Trail 6 in Islamabad starts from behind Faisal Mosque in sector E-7 and climbs into the thickest forest of any of the numbered Margalla trails. You cannot simply turn up and walk it: since 2022 it has been a leopard preservation zone, and the only way in is a short guided walk booked through the Islamabad Wildlife Management Board (IWMB). It is worth knowing about even so, because the guided walk is one of the few ways to see the Margallas' densest jungle up close, in the shade, without the crowds of Trails 3 and 5.
This guide covers where the trail starts, why it is closed to ordinary hikers, how to book the guided walk, and what to expect from it.
| At a glance | |
|---|---|
| Starts | Behind Faisal Mosque, sector E-7 |
| Status | Closed to individual hikers since 2022; guided tours only |
| Run by | Islamabad Wildlife Management Board |
| What it protects | A common Asian leopard preservation zone |
| Forest | The densest, most continuous tree cover of the numbered trails |
| Best time for the guided walk | A cool morning, October to April |
Where does Trail 6 start?
The trailhead is a short walk behind Faisal Mosque, reached from the Visitor Information Centre near the mosque's rear car park in sector E-7. From there the path climbs a wooded valley in the village of Kalinjar, part of the Margalla Hills National Park, towards the ridge above.
If you have come to see the mosque, the trail entrance is a natural add-on: our Faisal Mosque guide covers visiting hours and dress code, and mentions Trail 6 as the walk into the hills behind it.
Why is Trail 6 closed?
In February 2021 the Islamabad Wildlife Management Board restricted public access to this stretch of forest after leopards were repeatedly caught on camera trap. In January 2022 it was formally inaugurated as Pakistan's first common Asian leopard preservation zone, with at least seven individual leopards identified in camera-trap surveys of the area over the following years.
That makes Trail 6 different from every other numbered trail in the range. Trails 1 to 5 and 7 are free and open to anyone in daylight hours. Trail 6 is not: walking in without a guide is not permitted, and rangers patrol the entrance. The upside, reported by the wildlife board and hikers who visited before the closure, is a forest that has thickened and a wildlife population that has recovered with people kept out of it.
How to see Trail 6: the guided walk
The IWMB runs guided walks into the leopard zone for small, pre-registered groups, led by a ranger. In practice this means:
- Book ahead through the Islamabad Wildlife Management Board rather than turning up on the day; group sizes are limited and tours have been capped at a small number of registered visitors.
- Meet at the Visitor Information Centre behind Faisal Mosque, where you register and show ID.
- Expect a fixed morning slot, historically around an hour and a half, rather than a free-ranging hike to the top of the ridge. It is a guided walk into the forest, not the old unrestricted route through to Pir Sohawa or Talhar village.
- A per-person fee applies, set by the board and separate from the free access to the other trails; ask the current rate when you book, since it has changed over time.
Because arrangements like group size, timings and fees have shifted more than once since 2022, confirm the current booking process and price directly with the Islamabad Wildlife Management Board before planning around it, rather than relying on any older account, including this one.
What makes Trail 6 different
Even hikers who walked it years ago, before the closure, describe it as the shadiest and greenest of the Margalla trails: a valley of dense, continuous forest rather than the open ridgelines of Trails 1 and 3. Wildflowers are thick in spring, and the old accounts mention wild pheasants, monkeys and, from higher up, a view down to Rawal Lake.
That density of cover is exactly why it suits a warm morning better than the exposed fire lane on Trail 3 or the open switchbacks toward Pir Sohawa: even in the hottest months, a forest this thick stays noticeably cooler underneath the canopy. It is also why it made sense as a leopard zone in the first place — the animals need continuous tree cover to move through unseen, and that is what this valley still has.
What to bring on the guided walk
Even though the walk is short and led by a ranger, treat it like any other Margalla trail:
- Proper shoes with grip; the ground is uneven and can be muddy under the canopy.
- Water, even for an hour and a half; there is none on the trail itself.
- A hat and sunscreen for the open sections near the start, though most of the route is shaded.
- Your CNIC or passport, since registration is checked at the Visitor Information Centre.
- A camera rather than a phone alone, if you want photographs of the forest; keep it away during any moment the ranger asks for quiet near wildlife.
Combining it with the rest of the hills
Because access is limited and needs booking ahead, most visitors build a morning around it rather than a whole day. A reasonable plan is to arrange the Trail 6 walk for the morning slot, then spend the rest of the day at the open sights nearby: Faisal Mosque itself, a short drive or walk from the trailhead, and Daman-e-Koh, the viewpoint a little further along Margalla Road, best towards sunset. Neither needs booking, so they fill the hours either side of a fixed guided slot easily. Our guide to places to visit in Islamabad covers how to fit the rest of the city's sights around a morning in the hills.
Is it worth arranging?
If you want a proper hike with a view and a choice of distance, Trail 6 is not it: book a guided slot and you get a fixed morning window in the forest, not a free walk to the ridge. For that, our comparison of every Margalla trail covers Trails 3 and 5, both free, open daily and better suited to a self-paced walk.
Trail 6 suits a different kind of visitor: someone who wants to see the densest forest in the Margallas, understand what a working leopard habitat looks like, and doesn't mind booking ahead and working around a fixed slot. It is a good add-on to a Faisal Mosque visit if you have arranged it in advance, not a plan to build a morning around on the spot.
Frequently asked questions
Is Trail 6 in Islamabad open?
Not to individual hikers. It has been closed since 2022 as a leopard preservation zone, and the only access is a guided walk booked in advance through the Islamabad Wildlife Management Board.
Where does Trail 6 start?
Behind Faisal Mosque in sector E-7, from the Visitor Information Centre near the mosque's rear car park.
Can I book a Trail 6 tour on the day?
Don't count on it. Guided walks are for small, registered groups, so book ahead through the Islamabad Wildlife Management Board rather than arriving without a reservation.
Why was Trail 6 closed?
To protect a population of common Asian leopards confirmed by camera traps in the forest behind Faisal Mosque. The area was made a preservation zone in 2022 after several years of restricted access.
Is there a fee for the Trail 6 guided walk?
Yes, a per-person fee set by the wildlife board, on top of the free entry that applies to Islamabad's other numbered trails. Confirm the current amount when you book, as it has changed since the tours began.
Are leopards dangerous to visitors on the guided walk?
Leopards are shy and avoid people, which is part of why the zone works: a ranger leads every group, and there are no reports of guided visitors being threatened. The closure exists to protect the leopards from disturbance as much as the other way round.
