Kashmir Point Murree: Views, Walk and What to Expect

Kashmir Point is the highest point of Murree town, at roughly 2,286 metres, and the viewpoint most visitors end their Mall Road walk at. It is named for its outlook to the north-east, across forested ridges towards the hills of Azad Kashmir, and it has been one of Murree's fixed points of interest since the town was laid out as a hill station in the 1850s.

This guide covers the walk up from the Mall, what the viewpoint itself is like, and when to go for the clearest views and the smallest crowd.

The walk from Mall Road

Kashmir Point sits at the far end of the Mall from GPO Chowk, and the walk there is as much the point of the visit as the viewpoint itself. It climbs gently but steadily for about 1.6 km, past large old houses from Murree's colonial era, tall pines, and, as you get further from GPO Chowk, a noticeably quieter and greener stretch of town than the shopping crush around the post office.

At an easy pace the walk takes 20 to 30 minutes each way. It is manageable for most fitness levels, though the climb is real enough that young children and anyone unsteady on their feet should take it slowly, especially on wet or icy paths in the monsoon or winter.

What is at the top

Kashmir Point itself is a small plateau with a public viewing area, coin-operated telescopes for a closer look at the ridges and valleys, and a handful of tea and snack stalls that do steady business through the day. There is no entry ticket and no gate; anyone asking you to pay simply to reach the viewpoint is not official.

On a clear day the view runs across forested ridges towards the hills of Azad Kashmir, which gives the spot its name. Cloud and monsoon haze can hide the far ridges entirely in July and August, so the view is not guaranteed at every time of year.

Best time to go

Morning is the best time for the view itself: the air is clearer before the day's heat builds haze, and the tea stalls are not yet at their busiest. It is also the quietest time to make the walk up.

Evening has a different appeal. The light softens, the walk back down the Mall is at its liveliest, and if you time it right you catch both the last of the daylight over the ridges and the town lighting up below. It is also, predictably, the busiest time, especially on a summer weekend.

October and November, when Murree's air is at its clearest and driest, give the sharpest, longest views of the year, weather across the whole region allowing. In the monsoon, treat a clear view as a bonus rather than something to expect.

Crowds

Kashmir Point is busiest in the evening and on summer weekends, when the walk up and the viewpoint itself both fill with visitors making the same walk from the Mall. Weekday mornings, and the autumn months generally, are far calmer, and the walk up feels like a genuinely quiet stretch of forest rather than an extension of the crowded Mall below.

Kashmir Point through the seasons

The viewpoint changes character with the year. In spring and early summer the walk up is at its greenest, with the forest freshly leafed and mild temperatures making the climb easy. In the monsoon months of July and August, cloud and rain regularly close in over the ridges, and you should treat a clear view as a bonus rather than the plan; the walk itself, through wet pine forest, still has its own appeal. Winter brings a real chance of snow on the path, which makes for striking views on a clear, cold morning but also means slower, more careful walking, especially on the steps near the top. Our guide to Murree weather by month sets out what to expect at each time of year in more detail.

Kashmir Point compared with Pindi Point

Murree's two viewpoints face opposite directions and suit different times of day. Kashmir Point looks north-east towards Kashmir and is at its best in the morning; Pindi Point, at the other end of town, looks south-west over Rawalpindi and Islamabad and comes into its own at dusk, when the plains below light up. Most visitors with the time do both; our Pindi Point guide covers that walk and its chairlift.

Photography at Kashmir Point

The viewpoint is a popular spot for photographs, both of the view itself and of the pine forest along the walk up. Morning light picks out the layers of ridges towards Kashmir most clearly, while evening light suits portraits with the town and the sky behind. On a crowded evening, getting a clear shot of the view without other visitors in frame takes patience; an early-morning visit avoids that problem entirely.

Is Kashmir Point worth the walk?

Yes, for most visitors, and it costs nothing beyond the walk itself. It is not a dramatic sight in the way a mountain pass or a glacier is; it is a pleasant, forested climb ending in a wide outlook and a cup of tea, which for many people is exactly the kind of thing a short Murree trip is for. If your time is very short and you can only manage one viewpoint, go in the morning for Kashmir Point's clearer air, or save it for the evening if the walk down through the lit-up Mall matters more to you than the view itself.

For the rest of what is within walking distance of the Mall, our guide to places to visit in Murree sets Kashmir Point alongside Pindi Point and the town's other sights, and if you would like the viewpoints built into a longer Murree plan, tell us your dates.

Frequently asked questions