Mushkpuri Top Hike from Dunga Gali: Trail, Time and Snow

The Mushkpuri Top hike climbs from Dunga Gali to a broad, grassy summit at about 2,800 metres, the second-highest point in the Galiyat. The track from Dunga Gali is about 4 km each way (published figures run from 3 to 4 km), so roughly 7 to 8 km there and back, and it is steep in places but well used and easy to follow from spring to autumn. Most people reach the top in one and a half to two and a half hours and are down in about an hour, so allow four to five hours for the whole outing, including a rest at the top.

It is the best half-day walk in the Galiyat for most people: short enough for anyone reasonably fit, with open views at the top that the forest walks don't give you. This guide covers the route, the difficulty, what you see, and how snow changes it.

Where does the Mushkpuri trail start?

The shorter, steeper route starts in Dunga Gali, which sits on the main road between Murree and Nathia Gali, and climbs the hillside above the village. It is a well-known, well-used route, so if you are not sure where the path leaves the road, ask at any of the stalls.

There is a second route from Nathia Gali, which climbs past the Lalazar wildlife park and reaches the top by a longer, steadier path of about 4 km. That gives you a good loop:

1. Up from Dunga Gali, on the steeper side, while your legs are fresh.
2. Across the summit.
3. Down the Nathia Gali side past Lalazar, which is kinder on the knees.
4. Back to Dunga Gali, 3 km along the road, by car or taxi.

If you have your own car and no driver, the simplest plan is up and down the same way from Dunga Gali.

How hard is the Mushkpuri hike?

It is a proper uphill walk, not a stroll, but it needs no technical skill. The Dunga Gali route climbs steadily and steeply for most of its length, on a path that is partly paved or cobbled and partly earth and rock. In July 2026 the Galiyat Development Authority said it had finished resurfacing work on the Mushkpuri track. Wet leaves and mud make some sections slippery after rain.

Who it suits:

• Reasonably fit adults and teenagers will find it a good workout and manageable at their own pace.
• Children who are used to walking usually manage it, with plenty of stops. Carrying a small child up is hard work.
• Older walkers can do it slowly if they are used to hills, and walking poles help a lot on the way down.
• Anyone with heart, lung or knee problems should think twice. The Pipeline Track, which also starts from Dunga Gali, is almost flat.

On a short day hike, 2,800 metres rarely causes altitude trouble for healthy people, but you will notice the thinner air on the steep sections. Walk slowly and stop often rather than racing.

How long is the Mushkpuri track?

From Dunga Gali the track is most often given as about 4 km to the summit, though some guides say 3 km; nobody publishes a measured figure, so plan on 4 km each way and 7 to 8 km for the round trip. The gentler route from Nathia Gali past Lalazar is also about 4 km to the top. Dunga Gali sits at about 2,500 metres, so the height gain is only around 300 metres, but much of it comes in steep pitches with rough footing, which is why the walk feels longer than the figures suggest.

How long does it take?

Published times vary, and so do walkers:

Add half an hour to an hour at the top. Start by 9 am in summer: cloud often builds on the ridge after midday, and in July and August it frequently turns to rain.

What do you see from the top?

The summit is a wide, open grassy top, unusual in forest this thick, and a fine place to sit for an hour. On a clear day the views run south along the ridge to Murree, east across the Jhelum valley into the hills of Azad Kashmir around Bagh, and back over the forest of Ayubia National Park. On the clearest days you can see as far as Islamabad.

The views depend on the weather more than anything else. October and November, and the days just after rain, give the clearest air. In the monsoon the top is often in cloud, and in summer haze the far views fade by late morning.

Mushkpuri Top in October

October is one of the best months for the hike. The monsoon is over, the path dries out between showers, and the air is at its clearest, so the long views towards Kashmir and the plains are more likely than in summer. Murree, about 500 metres lower, averages around 19°C by day and 9°C at night in October (Wikipedia climate data), so expect the summit to be colder and windy, and early mornings to be sharp.

Two things change. Days are shorter: sunset at Mushkpuri moves from about 5:50 pm on 1 October to about 5:15 pm by the end of the month, so start by 10 am at the latest and be off the top by mid-afternoon. And it gets cold quickly once the sun drops, so carry a fleece or light jacket even if Dunga Gali feels warm at noon. Check the forecast before you drive up, as an autumn storm can still bring rain and cloud to the ridge.

Mushkpuri in winter

From about late December to early March the trail is usually under snow, and the hike changes completely:

• It takes much longer. Deep snow on the steep sections can add an hour or more to the climb.
• Ice is the real hazard, especially on the steep, shaded sections in the morning. Boots with a deep tread are the minimum, and microspikes make a big difference.
• The route is harder to follow once snow covers the path, and in fog or falling snow it is easy to lose.
• Days are short. Be off the mountain well before dark, which comes at around half past five in December and January.

Go in winter only in clear weather, with proper boots, warm layers and someone who knows the route. Never set off while snow is falling, and if the police have closed the Galiyat road after a storm, the hike can wait. Our guide to Nathia Gali in winter explains how closures work, and the weather by month shows when snow is most likely.

Staying safe on the trail

• Carry water, a litre or more each. You can't rely on finding any on the way up.
• Take a warm layer and a rain jacket, even on a hot day in June. The top is exposed and the weather turns quickly.
• Tell your hotel which route you are taking and when you expect to be back.
• Leopards live in these forests. Attacks on people are rare but have happened in the Galiyat. Walk in company, keep children close, and be down before dusk.
• Don't feed the monkeys, and take all your rubbish back down. The summit meadow is spoilt quickly by litter.

Is Mushkpuri worth it?

Yes, if you can walk uphill for two hours. For the effort it asks, it gives the best views in the Galiyat, and the open summit is a welcome change after the forest.

If you want a longer, quieter day under the trees, Miranjani, the highest point in the Galiyat, is the alternative; our Miranjani Top hike guide compares the effort. If you want the forest without the climb, walk the Pipeline Track instead. For a weekend that fits in both, see our two-day Galiyat itinerary, or send us your dates and we will plan it with you.

Frequently asked questions