This Galiyat itinerary for 2 days covers Nathia Gali, Dunga Gali and Ayubia in one weekend, with one night in Nathia Gali. On day one you drive up from Islamabad, settle in and walk the flat Pipeline Track from Dunga Gali to Ayubia in the afternoon. On day two you climb Mushkpuri Top early, while the air is clear, and drive home after lunch. It needs one booked night, an early start each day, and legs for a two-hour climb.
Two days is the right length for the Galiyat. It lets you do the easy forest walk and a summit without rushing either, and it keeps the driving to the mornings and early afternoons, when the roads are quieter.
| At a glance | |
|---|---|
| Nights | 1, in Nathia Gali (or Dunga Gali) |
| Drive from Islamabad | About 2.5 hours each way in normal traffic |
| Day 1 walk | Pipeline Track, Dunga Gali to Ayubia: about 4 km each way, almost flat |
| Day 2 hike | Mushkpuri Top, about 2,800 m: 4 to 5 hours up and down |
| Fitness | Moderate; the Mushkpuri climb is steep in places |
| Best months | May to June and mid-September to November |
| Book ahead | Always for Friday and Saturday nights, Eid and 14 August |
Before you go
The Galiyat are the string of small hill stations on the forested ridge between Murree and Abbottabad. This plan uses three of them, all within a few kilometres of each other:
- Nathia Gali, the largest, with most of the hotels and restaurants. Your base.
- Dunga Gali, 3 km towards Murree, the headquarters of Ayubia National Park and the start of both the Pipeline Track and the shorter route up Mushkpuri.
- Ayubia, a resort area named after President Ayub Khan and made up of several small hill stations along the ridge, at the far end of the Pipeline Track.
Book the hotel before you leave, confirm it has parking, and ask what time you can check in. Our hotels in Nathia Gali guide compares the areas and explains what to ask.
Day 1: Islamabad to Nathia Gali, and the Pipeline Track
- 7:00 to 8:00 am: leave Islamabad. Up the Murree Expressway, past Murree and along the ridge road through Barian and Changla Gali. At weekends, the earlier the better.
- About 10:00 am: arrive in Nathia Gali. Drop your bags at the hotel if the room is not ready, and walk the bazaar while the town is still quiet.
- 12:30 pm: early lunch in Nathia Gali.
- 1:30 pm: drive the 3 km to Dunga Gali and pay the small entry ticket at the start of the Pipeline Track.
- 1:45 to 4:30 pm: the Pipeline Track. Walk about 4 km through deodar and pine forest to Ayubia, an hour to an hour and a half at an easy pace, have tea at the far end, then walk back or have your driver collect you. The path is almost level the whole way. Our Pipeline Track guide covers what to expect.
- 5:00 pm: back in Nathia Gali. Walk up to St Matthew's Church, the wooden church from the British period above the town, for the evening light over the forest.
- Evening: dinner and an early night. You want to be on the trail by 8 the next morning.
At Ayubia, the old chairlift was shut in 2021 as unsafe. In July 2026 the provincial government said its restoration was complete and it would reopen soon. If it is running when you visit, it makes a good add-on at the end of the walk; ask locally before you plan around it.
Day 2: Mushkpuri Top, then home
- 7:30 am: breakfast.
- 8:00 am: drive to Dunga Gali and start the climb. The trail is roughly 3 to 4 km, steep in places, and most people reach the top in one and a half to two and a half hours.
- About 10:30 am: the summit. A wide, grassy top at about 2,800 metres, with views south to Murree and east over the Jhelum valley into Azad Kashmir. Rest, eat something, and put on a warm layer.
- 11:15 am: descend, about an hour back to Dunga Gali.
- 12:30 pm: check out and have lunch in Nathia Gali.
- 2:00 to 3:00 pm: drive home, reaching Islamabad by early evening.
A better descent if you have a driver: come down the other side, past the Lalazar wildlife park, into Nathia Gali itself, and have the car wait there. The Nathia Gali side is longer but gentler, and kinder on the knees. Without a driver, go up and down from Dunga Gali, where you left the car.
Our Mushkpuri Top hike guide has the full trail details.
Swap Mushkpuri for Miranjani?
Miranjani, at 2,992 metres, is the highest point in the Galiyat, and its trail starts in Nathia Gali itself, on the road towards the Governor House. It is a longer day: about 5 km each way and five to six hours in all. To fit it in:
- Start walking by 7:30 am from the hotel, with at least one and a half litres of water each, as there is none on the trail.
- Be back by about 1 pm, have lunch, and leave by 2:30 pm.
Choose it if you are fit and want a long walk under the trees and fewer people; choose Mushkpuri for the open summit and a shorter morning. Our Miranjani Top hike guide covers the route.
Adjusting the plan
With young children or older parents. Keep day one as it is, and on day two replace Mushkpuri with a gentle morning: the walk up to the Lalazar wildlife park above Nathia Gali, or a drive along the ridge to Changla Gali for tea, then an early lunch and home.
In the monsoon, July to mid-September. Rain often sets in after midday, so swap the order on day one: arrive early, walk the Pipeline Track in the morning, and have lunch afterwards. Only climb Mushkpuri if the morning is dry, as the path gets slippery. Check the road for landslides before you leave Islamabad.
In winter, December to early March. Snow changes the plan completely. The Pipeline Track is walkable in snow with good boots; Mushkpuri is a snow hike for the experienced only. Go a day or two after a snowfall, never during one, book a hotel with proper heating, and check whether tourist entry to the Galiyat has been stopped before you set off.
From Lahore. Add a night. The drive is seven to eight hours, so arrive on day one, do the Pipeline Track on day two and Mushkpuri on day three. Our guide to the drive from Lahore to Nathia Gali has the timings.
Going home via Abbottabad. Instead of returning through Murree, you can drop down the other side through Bagnotar and Harno to Abbottabad and pick up the Hazara Motorway south. It is longer, but it turns the weekend into a loop and avoids the Sunday queue around Murree.
Is two days enough for the Galiyat?
For most people, yes. Two days covers the two walks most visitors come for, a night in the cool air and a relaxed evening, without a single rushed hour. A third day lets you add Miranjani or simply slow down.
What two days won't do is make a summer Saturday feel quiet. If you can, run this itinerary from Sunday to Monday, or midweek, and the same places will feel entirely different. If you would like us to plan the weekend, or fit the Galiyat into a longer trip north, send us your dates.
Frequently asked questions
How many days are enough for the Galiyat?
Two days covers Nathia Gali, Dunga Gali, Ayubia, the Pipeline Track and one summit hike. Three days lets you climb both Mushkpuri and Miranjani.
Where should I stay for a 2-day Galiyat trip?
Nathia Gali, for the widest choice of hotels and restaurants. Dunga Gali is quieter and sits at the start of the Pipeline Track and the Mushkpuri trail, with fewer places to eat.
Can I do the Pipeline Track and Mushkpuri on the same day?
Yes, if you are fit: both start from Dunga Gali, and together they take seven hours or more. Spread over two days, as in this plan, is more comfortable.
Is the Ayubia chairlift open?
It was closed in 2021 for safety reasons. In July 2026 the provincial government said its restoration was complete and it would reopen soon, so ask locally before you go.
What is the best time for a Galiyat weekend?
May to June and mid-September to November, midweek or Sunday to Monday. July and August are wet, and winter brings snow and road closures.
Can I do this itinerary without a car?
It is possible but slow: vans run from Rawalpindi to Murree and on along the ridge. With luggage, or with a family, a hired car with a driver is far easier.
