The places to visit in Hazara centre on three cities and the hills around them: Abbottabad, with Shimla Hill and the Galiyat close by; Mansehra, with the Ashoka rock edicts and the Shinkiari tea gardens; and Haripur, with Khanpur Dam. Between them, Hazara is the first stretch of hill country most travellers from Islamabad and Lahore reach, and for many it is also the road north to Kaghan, Naran and beyond.
This guide is a map of the region rather than a deep dive into any one place. It covers what each part of Hazara is known for, how far apart things are, and where to find the fuller guide to each.
| At a glance | |
|---|---|
| Districts | Abbottabad, Mansehra, Haripur, Battagram, Torghar, Kolai-Palas, Upper Kohistan, Lower Kohistan, Allai |
| Divisional headquarters | Abbottabad |
| From Islamabad | Abbottabad about 120 km; Mansehra about 150 km, via the Hazara Motorway |
| Main road | Hazara Motorway (M-15) from Burhan to Thakot, then the Karakoram Highway |
| Altitude range | About 500 m at Haripur to over 2,700 m at Thandiani |
| Best months | March to June and September to November |
Abbottabad: the base for most trips
Abbottabad, at about 1,256 metres, is Hazara's largest city and its usual base. The city itself has Shimla Hill for the view over the valley, the spring-fed Ilyasi Mosque with its pakora stalls, and the old cantonment around St Luke's Church. It sits about two hours from Islamabad on the Hazara Motorway, leaving at the Havelian interchange.
Our guide to places to visit in Abbottabad covers the city sights and the trips out to Thandiani and Sajikot waterfall in full, and our Abbottabad day trip plan sets out a timed route from Islamabad.
Mansehra: history on the road north
Mansehra, about 30 km further up the Karakoram Highway from Abbottabad, is best known for the Ashoka rock edicts, third-century BCE inscriptions cut into boulders beside the road at the north end of the city. A short drive on, Shinkiari has Pakistan's first tea garden, and the Siran valley beyond it is a quiet detour few tourists take.
For most travellers Mansehra is also simply the turn for Balakot, Naran and the Kaghan valley. Our guide to places to visit in Mansehra has the detail on the edicts, the tea gardens and how they fit around a drive north.
Haripur: dams and water sports
Haripur district, south-west of Abbottabad towards Taxila, is the flattest and lowest part of Hazara, and it is where the region's two big dams sit: Khanpur Dam and Tarbela Dam on the Indus. Khanpur, about 50 km from Islamabad, is the closer and easier trip, with jet skis, boat rides and parasailing run by private operators through the season. Our Khanpur Dam guide covers the drive, the activities and the current prices.
The Galiyat: hill stations inside Abbottabad district
Nathia Gali and Dunga Gali, together known as the Galiyat, sit inside Abbottabad district on the road towards Murree, reached through the picnic spot at Harnoi. Nathia Gali is about 35 km from Abbottabad city, roughly an hour's drive on a hill road that climbs through pine forest the whole way. Many trips combine Hazara and the Galiyat into a single loop, coming back to Islamabad through Murree.
Our guide to Harnoi covers the stream picnic spot on the way up, including the access restrictions brought in after 2025.
Thandiani: the quietest high ground
Thandiani, a forested ridge above Abbottabad at about 2,750 metres, is the least crowded of Hazara's hill stations. The road leaves the Nathia Gali road near the Ilyasi Mosque and climbs about 21 km, roughly an hour by car. It has wide views across Hazara towards Kashmir on a clear day, and in winter it can be cut off entirely: in February 2026 heavy snow closed the link roads to Thandiani and the Galiyat for about two weeks, and the district administration told tourists to stay away until they reopened.
Where Hazara opens into the mountains
Beyond Mansehra, the road forks: the N-15 climbs east to Balakot and the Kaghan valley, while the Karakoram Highway continues north through Battagram and Kohistan towards Gilgit-Baltistan. This is the point where Hazara stops being a destination in its own right and becomes the route to somewhere else, and most travellers treat Abbottabad or Mansehra as an overnight stop on a longer trip rather than an end point.
How much time does Hazara need?
A single day from Islamabad covers Abbottabad's city sights comfortably. Two days lets you add either Thandiani and the Galiyat, or Mansehra and Khanpur Dam. If you are driving north to Naran, Chilas or Hunza, a night in Abbottabad breaks up the journey without adding much distance, since the Hazara Motorway continues past it.
If you are planning a longer trip through the region or beyond it, send us your plans and we can build the route around what you want to see.
Is Hazara worth a trip on its own?
For most travellers, Hazara works better as a stop than a stand-alone holiday. The sights are real but modest: a viewpoint, a mosque, some old inscriptions, a dam. What makes the region worth slowing down for is the combination of an easy drive from Islamabad, a noticeably cooler climate than the plains, and quiet places like Thandiani and the Siran valley that see far fewer visitors than Murree or the Galiyat's busier corners.
If you have only a weekend and want hill scenery without much driving, Hazara delivers that easily. If you want dramatic mountains, keep going north; Hazara is the gateway to them, not the destination.
Frequently asked questions
What is the Hazara region known for?
Hazara is known as the hill country between Islamabad and the high north, home to Abbottabad, Mansehra and Haripur, the Ashoka rock edicts, the Galiyat hill stations and the dams at Khanpur and Tarbela.
How many districts make up Hazara?
Nine: Abbottabad, Mansehra, Haripur, Battagram, Torghar, Kolai-Palas, Upper Kohistan, Lower Kohistan and Allai, with Abbottabad as the divisional headquarters.
How far is Hazara from Islamabad?
Abbottabad is about 120 km and roughly two hours away on the Hazara Motorway; Mansehra is about 150 km and around two and a half hours.
Is one day enough to see Hazara?
One day is enough for Abbottabad's city sights. Add a second day for either Thandiani and the Galiyat or Mansehra and Khanpur Dam, and more if you plan to continue north.
Do I need to stop in Hazara on the way to Naran or Hunza?
You don't have to, but an overnight in Abbottabad or Mansehra breaks up a long drive north and adds little distance, since the Hazara Motorway and Karakoram Highway run straight through the region.
