Forested hills of northern Punjab

Hill station · Punjab

Murree

Murree is a hill station at about 2,291 metres in Rawalpindi district, Punjab, roughly 60 kilometres north-east of Islamabad. It was founded in 1851 as a British sanatorium and summer station, and its Mall Road, Anglican church and Gothic-revival buildings survive from that period. It is Pakistan's most visited hill town.

The story of Murree

Murree sits on a forested ridge of the outer Himalaya and receives snow most winters, which is the main reason for its winter crowds. The Galiyat range extends north from it through Ayubia, Nathiagali and Thandiani, with the Pipeline Track between Ayubia and Dunga Gali a well-used walking route. Kashmir Point and Pindi Point mark the two ends of the ridge, and the Patriata chairlift rises to about 2,300 metres.

What to see in Murree

  • The Mall

    The colonial-era spine of the town, closed to most traffic.

  • Kashmir Point

    Ridge viewpoint towards the Jhelum valley and Kashmir hills.

  • Patriata (New Murree)

    Chairlift and cable car to about 2,300 m.

  • Ayubia National Park

    A 3,312 hectare park north of Murree with the Pipeline Track.

  • Nathiagali

    Quieter Galiyat town at about 2,500 m, an hour away.

Landscape of Murree

Pindi Point and Kashmir Point — Murree

Pindi Point and Kashmir Point

The two ridge viewpoints at either end of the Mall.

Patriata — Murree

Patriata

A chairlift and cable car ridge at 2,347 m.

Nathia Gali — Murree

Nathia Gali

Pine ridge road through the Galyat, 34 km on.

Rivers and lakes of Murree

Ravi — Murree

Ravi

Lahore's river, and the boundary of the old Mughal city.

Chenab — Murree

Chenab

The river of the Heer Ranjha and Sohni Mahiwal folk tales.

Head works — Murree

Head works

Barrages at Marala, Trimmu and Panjnad steer the canal system.

Food of Murree

Corn and chai — Murree

Corn and chai

Roasted corn, pakoras and dhaba chai along the Mall in winter.

Heritage of Murree

The Mall — Murree

The Mall

Built for British summer residents from 1851.

Kashmir Point church — Murree

Kashmir Point church

Colonial-era stone churches still standing on the ridge.

Culture and crafts of Murree

Truck art — Murree

Truck art

Workshops in Rawalpindi and Lahore paint the country's fleet.

Sufi music — Murree

Sufi music

Qawwali at the shrines of Data Darbar and Baba Bulleh Shah in Kasur.

Basant — Murree

Basant

The spring kite festival, long identified with the Walled City.

Wildlife of Murree

Markhor — Murree

Markhor

The national animal, a wild goat of the northern ranges.

Snow leopard — Murree

Snow leopard

Roughly 200–420 remain in the Karakoram, Himalaya and Hindu Kush.

Houbara bustard — Murree

Houbara bustard

A winter migrant to the deserts of Balochistan and Cholistan.

Read more about this place

Best time to visit

March to June and September to November; December to February for snow, with heavy traffic.

Getting there

About 1.5 to 2 hours by road from Islamabad on the Murree Expressway.

Nearby places

Questions about Murree

How far is Murree from Islamabad?+

About 60 kilometres, or roughly 1.5 to 2 hours by road on the Murree Expressway.

When does it snow in Murree?+

Most snowfall occurs between December and February, with January usually the heaviest month.

Photographs of Murree

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