Margalla Hills National Park
National park in Islamabad, Pakistan
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Margalla Hills National Park (Urdu: مارگلہ پہاڑیاں قومی پارک) is a national park in Pakistan located in Islamabad Capital Territory, near its northern boundary with Haripur District, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The park includes the Margalla Hills, which form the foothills of the Himalayas, along with Shakarparian Park and Rawal Lake.[2]
| Margalla Hills National Park | |
|---|---|
| مارگلہ پہاڑیاں قومی پارک | |
IUCN category V (protected landscape/seascape) | |
   Clockwise from left: A view of Margalla Hills, Sunrise, Panoramic view of Margalla Hills, Hiking trail in Margalla Hills National Park | |
 Interactive map of Margalla Hills National Park | |
| Location | Northern Pakistan |
| Nearest city | Islamabad |
| Coordinates | 33°43′52″N 72°56′13″E[1] |
| Area | 17,386 hectares (42,960 acres) |
| Established | 1980 |
| Governing body | Islamabad Wildlife Management Board |
| Website | iwmb |
Established in 1980, it is the third-largest national park in Pakistan with an area of 17,386 hectares (42,960 acres).[3][4] Tilla Charouni, with a height of 1604 m, is tallest peak in the park. The Park is a major tourist destination, with Daman-e-Koh and Pir Sohawa serving as popular hill stations, while the Monal Restaurant, Shakarparian Cultural Complex, and Lake View Park are popular picnic spots.[5]
The park is rich in biodiversity, especially rich in Sino-Himalayan fauna, most notably gray goral, barking deer and the leopard.[6] Combined, MHNP is home to around 600 plant species, 402 bird varieties, 38 mammals, and 27 species of reptiles.[7] PTDC is currently constructing a chairlift project in the park.[8]
Location
Instituted in 1980, the Margalla Hills National Park comprises the Margalla Hills (12605 hectares), the Rawal Lake, and Shakarparian Sports and Cultural complex. Located in Islamabad, the capital of Pakistan. The hill range nestles between an elevation of 685 meters at the western end and 1,604 meters on its east.[9]
Paleontology
It is a clear indication that before the content collision around 40 to 50 million years ago, these hills were the seabed of the ancient ocean. Fossils of seashells, plants, petrified wood and early sea life Yorgia waggoneri are abound.
These hills are the starting point of the Himalayas. The Himalayas, which stretch some 2,900 kilometers between Pakistan, India, China, and Nepal, is the world’s tallest mountain range.
Flora and fauna
Margalla Hills have a number of torrents which gush down in the monsoon. Natural springs are also present. Margalla has a variety of mammals, which include:
- Indian leopard
- Jungle cat
- Leopard cat
- Central Asian boar
- Golden jackal
- White-footed fox
- Rhesus macaque
- Grey goral
- Muntjac (barking deer)
- Chinkara
- Indian pangolin
- Indian crested porcupine
- Yellow-throated marten
- Fruit-bat
- Indian flying fox
- Indian grey mongoose
- Javan mongoose
- Indian hedgehog
- Masked palm civet
- Asian palm civet
- Northern palm squirrel
- Kashmir flying squirrel
- Murree vole (endemic to Margalla Hills, Murree and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa)
It is also home to a large number of birds such as Himalayan vulture, laggar falcon, peregrine falcon, common kestrel, Eurasian sparrowhawk, Egyptian vulture, white-eared bulbul, yellow-vented bulbul, paradise flycatcher, black partridge, cheer pheasant, kalij pheasant, golden oriole, spotted dove, Eurasian collared dove, Eurasian skylark, steppe grey shrike, desert wheatear, white-capped bunting, crested bunting, common reed bunting, and rock bunting.[10]
Reptiles such as the Russell's viper, Indian cobra, Himalayan pit viper, and saw-scaled viper are found here.[11]
Flora
Margalla Hills in Islamabad have been declared as a National Park since 1980 to conserve the existing flora and fauna. The selection of trees and shrubs species for plantation in Margalla Hills is limited to natural trees and plants species which include:[12]
- Chir Pine (Pinus roxburghii)
- Olive (Olea ferruginea)
- Phulai (Senegalia modesta)
- Celtis (Celtis asustralis)
- Snatha (Dodonaea viscosa)
Major flowering trees include:
- Sumbal (Bombax ceiba)
- Dhak (Butea monosperma)
- Pear (Pyrus pashia)
- Kachnar (Bauhinia variegate)
- lacor fig (Ficus lacor)
- blackboard (alstonia scholaris)
- Java plum (Syzygium cumini)
- Cluster fig (Ficus racemosa)
- Amaltas (Casia fistula)
- Woodfordia (Woodfordia fruticosa)
- Jasmine (Jasminum humile)
- Holmskioldia (Holmskiodia sanguine)
Tourism, trekking and sports
The National Park is the most accessible in Pakistan due to its close proximity to the national capital, Islamabad. It is a significant hub for bird lovers throughout the year. There are several hiking trails (Trail 1, Trail 2, Trail 3, Trail 4, Trail 5, Trail 6, Trail 7 (Shah Allah Dittah)), with the most frequented being Trail 3 and Trail 5.[13]
Rock climbing
There are many spots for rock climbing in Margalla Hills. Few crags have been developed but there is still a lot of potential available to explore virgin lines.[14][15]
For beginner level climbers, the following crags are suggested:
| Name of crag | Number of Pitches | Difficulty Level | Average Height |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jasmine Corner (Margalla Hills) | 3 | Beginner Level | 15 meters |
| Musical Lounge | 2 | Beginner to Intermediate Level | 18 meters |
| Saidpur Village | 2 | Beginner Level | 15 meters |
| Shahdra Wall | 4 | Beginner to Intermediate Level | 13 meters |
| Shah Allah Dittah | 2 | Beginner to expert Level | 15 meters |
Although sport climbing is becoming increasingly popular among the youth of Rawalpindi and Islamabad,[16] only few local climbers can climb at an advanced level. Therefore, most of the crags remain uncrowded.
Illegal Construction
Considered the most attractive spot by many on the Margalla Hills National Park was the famous Monal and LaMontana restaurant, which used to offers scenic view of Islamabad. Despite heavy public backlash, It was demolished in 2024 by order of Supreme Court of Pakistan.