Jhika Gali is a small hill town in Murree tehsil on the Rawalpindi to Murree road, best known today for its boarding schools and for a busy junction where the road splits towards Barian and Kohala. It is not a sightseeing stop in its own right. Most visitors pass through it on the way to Murree or beyond, and the main thing worth knowing is how the junction behaves on a busy weekend.
If you have seen Jhika Gali described online as a viewpoint with food stalls, treat that with caution. We could not find a reliable source for a specific viewpoint or a food strip in Jhika Gali, and several websites mix it up with Kashmir Point in Murree town. This guide sticks to what can be checked.
| At a glance | |
|---|---|
| What it is | A town on the Rawalpindi to Murree road, Murree tehsil, Murree district |
| Distance from Islamabad | Under 57 km by road, about 2 hours, according to one travel site; 44 km from Rawalpindi railway station by another |
| Founded | 1900, in British times |
| Known for | Boarding schools, a busy road junction, landslide-prone slopes |
| Altitude | Sources disagree; one travel site gives about 7,031 ft |
| Road works | Junction widening under way under the Murree Development Plan |
Where is Jhika Gali?
Jhika Gali lies on the road that runs from Rawalpindi up to Murree. Wikipedia describes it as a transit point for travellers heading for Murree and for parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and the Jhika Gali road links to Barian Road and the bridge at Kohala, according to Dawn. In other words, it sits where traffic spreads out towards different parts of the hills.
Distances online vary with the starting point. One travel site gives under 57 km and about two hours from Islamabad, another gives 44 km from Rawalpindi railway station. Allow more time at weekends. For the drive from the capital, see our Islamabad to Murree guide, and for the expressway itself, our Murree Expressway guide.
On altitude, one travel site gives about 7,031 feet (2,143 m) for Jhika Gali, and elsewhere a figure of 7,500 feet is quoted for the Kashmir Point lookout nearby. We could not confirm either against an official source, so treat them as rough.
A short history
Wikipedia records that Jhika Gali was founded in 1900 during British rule, with cafes, a cinema and a branch of the Sandes Soldiers' Home. The Sandes building later became a boarding hostel, and the town now has several boarding schools, which is its main identity.
That history explains why it feels more like a school town than a resort. There is no Mall Road, no chairlift and no famous restaurant row. If you are looking for those, you want Murree town, Bhurban or Ghora Gali.
The Jhika Gali junction and the road works
The junction is the reason Jhika Gali appears in Murree traffic reports. Dawn reported that the chowk suffers severe congestion, and a widening project is under way to add slip lanes towards Barian Road and Kohala Bridge and to stabilise the slope. The project needed about 9.65 kanals of land, with roughly Rs 997 million allocated and paid to affected owners, according to the same report. Kiosks and structures at the site have been removed, and Wikipedia notes that in February 2026 further roadside demolitions were announced as part of the Murree Development Plan.
What this means for a visitor:
- Expect delays and diversions around the junction while civil work continues, particularly on weekends and holidays.
- Roadside stalls may have gone. Kiosks near the chowk were among the structures removed, so do not plan a stop there for tea.
- Police are posted here. In July 2026, Murree Police said additional staff were deployed at Bustan Mor, the Masiari link road and Jhika Gali Road to manage traffic, and recommended the Murree Expressway as the safest route into Murree. They also advised checking live traffic on Google Maps and downloading the Safe Tourism Murree app.
Murree has also limited entry at peak times in 2026, with police at entry points and restrictions around Independence Day, so check the latest announcements if you are travelling on a public holiday. Our Murree travel tips and parking guide cover what to do when the road backs up.
Landslides and weather
Wikipedia notes that Jhika Gali is prone to landslides because water saturates the soil. That matches the experience on most hill roads around Murree: heavy rain can bring rockfall and slumping onto the carriageway. In January 2022, when heavy snowfall trapped vehicles on the roads around Murree, the army set up a camp at Jhika Gali for rescue work.
Practical points:
- Check the forecast before driving in the monsoon or in winter.
- Do not stop under steep cut slopes, especially after rain.
- In snow, carry chains and fuel, and do not drive up if the police say the road is closed.
Should you stop at Jhika Gali?
For most travellers, no: use it as a landmark and keep driving. It is a working junction and school town, and the plans for widening mean the roadside is in flux.
A stop makes sense if you are visiting someone at a school, if your route to Barian or Kohala passes through it, or if you are broken down and need a safe place to pull over. If what you want is a view, go to Kashmir Point or one of the other viewpoints in Murree. For more places in the hills, see our destinations page.
Frequently asked questions
Where is Jhika Gali?
On the Rawalpindi to Murree road in Murree tehsil, where the road connects towards Barian and Kohala.
How far is Jhika Gali from Islamabad?
One travel site gives under 57 km and about two hours by road. Another gives 44 km from Rawalpindi railway station. Allow longer on weekends.
Is Jhika Gali a tourist spot?
Not really. It is known for boarding schools and a congested junction. Some websites describe viewpoints there, but we could not verify them and some appear to confuse it with Kashmir Point.
Why is there traffic at Jhika Gali?
The junction where roads divide towards Barian and Kohala is congested, and a widening project with extra slip lanes has been under way to ease it.
Is Jhika Gali prone to landslides?
Yes, Wikipedia notes it is landslide-prone because of water saturation in the soil. Avoid stopping below steep slopes in wet weather.
