Margala Hills National Park

Margala Hills National Park is a protected area of roughly 7000 hectares north of Islamabad, covering several hill ridges with elevations between 685 and 1604 meters. Dry grasslands alternate with pine forests and rocky slopes crossed by hiking paths and ravines.

The Pakistani government declared this area a national park in 1980 to protect the last foothills of the Himalayas near the then young capital. Before that, the hills had served for centuries as a transit zone for traders and travelers between the Indus lowlands and the mountain regions.

The name derives from the Persian word Margh, meaning grassland or grassy hills, which describes the landscape character of this area. Visitors today see shepherds with their flocks on the gentle slopes and meet hikers from the capital who seek recreation here on weekends.

Several hiking trails run through the park, some are short and easy to walk, others climb steeply and require good fitness. Most visitors come in the morning or late afternoon, when temperatures are more comfortable.

Leopards live in the remote ravines of the park, though sightings are rare and the animals mostly hunt at night. Lake Rawal on the southern edge feeds the water supply of Islamabad and attracts migratory birds that stop here to rest.