Thandiani to Nathia Gali

A long forest walk joining two Galiyat hill stations. From Thandiani the path drops to the village of Beeran Gali, climbs through thick oak forest to the Dagri rest house, then goes over Miranjani, the highest peak in Galiyat, before coming down to Nathia Gali.⁴⁶

Most groups spend two or three days on it, staying overnight at forest rest houses, though some walk shorter variants.⁴

Thandiani was developed as a hill station in British times; land was leased to the Battye family and later passed to the Anglican church, which ran a sanatorium there.¹

Nathia Gali was the summer headquarters of the Chief Commissioner of the old Peshawar division under British rule.³

The main building of the Dagri rest house was damaged in the 2005 Kashmir earthquake; a wooden hut remained usable.²

Thandiani is about 37.5 km north-east of Abbottabad; Graana gives about 3 hours by car from Islamabad via the Hazara Motorway, or about 3 hours by bus from Abbottabad.¹⁵

Nathia Gali, the end point, is about 32 km from both Abbottabad and Murree.³

• Thandiani's slopes are among the most thickly forested of the area's hill stations¹
• Miranjani Top, the highest peak of Galiyat⁴⁶
• Dagri (Dugri) Bangla forest rest house midway²⁴
• Nanga Parbat can be seen from the Nathia Gali area on clear days³
• Wildlife includes leopards, monkeys, pheasants and flying squirrels¹

• Carry plenty of water: the Dagri rest house has no water storage and how2havefun reports no springs on the way (suggests at least 3 litres).⁴⁶
• Forest permission may be needed from the District Forest Office (Abbottabad or Mansehra) for rest house stays.⁴
• Start early and do not walk after dark; trails are narrow and leopards live in the area.⁴⁷
• Porters can be hired at Thandiani; agree rates in advance.⁴
• Tell someone your plan and check the weather before setting out.