Khyber Pakhtunkhwa's best-known national parks are Ayubia, in the Galiyat above Abbottabad; Chitral Gol, home to the world's largest markhor population; Lulusar-Dudipatsar, covering the high lakes above Naran; and Broghil, the remote high-altitude park on the Afghan border in upper Chitral. The province also has several smaller, lesser-visited parks, mostly protecting lowland forest rather than mountain scenery.
This guide covers what each one protects, how easy it is to actually visit, and where to go for the detail on each.
| Park | District | Established | What it protects |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ayubia | Abbottabad | 1984 | Deodar and pine forest, leopards, 200-plus bird species |
| Chitral Gol | Chitral | 1984 | The world's largest markhor population, snow leopards |
| Lulusar-Dudipatsar | Mansehra (Kaghan) | 2003 | High-altitude lakes, brown bear, snow leopard habitat |
| Broghil Valley | Chitral | 2010 | Marco Polo sheep, snow leopard, high Pamir-edge pasture |
| Manglot | Nowshera | 1990 | Lowland scrub forest, chinkara, leopard |
| Malakandi, Kamal Ban | Mansehra | 2022 | Newer, smaller forest reserves |
| Nizampur | Nowshera | 2022 | Newer, smaller forest reserve |
Ayubia National Park
Ayubia is the most visited national park in the province by a wide margin, simply because it sits inside the Galiyat, a couple of hours from Islamabad. Declared a national park in 1984 and enlarged in 1998, it covers 3,312 hectares of deodar, pine, fir and oak around Nathia Gali, Dunga Gali and Ayubia at an average of about 2,400 metres, with three marked walking trails and a resident leopard population that visitors are very unlikely to see. Our guide to Ayubia National Park covers the trails and rules in full, and our guide to the Ayubia chairlift covers the park's best-known single attraction.
Chitral Gol National Park
A short jeep track above Chitral town leads into Chitral Gol, set up in 1984 and home to an estimated 2,278 markhor in a 2021 count, the largest population of Pakistan's national animal anywhere in the world. It's one of the easiest places in the country to see markhor without a multi-day trek, and it also protects snow leopards, though spotting one is down to luck. Our Chitral Gol guide has the access details and best times to go.
Lulusar-Dudipatsar National Park
Set up in 2003, this park covers the high ground above Naran in the upper Kaghan valley, from Lulusar Lake at the roadside to Dudipatsar Lake, a trek away. Most people driving the Babusar road pass through it without realising, since the park's boundary takes in the road itself along with several lakes. Our Lulusar-Dudipatsar guide explains what it protects and the camping rules that apply inside it.
Broghil Valley National Park
Broghil, in the far north of Chitral against the Afghan border, is the province's most remote and least visited park: 1,348 square kilometres of high Pamir-edge pasture between roughly 3,200 and 5,700 metres, reached by two long days of jeep travel from Chitral town. It protects Marco Polo sheep, Siberian ibex, snow leopard and Himalayan wolf, and is only open from around June to early October. Our guide to Broghil Valley covers the road, the Wakhi villages inside it, and the walk on to Karambar Lake.
The smaller, less-visited parks
A handful of KPK's national parks protect lowland forest rather than mountain scenery, and get far fewer tourists. Manglot, in Nowshera district, was established in 1990 to protect scrub forest and its chinkara, wild boar and leopard population, close enough to the Grand Trunk Road corridor to visit on the way between Peshawar and Islamabad. Malakandi and Kamal Ban, both in Mansehra district, and Nizampur, in Nowshera, were established more recently, in 2022, as smaller forest reserves; they're worth knowing exist but aren't set up for casual tourism in the way Ayubia is.
Which parks can a first-time visitor actually reach?
Easiest: Ayubia, a straightforward day trip or overnight from Islamabad with marked trails and no permit needed.
Worth planning a day around: Chitral Gol, if you're already in Chitral, and Lulusar-Dudipatsar, if you're driving the Kaghan valley or Babusar road anyway.
Only for a dedicated trip: Broghil, which needs several spare days, a jeep and a season that runs from June to early October.
Skip unless you're already passing through: Manglot, Malakandi, Kamal Ban and Nizampur, which are of more interest to naturalists than to a general holiday itinerary.
If you're building a route around any of KPK's national parks, our trip planning page can help fit them around the rest of your trip.
Frequently asked questions
How many national parks does KPK have?
The province has a mix of well-known mountain parks, Ayubia, Chitral Gol, Lulusar-Dudipatsar and Broghil, plus several smaller lowland forest parks such as Manglot, Malakandi, Kamal Ban and Nizampur.
Which national park in KPK is best for seeing wildlife?
Chitral Gol, for markhor, which you have a genuinely good chance of seeing on a morning drive up the jeep track. Sightings of leopards or snow leopards anywhere in the province are rare.
Do I need a permit to visit KPK's national parks?
Ayubia, Chitral Gol and Lulusar-Dudipatsar don't need a special permit for ordinary visitors, just the usual entry arrangements at the gate. Broghil, close to the Afghan border, needs more planning and local coordination given its remoteness.
Is Broghil Valley National Park open all year?
No. The jeep road up the Yarkhun valley is open only from around June to early October; the rest of the year it's closed by snow.
Which is the closest national park to Islamabad?
Ayubia, in the Galiyat, about two to two and a half hours from Islamabad, making it comfortably the most accessible of KPK's national parks.
