I wish the military authorities allow everyone to enjoy this wonderful excursion that
would build brownie points for our security forces.

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My super hike on Trail 1 Margalla Hills Islamabad
I started off late at 12 o’clock from Gandhian Village and I discovered, in the evening that
it was dangerously late.

You must get there latest by 8 am to have sufficient time to recover, in case you get lost.

I walked along the Pakistan Navy Golf Club wall till the time I reached a small Nullah with
water trickling down.

At this point, I turned left toward Margalla.

The well-used hiking track goes in the general direction of the metal canopy on top of the
first ridge.

After about 1.5 h I was at the first ridge when I discovered there was another ridge behind
the first one.

To ghetto the second ridge, I had to pass through two tricky spots where I had to slide
over the rock, with a precarious drop on one side.

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This is the spot where the park rangers have stopped maintaining the trail

I had to rethink my priorities for a while before moving ahead since the hawk flying below
my ledge seemed to be waiting for me to fall.

It was a pleasant time there.

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After circumventing a 100-foot rock face, I reached the first clearing.

There were several dried-up streams along the way with abandoned Shrine and
Hermitages.

Before I reached the second clearing, I met two menacing goat herders with axes slung on
their shoulders.

The Axes I gathered, were meant for the rampant illegal logging everyone is doing on
Margalla Hills.

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The goat herders give me clear instructions on how to get to a road before sunset, which I
hereby produce for you all.

I was not listening to these guys and nearly ended up in trouble, so read this carefully

At the abandoned shrine, the track splits up into three routes.

If you take the leftmost route or the Eastern Route, you end up in Sinyari Village in
1.0-hour.
If you climbing straight you end up on the Margalla Top ridge passing through Goat
Herder Shacks.

Take the Western track, on your right side, you will end up at Talhar village after 1.5 h.

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All these tracks are quite well used, so do not test the mountains and try to course a new
path- the mountain always wins.

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If you do end up at any of these places, the local people are friendly and they would give
hitch you a ride on the back of their motorcycles or even cars for free.

From Talhar, Pir Sohawa road is a 15-minute ride.

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PRO TIP 2

GPS and Mobile signals stay strong throughout the hike.

There was a forest fire alight in Talhar.

I didn’t feel threatened or unsafe on the way, maybe because I had a knife on my belt, but
I would recommend going there in pairs.

Just do not run on the hills, or you will twist your ankle and there will be no one to carry
you out.

It gets dark early in the mountains so you will have to turn on your headlamp exactly 15
minutes after sunset time on google.

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The wild animals on Margalla Hills Islamabad
I saw plenty of birds and small animals rustling in the bushes close by, but I didn’t see any
leopards, Boars, or foxes that are known to be around in Margalla hills.

Which are the 10 Hiking trails in Islamabad Margalla hills?

Trail 1 Islamabad

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Between Kilenger / Gandian Village E-8 Sector and Sinyari village E-10.

Trail 2 Islamabad
This is a short and easy trail Between Marghzar Zoo and Damne Koh, suitable for all
family members

Trail 3 Islamabad
Between F-6 and Monal Restaurant, Pir Sohawa. People generally climb straight up the
fire lane and then pop pain killers for the next whole week.

Trail 4 Islamabad
Between Trail 3 and Trial 5

Trail 5 Margalla Islamabad

Starts 300 meters ahead of Trail 3 in F-6 and ends at Pir Sohawa

Trail 6 Islamabad
Starts behind Faisal Mosque from the Parking to Pir Sohawa, with a mountain bike lane
too.

Margalla Ridge Hike Islamabad

Between Kehntala Village Laosar Bauli above Shah Allah Ditta and Talhar Village.

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 Also, see Sunset Spot at

Makhniyal Second Ridge Hike Islamabad

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This is between Makhnial village Pir Sohawa Road to Gokina Village.

Bruti Water Fall Trail Islamabad

This hike starts from the Parking behind Bari Imam, called Loh e Dandi near the old
municipal building and goes up to Pir Sohawa passing through Bruti Waller fall.

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 Also, see Shumber Waterfall and Leopards of Margalla

Starts at the foothills of Faisal-Hills town, close to Margalla Pass, and ends up a Hazer Pir
Mizar Shrine.

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Also, see

Pir Sohawa to Bara kahu Hike

Conclusion

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Everyone in Rawalpindi Islamabad must go for Trail 1 Margalla Hills Islamabad as this is
the only trail that gives you the feeling of real adventure and is also the cleanest and with
a perfect view of Sunset.

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