Sattu Bungalow via Sawan Gali and Batadana

A forest walk up to Sattu Bungalow, a colonial-era forest rest house in the Thandiani range. The first part, roughly to a water tank, is relatively easy; the climbing starts after the tank.¹

The path passes through dense pine forest, with springs along the way and viewpoints over the Siran Valley and towards the Kashmir ranges.¹

The rest house is described by the RHCP guide as built by the British around the 1890s on a high ridge. One local explanation is that 'Sattu' refers to the raised ridge itself; another is that it was the seventh British forest bungalow ('Satwan Bangla').¹

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

The RHCP guide gives the road distance from Abbottabad as 27.6 km (about a 46-minute drive); it does not state which exact point this is measured to.¹

Thandiani itself lies about 37.5 km north-east of Abbottabad by Wikipedia's figure.²

• Historic British-era forest rest house at the top¹
• Dense pine forest along most of the route¹
• Views over the Siran Valley and towards the Kashmir ranges¹
• Two or more natural springs and a water tank on the way; a forest hut above the tank¹
• The Thandiani forests are home to leopards, monkeys, pheasants, flying squirrels and pine martens²

• Keep the springs clean: do not wash, use soap or leave rubbish near water sources.¹
• Follow Leave No Trace; carry all litter back down.¹
• Carry enough water, wear proper hiking shoes and tell someone your plan before you set off.
• Check the weather before going; forest paths can turn muddy after rain.