I never knew there was a collective name for the most favourite tour destinations in the North of Pakistan. For what I could count on my fingers, the famous locations in Northern Pakistan that every lay man has an idea about- Murree, Ayubia, Nathi Gali, Ghora Gali- actually fall on a narrow strip or area roughly 50–80 km north-east of Islamabad, Pakistan, extending on both sides of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa-Punjab border, between Abbottabad and Murree.
The word itself is derived from the plural of the Urdu word gali, which means an alley between two mountains on both sides of which there are valleys and it is not the highest point in the range.
The whole region, collectively known as the Galiyat/Galyat or Galliyat is a picturesque landscape with backdrops of magnificent valleys, oak and pine trees, tourist friendly spots and luxurious resorts.
If I were to list down places to visit in the Galiyat region or even tourist attractions in Northern Pakistan, I would completely do injustice to the captivating crafts of Mother Nature. Each deserves a place of their own in this writing.
Let us just focus on the must-visit places if you are planning a trip and have no idea what to cover in a few day trips. Yes, a day or two are never enough. There are regions that are most blooming during winters and there are some that are suitable for a summer trip to the North.
To enlist the regions that fall under this region to form this unique and anomalous strip on Earth, let’s begin with the most popular to the least popular areas in the Galyat, Northern Pakistan.
Localities in the Galiyat
I would leave you here to feast your eyes on the scenic pictures from this beautiful region. Next, we will talk through all things touristy in the most popular and loved destinations of the Galliyat region.
