2,286mMountainForestNational parkScenic

Ayubia

About

A compact hill resort and national park in the Galyat range, most famous for its chairlift linking the bazaar to the ridge top of Pindi Point. Surrounded by Ayubia National Park's cedar and oak forests, it is the most family-oriented destination in the Galyat, combining easy access from Islamabad with genuine mountain scenery.

History

Ayubia was developed as a planned hill resort complex during the presidency of Ayub Khan (1958–1969), after whom it is named, as part of his modernisation agenda for Pakistan. The chairlift, chalets, and basic tourism infrastructure date from that era. The surrounding forest was declared Ayubia National Park in 1984, protecting 3,312 hectares of the Galyat ridge system from further development. The park corridor connecting Ayubia to Nathiagali is one of the last remaining contiguous tracts of temperate forest in northern Punjab and KPK.

Nearby Places

Viewpoints, food, and stops nearby (approximate distances).

Landmark0.5 km
Ayubia Chairlift
A classic hill-station chairlift connecting the Ayubia bazaar to Pindi Point on the upper ridge — the main attraction and best views over the valley.
Park1.0 km
Pipeline Track (Ayubia to Nathiagali)
The signature forest walk of the Galyat — a 10 km trail through unbroken cedar and rhododendron forest, gentle gradient, navigable in 3–4 hours one way.
Park1.0 km
Ayubia National Park
3,312-hectare protected forest of cedar, oak, and rhododendron with marked nature trails, a visitor centre, and resident leopard, black bear, and pheasant populations.
Viewpoint2.0 km
Pindi Point
The upper chairlift terminus at 2,400m — panoramic viewpoint with views toward Rawalpindi and, on clear days, Islamabad.
Viewpoint4.0 km
Dunga Gali
A quiet ridge village between Ayubia and Nathiagali with open meadow views and less crowding than the main hill stations.
Viewpoint5.0 km
Khanspur
A forested ridge above Ayubia at 2,450m — quieter than the main towns with forest rest houses and access to Miranjani trail.
Viewpoint6.0 km
Mukshpuri Top
2,787m summit reachable by trail from Ayubia — the highest accessible viewpoint in the Galyat with 360-degree Himalayan panoramas.