Ayubia National Park

Ayubia protects a band of moist temperate forest along the Galiyat ridge, dominated by blue pine, fir and oak, and it is one of the more accessible pieces of genuinely good habitat in Pakistan. The signature walk is the pipeline track, a level path following the course of a water pipeline for about four kilometres between Dunga Gali and Ayubia through deep forest, easy enough for families and rewarding for birdwatchers. The park holds common leopard, Asiatic black bear, rhesus monkeys and flying squirrels, along with the koklass and kalij pheasants and, in the higher forest, the western tragopan in very small numbers. At Ayubia itself a chairlift rises to a ridge viewpoint, and the small resort at its base is busy with families. Leopard encounters near villages are a recurring issue and rangers advise against walking at dawn and dusk.

What you actually see

• The pipeline track - a level forest walk between Dunga Gali and Ayubia.
• Old temperate forest - blue pine, fir and oak along the ridge.
• Pheasants and birdlife - koklass, kalij and a rich resident bird list.
• The chairlift - a lift to a viewpoint above the Ayubia resort.

When to go

April to October, with spring best for birds and flowers. Monsoon months bring mist and leeches on the trails. Winter snow is attractive but closes parts of the track. Early morning is by far the best for wildlife, though leopard advice applies.

Honest expectations

The pipeline track is popular and can be crowded and littered at weekends. Leopards are genuinely present, and attacks on livestock and occasionally people occur in the surrounding villages; heed ranger advice. The chairlift is dated and queues are long in season. Facilities at the entrances are basic.

Nearby

Nathia Gali is at the northern end; Murree lies south along the ridge road.