Nathia Gali with Family: Easy Walks and Stays

Nathia Gali with family works well because most of what there is to do here suits a wide age range: a flat forest walk, a small wildlife park, and a church and bazaar within a short stroll of most hotels. Nobody needs to be a serious hiker to enjoy a day or two, and the cool air is a relief for anyone travelling up from Islamabad, Lahore or Karachi in summer.

This guide covers the easiest walks, what works for young children and older parents, and which hotels make the trip comfortable rather than hard work.

The easiest walks for a family

The Pipeline Track, from Dunga Gali to Ayubia, is the walk to choose if you have young children or grandparents along. It runs almost level for about 4 km through shaded forest, with tea stalls on the way and no real climbing, and most families manage it in an hour to an hour and a half one way. Walk part of it and turn back if a full crossing is too much, or arrange for a driver to collect you at the Ayubia end. Our Pipeline Track guide covers the route in detail.

The walk up to St Matthew's Church, above the bazaar, is short and steep but over quickly, and it gives older children something to look at beyond the trees: a 1914 cedar-wood church with a genuinely interesting history. Our St Matthew's Church guide covers it.

Leave Mushkpuri and Miranjani for a fitter family. Both are proper day hikes of several hours, better suited to teenagers and adults than to young children or anyone with limited mobility. The Mushkpuri Top hike and Miranjani Top hike guides set out what each involves.

Lalazar Wildlife Park

Lalazar, on the hilltop above the town, is the single best-aimed attraction for children in Nathia Gali. It holds animals that are hard to see in the wild, including the common leopard and the monal pheasant, in enclosures with a small information centre, and it works far better for a family with young children than a walk with no obvious destination. Most people park on the road towards the Governor House and walk the last stretch, about half an hour through the forest, making the whole visit one and a half to two hours including the walk.

Adults expecting anything like a safari will find cages rather than open ground, so set expectations with older children accordingly. Our places to visit in Nathia Gali guide covers Lalazar alongside the town's other sights.

The bazaar and the church

The bazaar is where a family trip naturally settles in the evening: shops, tea stalls and simple restaurants, busy after everyone comes down from a walk. It is not a sight in itself and is more crowded than charming on a summer weekend, so a weekday evening or an early stroll works better with children in tow. Our restaurants in Nathia Gali guide covers where to eat.

Which hotels suit a family

Look for a hotel on the main road with its own car park, rather than a small guesthouse tucked into the bazaar with no parking and thin walls. Family rooms or apartments, offered by several of the larger hotels, work better than two separate standard rooms for a group with children, and a restaurant on site saves an evening walk down to the bazaar with tired children. Our guide to hotels in Nathia Gali covers pricing and which hotels have family rooms and parking.

Safety with children

The walks here are gentle by mountain standards, but they run through real forest, and a few things matter with a family group:

• Common leopards live in the surrounding Ayubia National Park. Attacks on people are rare but have happened in the region over the years. Keep children close and in sight on the trails, not running ahead, and be off the paths before dusk.
• Altitude is mild here compared with the north, but children can still feel tired faster than usual in the cooler, thinner air; build in rest stops.
• The bazaar road is narrow and busy at weekends. Hold hands crossing it, especially in the evening crowds.
• Carry a warm layer even in summer, since evenings cool quickly at this altitude.

Our Ayubia National Park guide has more on walking safely in the forest here.

When to go with a family

May, June, September and October give the most reliable combination of open trails, mild weather and manageable crowds, especially midweek. July and August are green and cool but wet, with slippery trails and a real chance of a landslide delaying the drive; winter brings snow that children love but that also means harder driving and a need for proper heating in the room. Our best time to visit Nathia Gali guide compares the seasons in full.

Is Nathia Gali a good family trip?

Yes, for most families with children of any age and for trips that include grandparents. The distances are short, the main walk is genuinely flat, and there is enough to fill one or two days without anyone needing to be especially fit or adventurous. It suits a family better than the deeper north, where altitude and long drives make small children and older relatives harder work.

It is not the trip for a family chasing big mountain scenery or a wide range of activities; the pleasure here is quieter and more limited in scope. If Nathia Gali feels too small for a longer holiday, our Galiyat itinerary shows how to build it into a fuller two days with the neighbouring galis. If you would like help planning a family trip to the Galiyat, send us your dates.

Frequently asked questions