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Margalla Hills National Park · Islamabad

Trail 1

The long approach from Margalla Road up to the top of the Pir Sohawa road, with the option of carrying on to Monal.

Check before you goHiking
  • Official-source verified· Capital Development Authority
  • Last checked 19 August 2026
A rocky section of the path climbing through scrub in the Margalla Hills.

A rocky section of the path climbing through scrub in the Margalla Hills.

Trail Status

Check before you go

GreenPak has not confirmed this trail's current status with the responsible authority. Access can change with weather, wildlife and local restrictions, so ask locally before you set out.

Overview

Trail 1 climbs from Margalla Road to the upper terminal of the Pir Sohawa road. The Capital Development Authority puts the walk at about two hours, with roughly a further twenty minutes if you continue on to the Monal restaurant at the top.

The authority does not publish which sector the path starts from, so plan the approach with a local map rather than assuming it shares a trailhead with the numbered trails further east.

Difficulty & Stats

GreenPak difficulty

Not yet rated

No responsible authority publishes a difficulty for this trail, and GreenPak has not yet walked it. We would rather leave this blank than guess.

Typical time
2 hr

Capital Development Authority — stated as about two hours to the top terminal

Route type
Point to point

Finishes somewhere other than the start — plan the return.

No elevation profile is shown because no surveyed elevation data has been published for this trail. When one is recorded it will appear here.

Trail Map

The line follows the route as it has been surveyed; the numbered points are the places worth knowing about along it. Every fact on this page is also written out — the map is never the only place a detail appears.

8 places

ResortsSightsClusters = places

Route line © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL) · OpenStreetMap — community-mapped, not verified against a park authority

Getting There

Margalla Road

The Capital Development Authority names Margalla Road as the start but does not publish the sector or a marked entrance.

Open the trailhead

Google Maps ↗

Before You Set Out

The Capital Development Authority publishes hiking guidance for the Margalla trails. The points below restate that guidance; anything specific to one trail is shown on that trail's own page.

  • Stay on the marked track

    Follow the marked route for the whole walk, and follow the signs, notices and directions posted along it.

  • Walk with someone

    Going with at least one other person is advised, and it matters most on the quieter trails where you may not pass anyone for a long stretch.

  • Carry enough water

    In hot weather the guidance is one litre for every hour you expect to be walking or climbing — carried with you, and drunk as you go.

  • Dress for the hill

    Sturdy rubber-soled shoes or boots, a hat that will stay on, a long-sleeved shirt and sunscreen.

  • Time it around the heat

    When it is very hot, walk only in the coolest part of the day.

  • Know when not to go

    The authority advises against climbing or attempting a strenuous walk if you have high or low blood pressure, a heart condition or a breathing condition, or if you are not reasonably fit.

  • If something goes wrong

    If you become unwell or are injured, stay where you are and get word to someone who can arrange help rather than pressing on.

Hiking guidance published for the Margalla Hills trails — Capital Development Authority. Checked 19 August 2026.