Participants : Usman, Waqar and Ali (Software Engineers, Nextbridge)
We recently made a plan to visit Nathia gali and do hiking from Nathia gali to the Miranjani top. Four persons agreed to the plan. As we all are IT professionals and work on tight schedules and have jobs, so these days we weren't able to get an extra holiday. We'd to complete this trip within the weekend i.e. Saturday and Sunday. So, we needed a plan to fully utilize these 2 days and accomplish our dream to reach the Miranjani top. One person didn't went with us due to his genuine personal issues, so we were 3 in total.
I had experience of Mukshpuri top hiking so I knew it wasn't going to be that easy for us. I also had experience and knowledge of the places in the galiat and Ayubia National Park.
Our plan was to leave at Friday night around 9 PM from Lahore, as we all had a full day at office. At 9:30 PM we departed from Johar Town, Lahore in our own car, i.e. Toyota Corolla XLI. First of all we got our car's tank full from Johar Town that costed us Rs. 2900. After that, we bought some fruit from there. Then we stopped at Metro to get some snacks and water supply. We purchased some lays, chocolates, dates pack, mix nuts pack and 1.5 litre pack of six bottles. These all were around Rs. 2300. After shopping, we started again and entered the Lahore ? Islamabad motorway at 10:50 PM.
We had a rest break at Chakri on motorway. We'd home made chicken sandwiches with tea at 3:15 AM. Afterwards, we rested in the mosque for an hour till 4:15 AM. Then we offered Fajr prayer there and started our journey again at around 4:45 AM.
We entered Islamabad approximately at 6 AM, and didn't stopped anywhere in the city. Our next stop was Bahra koh which is just before the Kashmir highway that goes to Murree. We'd a half tank full but we wanted to make sure that we've a full tank for the remaining journey. This refuel costed Rs. 1800. After that we headed directly to Murree and I was starving and wanted to have a breakfast before going to Nathia Gali. So, we decided to have a breakfast break in Murree. No restaurants were open for customers till 8 AM, so we'd to wait for atleast half an hour. I knew some restaurants there that serve good food at affordable rates, one is Lahore Restaurant on the Mall road. We'd a breakfast there and a cup of tea.
On the way to Nathia Gali, we stopped over at few places, i.e. Changla Gali, Dunga Gali, Darwaza Aks (natural spring water ), Bandar point (monkey point). At 10:15 AM we reached Nathia Gali. We booked a hotel room for 3 for Rs. 2500 per night. The hotel manager gave us double bed room with one bed extra. I parked my car in the hotel's parking for safety.
After putting our stuff in hotel room, we went directly to Miranjani top base in a taxi because there is no security guard or anyhing in the base of Miranjani top. The taxi driver charged us Rs. 400 and dropped us there. We requested the taxi driver to contact any local porter he may know who can help us with the bags and our way to the top. We saw two men just going upwards. The taxi guy called on those two and fixed us with them so they can show us our way to the top. Now comes the interesting part 
. We all 3 were new to this hiking track and had no idea about the difference in actual track and jungle track. Those two men, one old and one a bit younger asked us follow them. That was the moment when we got a bit de-tracked on our way. That was a very tough trail inside a dense forest which is only used by locals. We'd a very tough time there. The trail was bit easier in the start, and we thought that they're taking us on the actual track used by all visitors and hikers for Miranjani. But to our astonishment we didn't saw any other hiker except ourselves and the trail got difficult and denser as we moved. After half an hour, both those men called the porter / guide and it was decided that we'll pay him Rs. 1000 for the whole hiking and he'll also carry our bags. Once we started again, he said we are no the real hiking track that was meant to be used by hikers and visitors. We already had that in our subconsciousness and immidiately believed him. He said, to join the actual track we need to take a short cut which is very steep. It was quite slippery and un-safe at many points, so we'd to be very very careful. At that point, we didn't had any option to come back to the base or go anywhere else, except follow him so we did. After a very difficult passage and terrain, we successfully reached the actual track, which I assume was the mid of the full length wide track. We were relieved after reaching the track. On the way we also met two guys from Lahore who claimed that they've done many difficult trails before in Naran kaghan and other places as well. Some of us were impressed. Afterwards ,resting, going and so on... we reached the top at 4 PM.
The top Miranjani is not as beautiful as Mukshpuri. We stayed there at the top for half an hour. We'd chocolates, apples, snacks and water. But we were missing our lunch and our stomach was crying. So, we decided to go back quickly and we reached the bottom in an hour, non-stop. The guide left us there at the base and we called the taxi again to pick us from the base. After 15 mins, the taxi came up. We asked the driver to take us to a good restaurant for the lunch. He took us to Elites hotel which is 10-15 mins from Nathia gali. We went into the restaurant, but they were only offering snacks at that time which were very expensive and we'd no mood for high tea or snacks. So, we cam out. Fortunately, the same taxi driver who dropped us was still there. As he saw us coming out of the restaurant, he offered us a free ride to Nathia Gali. So, we got a lift from them and he dropped us to Nathia Gali opposite to Red Onion restaurant. We then went to our room, got a bit refreshed and came down again for dinner at Afaq hotel (on recommendation of a good friend from Lahore). The food was tasty. After that we had a little walk and a cup of tea. I was dead tired because of driving and hiking and wanted to get some rest. So, we went back to room at around 7 PM. If I remember I was asleep at 7:30 PM. I woke up at 5:30 AM next morning due to hunger and thirst. I got up, had some water and snacks that we'd with us. Came out in the hotel's lobby. The view as awesome at that time and took some selfies . I knew I'll have to wait for a proper breakfast because restaurants in these areas don't operate before 8 AM. At 7:15 I took bath with hot water, which is a luxury in this area. After I was ready, I woke up the other two guys, Waqar and Ali to get up. I planned to have a breakfast buffet at Amore Hotel in Dunga Gali. Their timings for breakfast buffet is between 8:30 AM till 10:30 AM, so we'd to be there. We reached Amore Hotel at 9AM and started the breakfast. The breakfast was quite good. They served, omelete, potato curry, bread, parathas, orange juice, tea and butter. I parked my car in the hotel's parking, so we could also stroll the Dunga Gali famous pipe line track a bit. We went 1.5 km and came back as I was very tired and I knew I'd to drive back to Lahore today.
Misc. Pics :
So we left Dunga Gali and reached Ayubia for chairlift. Waqar and Ali wanted to see Ayubia and enjoy chairlift so I parked the car and took rest till these guys came back. We left Ayubia when the came back and started descending. Joined the Motorway to Lahore. At that very time, I was very tired and we all 3 felt need for food, so we stopped at Chakri again and had our lunch. We started again and after 2 hours drive I felt need for tea and we stopped at bhera and had our tea. After that we came non-stop to Lahore and entered the city at Thokar Niaz baig. Dropped Waqar and Ali at their place and went to home.
So that was our short but a bit thrilling 2 days journey.
The total cost was around Rs. 18,000 and Rs. 6000 per head. So it was very economical.
