Dagri Bangla Trek offers the best of Galiyat

Dagri Bangla Trek is like experiencing the best of the Galiyat Mountains high above Abbottabad and close to Murree.

Also, see

Table of Contents

What are the Galiyat?

Galiyat is a narrow 60 km strip of pine-covered mountains between Murree and Abbottabad.

Thandiani, Biran Gali, Dagri, Nathiagali and, Murree are its crowning jewels.

Also, see Things to do in Nathiagali

Dagri Bangla Hike Map

Why go to Dagri Bangla Hike in Galiyat?

Dagri Bangla is the farthest forest rest house from populated towns.

This pine Tree covered Galiyat hill station at 2720 meters, is a gold mine for amateur adventures’, who also like wildlife.

Then, this hike is not too difficult to complete

Every hiking enthusiast must strike off Miranjani, the highest peak of Galiyat, from his to-do list.

Which is the best time to go hiking to Dagri Bangla in Galiyat?

I went on the Dagri Bangla hike in June, which is the perfect time to escape the summer heat of Punjab.

How long is Dagri Bangla Hike?

It takes about 6 h to get to Dagri Bangla from Namli Gali, near Nathiagali, and is about 15 km.

How to get to Dagri Bangla?

The starting point at Namli Gali is a steep climb to the Miranjani Top from 2500 to 2980 feet, respectively, which can be easily completed in 2.0 h,

The turns on this climb are easy to walk on for everyone, including ladies and kids.

What to do at Miranjani Top?

You can see all the way to

Pir Panjal toward East,
Nanga Parbat toward North and
Makra peaks of Mansehra

How much do porters cost in Dagri Bangla hike Galiyat?

It costs Rs 1500 to hire a porter with a horse to carry you to the top of Miranjani.

For the complete trip to Dagri Bangla from Namli Gali, the porter charges Rs 4500 for the horse.

After Miranjani Top

After summiting Miranjani,

you have to climb down on the other side of the mountain,
continue on a saddle-like ridge,
To the side where there is a rain-fed water pond.
Furthermore, reach a spot where the track starts climbing sharply.

Water on Dagri Bangla Hike

Be careful, the leopards in the area drink from the same pond as well (at night).

This water is undrinkable, so bring yours along.

There are no water springs on the way, so you should be carrying at least 3 liters of water when you start.

Which track to take for Dagri Bangla

After you get down from the rear side of Miranjani top, you will see two tracks.

One, climbing the mountain straight up and the other going around it from the left side.

You should take the track on the left side that goes around the mountain to Dagri Bangla.

This track is a little narrow with sheer drops on the side, but it is wide enough for a mule to pass through and after a while, you get used to it.

Do not hike on the track at night, as the headlamps may not be strong enough to see the obstacle on the way.

2^nd part of Dagri Bangla Trek

The second part of the Dagri Bangla track is about 10 km and it takes a further 3.5 h to get there.

Miranjani to Dagri Bangla Track is mostly downhill because Miranjani is at 2980 meters and Dagri is at 2720 meters.

History of Dagri Bangla

Dagri Bungalow was constructed somewhere in 1890

By the way, Dagri means “abode of the leopards” and Bangla is the home of Colonial British officers.

This Dagri route was constructed as an alternate route to outflank any threat to the British Garrison town of Abbottabad, by ensuring the resupply from Rawalpindi.

Colonial British mule caravans moving between Abbottabad Valley and Murree used to rest overnight here.

So you know the track is wide and safe enough.

Therefore, Dagri Forest rest house is in the middle of the track between Thandiani, Abbottabad, and Nathiagali.

Time and distance from Thandiani to Nathiagali in the Galiyat

Thandiani to Dagri 27 km and 12 h
Dagri to Nathiagali 18 km and 8 h

Do people trek from Thandiani to Nathiagali?

As roads have been constructed at some spots along the Thandiani (2700 meters) to Nathiagali Track, so people do not trek all the way.

This Track has been reduced to Biran Gali (1900 meters) to Dagri to Namli Gali track, which is 30 km and can be completed in 12 h.

Biran Gali to Dagri Bangla is 15 km and takes 6 h
Dagri to Namli Gali is 15 km and takes 5 h.

There is no point in hiking or trekking on a carpeted road, so this is the new hiking track for adventure trekkers interested in natural surroundings.

What kind of animal is there in Galiyat Mountains?

There are several leopards because all other forests have been cut down already.

There are also Monkeys, Foxes, Snakes, wild boars in the area as well.

After a long time, I saw hornets, exotic birds, beetles, Ravens, and even butterflies in this pristine environment.

Environmental destruction in the Galiyat

Although the hiker girls and boys that come to Dagri Bangla are environmentally conscious and do not litter, the local porters have no idea what environmental damage is.

Galiyat people think all trash must be tossed over the ledge and every tall tree needs to be cut today.

If the government wants to develop Galiyat tourism, I suggest people be allowed to chop down trees under the condition they plant and raise three, instead.

The trash-throwing habit in Pakistanis is because they have not been educated that they have a stake in their environment.

Dagri Bangla Trek is beautiful only because of the centuries-old trees still there high along the cliffs, where people cannot reach them.

Important points about Dagri Bangla Hike

Try to get to the Dagri Bangla Campsite early because the best spots for erecting tents get occupied.

The best spots to erect a tent area in the courtyard of the damaged Dagri Bangla or below nearby walnut trees.
The best spot to sleep overnight is the wooden cottage situated beside the original Bangla, as it has lockable doors and protection from rain

The female hikers usually prefer the wooden cottage.

Then, Dagri Bangla is notorious for lightning strikes.

Wild animals, especially wild boars do come to eat the leftover foodstuff along the sides of the camping site, but no one has ever been hurt.

The poor leopards are too scared of humans to venture close to the settlement.

Is Dagri Bangla Haunted?

Some folks in the hiking community have promoted the hoax that Dagri Bangla is haunted because they feel the amateurs are destroying the natural environment.

Always one camper yells out in the dead of night either from muscle cramps or nightmares due to excessive tiredness.

Then, sometimes a camper would yell “someone grabbed my arm” to get everyone worried.

There has never been any verified story of paranormal activity, but these incidences could be because of people having nightmares.

Hiking Signboards

Just before Dagri Bangla, there is a signboard nailed to a pine tree on the right side that points toward the Bangla and further on Biran Gali – Thandiani.

PRO TIP 1

So keep your head up while you are hiking.

Dagri Bangla is still Victorian

The first sight of Dagri Bangla from the top is mesmerizing.

You get transport back 120 years when this place was the prime spot for officers to enjoy their summers.

The things I did not like at Dagri Bangla

Now, Dagri Bangla is a crumbling ruin, without a drop of water, mostly because of the earthquake that happened in 2015.

The least the paid forest rangers can do for themselves and others is to collect rainwater and build a mobile toilet.

Both these essential services would not cost more than Rs 3000.

Eventually, the forest staff would benefit from the increased traffic.

However, I guess common sense is not as common in government agencies.

Weather at Dagri

As it rains very heavily in a burst during summers’ months, April to September, you must have a triple-layered waterproof tent to last you the night.

Food at Dagri Bangla Hike

There are no hotels along the way, so bring all your food along.

I have seen people bring along

pita bread,
KNN seekh kabab and
salads,
Peanut butter paste to prepare their dinner.
Others brought mutton cut pieces and had their barbecue on coal that they brought along too.
Still, others brought Savor pulao, packed and ready to eat.

PRO TIP 2

Do keep in mind that mutton or beef quickly gets rotten in the summer heat, so have it cooled on the way.

Breakfast is an omelet, milk, tea, precooked paratha, mayonnaise, malai, and leftover from the night on a small burner.

How to have fun at Dagri Bangla Camp site

There is a lot of

camaraderie,
songs,
music playing,
hookah smoking,
dancing,
poetry recitals,
cards and
Networking continues between groups of travelers.
Recently, I saw drone wars in real-time too.

Everyone is there to have a good time and a mixed gathering adds to the enjoyment.

Then, you would find the odd-ball who will trek barefooted because it helps “circulation.”

The funniest is the way people troll other hikers who use mules to cover the distance.

Drinking-Water at Dagri

There is a water spring about 20 min from the Dagri Bangla Campground which is fit to drink, but not a place to bathe because it is so filthy.

How to avoid Discomfort at any Galiyat Camping site

I could not sleep till midnight because of the aches and pains in my back and I had to take a pain killer.

After that, I slept like a log.

Discomfort usually happens if you carry a load of more than 7.5 kg at a distance exceeding 5 h.

So, keep your bag pack weight to a minimum.

Equipment to carry to Dagri Bangla

These are the things I carried Dagri Bangla

30 Kg Backpack
Glasses with UV protection
Hunter gloves
Water bladder 3 liters.
Belt knife
UV cream
White cloth to tie like a turban
Raincoat
Disposable glass, spoon, and cup
Night headlamp
Lower pajamas to sleep at night with
Dates
3xORS sachets
Wet wipes
Towel to change clothes.
Cell phone cable and battery power pack
As the porter to carry your sleeping bag
Wallet with 5000 cash and cell phone in my pockets.
Your hiking boots must be reliable, as people have torn their running shoes on this track.
It gets pretty cold very soon after the rainfall at night so a good quality sleeping bag is a must even in peak summers.

Day 2 of Dagri Bangla Hike

The next day, after breakfast, most of the guys walk toward Biran Gali, Abbottabad while I walked back along the same route.

This time instead of climbing over Miranjani again, I walked around this mountain top, along the original route of Dagri Bangla.

This route was a little long and it took me 6 h to get to Namli Gali, of Nathiagali

However, the best thing about this route is that it is green and picturesque, walking along a cliff very high in the Galiyat mountains.

Furthermore, there is a waterfall and natural water spring on the way, which is good to cleanse yourself after a long slog.

You can get tell your transport to pick you up from the Park ranger office at Namli Gali.

A lot of foreigners come to Galiyat as well.

Also, see Pakistan is safe for westerners

Is it okay to hike alone to Dagri Bangla?

No, It is never a good idea to hike alone in Pakistan because there are too many uneducated weirdos around and

Besides, you would need a porter to carry your food and stove.

Cool Hiking routes near Dagri Galiyat

Some of the hardcore hikers usually take the

old Ayubia pipeline track to Khairagali;
khairagali to Doonga Gali;
Doonga Gali to Mukshpuri top:
Mukshpuri top to Miranjani Top;
Miranjani to Nathiagali in one day.

I think it is a little too much.

Can women and children go too?

My track from Namli Gali to Dagri and back on the route bypassing Miranjani Top is ideal for women, children, and hikers as well,

It can easily be completed in two days and one night in between.

Next time, I plan to complete Dagri Bangla Hike from Biran Gali side.

Safar Saeid!