Sattu Bungalow Eid Trip

Sattu Bungalow is an old forest rest house set in pine forest in the Thandiani range above Abbottabad, and a popular forest hike destination.¹

Approach paths pass natural springs and open viewpoints over the Siran Valley and towards the Kashmir ranges.¹

The RHCP guide describes the bungalow as built by the British around the 1890s on a high ridge. The name is explained either as a local word for the raised ridge or as 'Satwan Bangla', the seventh British forest bungalow.¹

In British times the Thandiani area was leased by the Battye family and later handed to the Anglican church, which built a sanatorium and summer homes.²

One known route is the RHCP Batadana track: start at Jhala (about 9 km) or take the shorter path from Batadana village (about 5 km), rated Easy to Moderate (RHCP trail guide, club's own figures). The route used on this Eid trip is not recorded.¹

The RHCP guide gives the road distance from Abbottabad as 27.6 km (about 46 minutes by car), without naming the exact endpoint.¹

Thandiani lies about 37.5 km north-east of Abbottabad according to Wikipedia.²

• Colonial-era forest rest house¹
• Dense pine forest and natural springs¹
• Views over the Siran Valley and towards Kashmir¹
• Thandiani forests shelter leopards, monkeys, pheasants, flying squirrels and pine martens²

• Do not pollute the springs; follow Leave No Trace.¹
• Carry water and snacks, wear good shoes and tell someone your plan.
• Holiday weekends can be busy; start early and check the weather.