Murree Travel Guide
In a Glimpse:
In the beautiful land of Pakistan, Murree is considered one of the most visiting and popular cities for tourist attractions. Tourists visit Muree to escape the scorching heat at this magnificent hill resort. Mountains with lush green trees, a cool climate, clean air, lovely valleys, and, most significantly, clouds are caressing you with joy on the highways.
Murree is famous for its spectacular scenery of pine and oak-covered mountains criss-crossed with waterfalls and streams filled with meadows and woods.
Camile, an American journalist, commented:
“Everything and anything can happen in Murree. Romance is in the atmosphere; intrigue is in the air. The roads to this happy holiday resort embrace both heaven and earth. In Murree, it is easy to fall in love”.
Murree is 64 kilometers from Pakistan’s capital, Islamabad. It connects Islamabad and places in Punjab, the Northwest Frontier Province, and Azad Kashmir via a well-built road network.
The Expressway that connects Islamabad, Rawalpindi, and Murree has significantly decreased travel time.
History:
Murree is derived from ‘marhi,’ which means ‘high place.’
It is in the territory of Pir Panjal range at 7,517 feet above sea level. It was founded by the British in the 18th century.
The British colonial administration developed Murree town just after capturing this part of India in 1850. Murree served as the summer headquarters of the Punjab local government until 1876.
Climate:
The mild climate of Murree is one of the reasons for its popularity as a summer retreat. However, a few travelers choose to visit Murree in the winter when it is less congested, snowy, and the landscapes are breathtaking.
Murree is one of the most beautiful places in the world to see snowfall in the winter. People enjoy snowball fights and ice skating.
Places to visit:
The Mall Road:
Mall road is the most famous visitors’ spot and marketplace in Murree. Therefore, the hustle and bustle remain here all the time. It has a bazaar downstairs, like 10 feet below the main Mall road.
However, if you want to save time, go to the hills during the day and Mall Road at night when you only need to shop or eat. On both sides of the road, there are food points, restaurants, and various shops.
Pindi Point:
Pindi Point is one of Murree’s most popular tourist attractions. The 1.5-kilometer chairlift trip from Pindi Point to Bansara Gali is a lot of fun. The scenery from the chair lift is breathtaking. There are large pine trees all around that provide a soothing effect to the eyes.
Patriata (New Murree):
On the Lower Topa, New Murree lies around 15 kilometers from the prominent Murree hills. It is a well-developed hill station with beautiful landscapes and tall trees. Patriata is well known for its chair lift. The ride is around 7 kilometers long in total.
As soon as the Chair lift reaches the central hill, the Kashmir Mountains are visible from here. You can stay and enjoy the refreshment
The cable car will take you to Patriata Hill; from there, the view is alluring and mesmerizing.
The Chair Lift and Cable Car ride is a once-in-a-lifetime experience. You may see many beautiful scenes of nearby and distant hills. The hills are completely covered in snow; however, gorgeous green scenery can be seen in the summer.
Kashmir Point:
The nighttime lighting on the mall road from GPO to Pindi Point is lovely to watch from Kashmir point. Likewise, lighting on neighboring mountains and valleys seems like stars on earth, giving a magnificent view from height.
Where to Stay:
As a well-known tourist destination, Murree offers a wide range of hotel options to suit all budgets. Murree also includes a variety of private rooms and rest houses run by the government.
What to Buy:
Murree has a wide range of handicraft shops where tourists can buy trinkets to remember their visit to this hill area. In addition, traditional attire, headwear, carved walking sticks, jewelry, and leather goods are plentiful.
How to reach there:
It takes around 2 hours to reach Murree via Expressway. You can travel to Murree by different means. Many buses and vans run from Islamabad (Faizabad) and Rawalpindi (Pirwadhai) to Murree. Daewoo Bus also goes through the Expressway.
