Margalla Hills National Park (Urdu: مارگلہ پہاڑیاں قومی پارک) is a national park in Pakistan. It is located in Islamabad Capital Territory, near the northern edge of the area and close to Haripur District in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The park includes the Margalla Hills, which are the foothills of the Himalayas, as well as Shakarparian Park and Rawal Lake.

The park was established in 1980. It is the third-largest national park in Pakistan, covering an area of 17,386 hectares (about 42,960 acres). The tallest peak in the park is Tilla Charouni, which reaches a height of 1,604 meters. The park is a popular tourist destination. Daman-e-Koh and Pir Sohawa are well-known hill stations, while the Monal Restaurant, Shakarparian Cultural Complex, and Lake View Park are popular places for picnics.

The park has a lot of different plants and animals. It is especially known for its Sino-Himalayan wildlife, including gray goral, barking deer, and leopards. Together, the park is home to about 600 plant species, 402 types of birds, 38 mammals, and 27 kinds of reptiles. PTDC is currently building a chairlift project in the park.

Location

Established in 1980, Margalla Hills National Park includes the Margalla Hills (12,605 hectares), Rawal Lake, and the Shakarparian Sports and Cultural Complex. The park is located in Islamabad, the capital city of Pakistan. The hill range is situated between an elevation of 685 meters at the western end and 1,604 meters at the eastern end.

Paleontology

Millions of years ago, these mountain peaks did not exist. The Asian continent was whole, but the Indian subcontinent was a separate landmass near the coast of Australia. Around 220 million years ago, when the supercontinent Pangaea was breaking into pieces, the Indian subcontinent began moving northward. It traveled about 6,000 kilometers before colliding with Asia around 40 to 50 million years ago. During the collision, part of the Indian landmass moved under Asia, pushing the Asian land upward and forming the Himalayas. Scientists believe the Indian coastline was denser and more firmly attached to the seabed, which is why Asia’s softer soil was lifted instead of the Indian landmass. Rock layers in the area are 40 million years old, and many fossils of sea creatures, plants, petrified wood, and early marine life like Yorgia waggoneri are found. These fossils show that the region was once the ocean floor before the collision.

These hills mark the beginning of the Himalayas. The Himalayas stretch about 2,900 kilometers across Pakistan, India, China, and Nepal. They are the world’s tallest mountain range.

Flora and fauna

The vegetation on the southern slopes is short and uneven, made up of subtropical trees that lose their leaves and evergreen trees, along with many types of shrubs. In the north, there are large areas of pine trees and groups of oak trees. The animals living here are mainly from the Indomalayan region, with some species also found in the Palearctic region. The birds include those that live here year-round, those that travel from higher northern areas during winter, those that come to breed in spring and summer, and others that pass through quickly during spring.

Margalla Hills has many streams that flow strongly during the rainy season. Natural springs are also present. The area is home to a wide range of mammals, including:

• 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 (found only in Margalla Hills, Murree, and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa)

The area also has many birds, such as the 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.

Reptiles found here include Russell's viper, Indian cobra, Himalayan pit viper, and saw-scaled viper.

Margalla Hills in Islamabad was declared a National Park in 1980 to protect its plants and animals. Trees and shrubs planted in the area are limited to natural species, including:

• Chir Pine (Pinus roxburghii)
• Olive (Olea ferruginea)
• Phulai (Senegalia modesta)
• Celtis (Celtis australis)
• Snatha (Dodonaea viscosa)

Major flowering trees include:

• Dhak (Butea monosperma)
• Pear (Pyrus pashia)
• Kachnar (Bauhinia variegata)
• Lacor fig (Ficus lacor)
• Blackboard (Alstonia scholaris)
• Java plum (Syzygium cumini)
• Cluster fig (Ficus racemosa)
• Amaltas (Cassia fistula)
• Woodfordia (Woodfordia fruticosa)
• Jasmine (Jasminum humile)
• Holmskioldia (Holmskioldia sanguinea)

Conservation campaigns

The Himalayan Wildlife Foundation is working on a plan to manage Margalla Hills National Park in a way that protects its environment while allowing people to use its resources responsibly.

The Margalla Hills Society was created in 1989. It is a nonprofit group officially recognized by the government, with its main office in Islamabad. The group is led by a council of leaders chosen by its members. Its goals include protecting the natural environment of Margalla Hills National Park and stopping the loss of green spaces. It also works to encourage the public to care about conserving forests, wildlife, and other natural resources in the park. Additionally, the society shares information about the park, such as its history, geography, plants, animals, culture, and how it benefits people who live in Islamabad.

Tourism, trekking and sports

The National Park in Pakistan is the easiest to reach because it is near the capital city, Islamabad. It is an important place for birdwatchers all year long. There are many hiking trails (Trail 1, Trail 2, Trail 3, Trail 4, Trail 5, Trail 6, Trail 7 (Shah Allah Dittah)), with Trail 3 and Trail 5 being the most visited.

Margalla Hills has several areas for rock climbing. Some rock faces have been developed for climbing, but many untouched climbing routes remain.

For climbers who are just starting, the following rock faces are recommended:

Although sport climbing is becoming more popular among young people in Rawalpindi and Islamabad, only a few local climbers have advanced skills. This means most climbing areas are not crowded.

Many people consider the Monal and LaMontana restaurant the most attractive spot in Margalla Hills National Park. It once provided a view of Islamabad. In 2024, the Supreme Court of Pakistan ordered its demolition despite public opposition.