Miranjani Top Hiking Guide: Trekking in Nathia Gali Galiyat Region

It was a pleasant morning in Nathia Gali, when we had wake up from a deep sleep after a long and exhausting drive from Lahore to Nathia Gali. We are group of five persons and had started our journey last day from Lahore. We have planned to start trekking toward the height of the Galiyat Region, Miranjani Top. Weather was sunny in those days but became delightful due to cool breeze coming down from the snow-capped mountains in surroundings. The patches of clouds were scattered all over the sky to make the temperature mild. All of us were excited to have expedition on Miranjani hiking track.

Beginning of Miranjani Trek Expedition

Miranjani is located at the elevation of 9,816 feet and is the highest peak in the region of Galyat in the Abbottabad district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. It is located in the Ayubia National Park at the distance of 80 km from Islamabad, the Capital of Pakistan. Miranjani track starts from the Nathiagali and is most famous trekking trail in the Galiyat Region. The trek provides the wonderful glimpse of the forest terrain with different species of flora and fauna of the Ayubia National Park. It provides sharp views of Himalayan mountain peaks and surrounding valleys covered with dense forest of pine trees.

Breakfast included omelets, half fried eggs and paratha that was enough to provide energy to perform hiking on the Miranjani track. One hot cup of tea gave another powerful push to our body to make it hundred percentage ready. The crispy curls of the paratha filled with omelets also gave a traditional and delightful taste to enjoy the breakfast in this delightful atmosphere. So, no one had refrained oneself to overload with paratha more to satisfy one’s appetite.

Within five-to-ten-minute drive from the Nathiagali, we were at the door step of the Miranjani track. A sign-board over the start of the trail was indicating the beginning of the track. Beside it, another board was showing the map of the trail through the forest over the mountainous trek. Map provides the complete guidelines about Miranjani direction from the beginning to end. Miranjani track distance is approximately 4.7 km long right from its base from main road. The map also displayed another branch leading toward Dagri Bangla at 8 km distance on the right side of the main track after completing 4 km Miranjani trek distance. Dagri Bangla is another attractive camping site to enjoy the calmness of the deep pine forest.

Few large stair steps are there at the beginning of the track, the track immediately becomes narrow with steep rocky structure. Track is craved on the face of few mountains, so there multiple ascends and descends in the track before achieving the final ascend of the Miranjani top. The very first ascend was much steep and it seemed to squeeze all of the energy from our body. The rocky structure of the track had made it difficult to put another step properly. Sometimes, the loose and rolling stones had made the trail more difficult to move. We had to get short breaks after covering the short span of the track. After normalizing the body, we used to hike further on the steep trek. Due to quite steep ascend, Mobeen wanted to skip and tried to return back to hotel, but he decided to continue due to our motivation. To retain our body energy, we had already equipped ourself with some eatables and water bottles. Option of horse was also available, but it would cost us more than 5000 rupee per head. Due to higher price, we had decided to move on out feet. Luckily, we had purchased hiking sticks from a local market. These sticks provide an extra support while moving on ascending or descending tracks. Approximately after 50 minutes of hiking, the first ascend, the first part of the track, was completed. Then we had celebrated a short party with some eatables. We had already consumed 25% of our water, so we had to be more carefully in utilizing these eatables to achieve the final summit of the Miranjani. Trek became easy then but again more care was required while descending toward next part of the trek.

Beside all of these difficulties, the track passes inside the deep pine forest and gives the glimpse of the Galiyat mountain range with deep valleys covered with fine forest of Ayubia National Park. The sparkling rays of sun enter in the forest from the needle like leaves of pine trees and provide enough light inside the forest that is suitable for the life in it. On the edges of the track, the cool wind was touching our body to restore the energy in it. The descending part of the track did not need any extra energy but due care was required, otherwise one would roll with stones over the trek. Abdullah had rolled over the track due to his negligence while descending toward the base. Hiking sticks provide reasonable support, otherwise, it might become dangerous and time consuming while descending over such routes. On the end of first descending part, another mountain was standing in front of us showing the trek going inside the dense pine forest over it. There are different types of trees in the Ayubia National Park in which pine tree are in abundance.

Inside the Miranjani Pine Forest

Forest area in Pakistan is highly in danger due to illegal cutting of trees in most of the regions specially in Northern Areas. One of the main tricks to cut these trees is to burn stem root slowly. Due to such slow poisoning, tree will be down within few months. On the route Miranjani, number of such root burning could be observed. We have to get stop such root burning for tree cutting to make our forest and environment healthy for coming generation, otherwise next generations have to face the burning lands without trees. There were number of these unlucky trees fallen over the track, that also had made it difficult to move over the route easily. We had to crawl below the tree stem or to jump over it to move forward.

On the both sides of track, there are high lush green pine trees and other flowering trees. Those trees blossom different attractive and colorful flowers which make the trek more charming and delightful. The touch of purple, white, and red flowers on the green canvas of the pine trees makes the landscape more fantastic and appealing. The rays of sun are trying to touch the trek surface from the narrow space left in the layers of pine trees. The patches of cloud scattered over the sky also puts some hurdle in the flow of light. Inside the umbrella of pine trees, weather became much pleasant with little humidity and cool breeze was flowing due to abundance of trees and moisten grass over the mountain surface.

Now track became steeper to ascend the next mountain on the route to Miranjani top. There are number of sharp bends with steep curves over the trek inside the forest. On the some of the sharp curves, the wider view of Himalayas mountain range becomes clearer. Layers of mountains are stacked over them with different shades of colors due to different intensity of light fallen over them. After several sharp turns, the first sight of Miranjani top is seen behind the slope of next mountainous patch. We had still covered nearly one third of the track, but the beauty of view increased motivation to move forward instead of tiredness and exhaustion. As going down further, the top line of Miranjani was going behind the next mountain treks. Area was like a small meadow that spread both sides of the track with deep valleys. Different types of plants with flowers were scattered to make its attraction to relax the tiredness. Trek was now less inclined, so it became easy to move further. But all of these had gone as the next ascending trek started that was steeper than the previous ones. A vertical wall was now just between the Miranjani top and us, but we had to cross that one to achieve the summit of the Miranjani. It was a zig zag like trek swirling around it. We also had to cross number of sharp turns with short steep and rocky patches in the dense pine forest. Due to such difficulty, quick short breaks became essential to take rest just after covering short span of the trek. Faiz and Mubeen were much behind others as they were taking much rest to move further.

Enjoying the Miranjani Weather

Clouds became dense now and were still struggling to rain through scattered cloud patches. Wind becomes cooler and flowing with little more pressure. While crossing the leaves of the pine trees, it was creating hissing sound like snake movement. The overall atmosphere of the Miranjani surrounding was now more pleasant and romantic that could attract couples to enjoy the wonderful days to their life. Trekkers and travelers fall in love with such a splendid Miranjani weather that used to attract them to do hiking in mountains.

On the height of the region, Miranjani top, a mighty mountain of the Galiyat Region, was in front of us with clearer view. Now trek was leading us toward the right side of the mountain to crawl the next difficult part of the expedition. It became rougher and rockier, so more efforts were required at that part of the trek. Deep lush green valleys including Nathia Gali, Donga Gali, etc. inside the Galiyat Region are clearly seen from that height. Such a beautiful broader view had eliminated all of the pains and hardships during trekking over there. Trek was ascending exactly from the right side of the Miranjani with a rising gradient after each step. The last chunk of eatables gave some energy to put next steps on the trek.

It had almost more than four hours passed when we were at the junction point between Miranjani top and Dagri Bangla. It is another major spot to take rest for a while to start the final episode to access Miranjani top. Left side of the trek is leading toward Miranjani top and other leads toward Dagri Bangla on the right side. Dagri Bagla trek is nearly 8 km long further from the junction point. It is slightly easy as compare to the last part of the trek. Now trek leads toward a small-sized narrow meadows spreading toward Miranjani as well as Dagri Bangla side. It provides a refreshing view point to the visitors’ eyes after trekking a lot. The density of clouds had become thick at the top and there would be no idea when and where they started to rain.

Getting the Miranjani Top Adventures

The last part of the track toward the Miranjani top is slightly inclined meadows with lush green grass all over with tiny-sized yellow and purple flowers. Looking from the top in front of us, our body felt very light as moving in the lush green meadows with the pleasant weather that now has become little bit colder than before. Sun is almost hidden behind the layers of dense cloud with sharp silvery edges due to reflecting rays at the distance in the sky. With no extra effort, we were on the Miranjani top within next twenty to thirty minutes. With the grace of Allah, we were on the highest point in the Galiyat Region.

Miranjani top is a small and narrow area but a peaceful place to enjoy the 360-degree panoramic view. It provides view of the surrounding peaks of Gilgit-Baltistan and Kashmir as well as view of overall Galiyat Region on the opposite side.

Luckily, a sharp look of the Nanga Parbat was visible at that moment, but it had become blurred in next few minutes as the density of clouds was spreading downward like a bowl on our head. These clouds had stretched like an umbrella over the Miranjani top only, whereas the other surrounding valleys at distance were being shined under the rays of sun. Lush green Mushkpuri peak, the second highest point in the Galiyat Region, was clearly visible from there at that moment. Tarbela Lake that can be visible in sunny days, was unfortunately not visible at that time due to foggy mist that was spreading all over the surrounding valleys. Cold wind was flowing from the Nanga Parbat side that had made it difficult to stay there for a long time. Rain droplets were started to drop due to low temperature, but we had to enjoy that weather as we got it after a long and exhaustive struggle. Temperature was tending toward zero degree as we were feeling freezing of our blood in our hands. Instead of these, all of us are enjoying the Miranjani top weather. Rain had been stopped after few minutes and Miranjani atmosphere became little bit clearer now.

We had started to descend down after spending one and half an hour there. Descending down was not easier but required little efforts and energy. A careful walk was enough to get down within two to three hours. Now sun was just setting behind the top line of the Galiyat Region and light reddish light was spreading over the sky. Light darkness was going to spread over the Miranjani top while we were moving toward out hotel to spend night before going back to Lahore.