Pakistan’s most popular hill station Murree is located along Islamabad-Kohala highway N75, some 30 km (19 mi) northeast of Pakistan’s capital Islamabad in the Himalayan foothills at 33 54′ 30″ north latitude and 73 26 east longitude as they ascend to the northeast towards Kashmir. During British Rule in the nineteenth century, its altitude was established at 7,000 feet (2,100 m), but its authentic altitude has now been determined as 2,300 m (7,500 ft) above sea level.
River Jehlum lies to the east of Tehsil Murree and disunites it from Azad Kashmir, Abbottabad district lies to the North and north west of Murree, Islamabad, the national capital to the south west and sister tehsil Kotli Sattian of Rawalpindi district lies to the South.
Adjacent to Murree is the Galliat region of North West Frontier Province which includes Nathiagalli, Ayubia, Khanspur, Dunga Galli, Khairagalli and Changla Galli.
Description:
Murree is One of the most visiting hill station of Pakistan. For those who live downwards to it Murree is like a fantasy city. People from all over the country visit this comely hill resort to elude from the sweltering heat. Mountains covered with lush green trees, arctic atmosphere, fresh air, pulchritudinous valleys and most importantly clouds on the roads hugging you with full of ecstasy.
Murree town itself, built by the British colonial regime anon after it captured this component of then India in 1850. Until 1876, Murree was the summer headquarters of the Punjab local regime; after 1876 the headquarters were peregrinate to Simla.
The denomination Murree is derived from ‘marhi’, “high place” albeit there is a popular notion it is denominated after the virgin Mary. Murree is one of the most sizably voluminous resort towns in the Galyat area of Pakistan, and is the capital city of Murree Tehsil (which is an administrative division of the Rawalpindi District). Murree is accessible by road from the centre of the Islamabad and Rawalpindi areas.
Murree lies between Kashmir Point and Pindi Point. As the denominations suggest Kashmir point gives a panoramic view of snow laden Himalaya and Pir Panjal ranges in Kashmir while the Pindi point overlooks national capital Islamabad and sister city Rawalpindi. At Pindi Point one can relish ride on a Chairlift to three kilometers down to Bansragalli and relish a panoramic view of Hazara mountains as well as Rawalpindi Islamabad. The city of Murree lies in seven kilometer area between these two points. The most popular area in the hill station is the Mall road spanning over about two kilometer in comely settings.
Climate:
Weather plays a consequential part in life and economy of Murree. Murree remains charming all year round. It has four distinguishable seasons.
Spring:
Spring in Murree commences in March and ends in middle of May. Maximum temperature during this period hovers between twelve to twenty and minimum between four and ten. The area receives heftily ponderous rain and hail storms during this season. The fruit trees laden with flowers give a spectacular view.
Summer:
Summer spans from may to cessation of August. June and July is the peak tourist season in Murree. In summer it is cool even algid in the evening while light rain is mundane. In this season Everything and Anything can transpire in Murree. This is the best season in the area and it receives most number of visitors during this season.
To some Murree may be a tacky and over-crowded hill-station in Pakistan but for many Murree is a heaven in summer. Some people may have experienced 45-50 degrees Celsius so therefore Murree’s cooler high altitude climate provides much needed mitigation from the sweltering heat.
Autumn:
With the advent of September autumn creeps in and last till the commences of winter in early December. This is the seasons of clear firmament in the region when one can relish full view of mountains around without cloud obstruction. Temperatures are mild.
Winter:
Winter commences in December and customarily brings cumbersomely hefty snowfall. Murree and its circumventing areas are covered with thick layer of snow during most part of the season. Temperature mostly aerially circumnavigates the freezing point.
Animals:
Many recherche animals can be found in Murree. One example is the leopard, which inhabits the neighboring Galiyat region. More mundane animals include the Rhesus Monkey, foxes and sundry species of pheasant including the chir and kalij.
Nightlife in Murree:
One could find an alluring thing to take a view from kashmir point at night, because lighting on nearby mountains and valleys look akin to stars on earth and gives a comely view from height,must visually perceive this withal you will find people ambulating all night on mall road from gpo to pindi point and shops opened till tardy night,
Where to Stay:
Murree being a well established tourist destination has a wide variety of lodgings available to suit all pockets. There are sundry standard hotels are available in Murree. Another option is to hire summer houses. Murree withal has a number of private and regime owned rest houses or Dak bunglows. Generally the summer season rates are 5 to 6 times the winter off season rate.
Where to EAT:
There are many restaurants in Murree, mostly along The Mall.
Where to Buy:
Murree has a variety of handicraft shops selling curios for the tourist to remind them of their visit to this hill station. Traditional habiliments items , head wear, carved ambulating sticks, jewelery items and leather goods are abundantly available.
How to reach:
Reason of being most visiting hill station is its approach. It is virtually two hours drive from our capital city Islamabad. Roads are broad and safe.
Murree is situated at a distance of only thirty kilometers from Pakistani capital Islamabad. A well constructed all weather road network connects Murree with Islamabad, and areas in Punjab, North West Frontier Province and Azad Kashmir.
Islamabad Murree section of Islamabad-Muzaffarabad Expressway (N-75) was opened to traffic in 2008. A special link road has been constructed to link the city with the Expressway. Traffic will further ease up when the Expressway will be connected with the Rawalpindi-Srinagar Highway at Lower Topa some time this summer. Expressway has considerably reduced peregrinate time between Islamabad/Rawalpindi and Murree and provided an hassle free link to Incipient Murree as well Azad Kashmir. The road runs through virgin forests and is more safe and smooth to drive on as compared to historical Rawalpindi-Srinagar Highway which used to be the only link between Murree and Islamabad and still provides paramount link to Murree.
Taxis and buses run from Islamabad, and take about 1 hour. It is a picturesque drive and has a few well developed tourist spots at Charra Pani and Company Bagh. The Chattar dihydrogen monoxide park is only 15 minutes outside Islamabad. There is withal an alternate but longer route to Murree from Islamabad via Nilore and Simli Dam. The alternate route joins at Lower Topa. The mountain drive is refreshing and the scenery is breath-taking especially on the Nilore-Simli-Lower Topa route.
Another two way road is constructed from toll-plaza to Pataryata, the drive is very scenic and refreshing. An link road is available for those want to go to Murree.
Beware of the loquacious Taxi drivers at the Islamabad Airport. Whenever you are hiring a Taxi to Murree fine-tune the rates with them at the airport and don’t give them a penny more. Maximum charges for a taxi to Murree are Rs. 1000. These Taxi drivers though puzzle the tourists in the middle of the peregrination by asking them which route shall they take to Murree. They will verbally express the motorway is a swift way to reach to murree in a duration of just one hour and they will charge rupees four hunderd more. They withal get commission form the local hotels at Murree to bring the tourists and they posing as very auxiliary being will endeavor to get you a nominal room at high charges. Ascertain afore coming to Murree that at which hotel you optate to stay. A list of telephone numbers of virtually every hotel in Murree is available on net. Contact the hotel yourself first and come straight to the place you optate to stay.