Rawal Lake ( Urdu : جھیل راول ) in Pakistan is an artificial reservoir that provides the water needs for the cities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad . Korang River along with some other small streams coming from Margalla Hills have been set to form this artificial lake which covers an area of 8.8 km. Korang River is the outlet stream of Rawal Dam. Rawal Lake is located within an isolated section of the Village Malpur, Bani Gala and Margalla Hills National Park . Rawal lake is contaminated with sewage nowdays from 2024.
20-421: The area around the lake has been planted with flowering trees and laid out with gardens, picnic spots, and secluded paths. The terraced garden and the lake are used for picnics, fishing, and boating. The highest point in the garden offers a panoramic view of the lake, Margalla and Murree hills, Rawalpindi, and Islamabad. Boating, sailing, water skating, and diving facilities are organized by private clubs. To
40-548: A hill range within the Margalla Hills National Park on the northern edge of Islamabad Capital Territory , Pakistan , just south of Haripur District , Khyber Pakhtunkhwa . They are part of the Himalayan foothills. The Margalla range has an area of 12,605 hectares. It is a range with many valleys as well as high mountains. According to the research carried out by scientists and archaeologists of
60-420: A good tourist spot. The trail starts behind Islamabad Zoo and ends halfway up to Monal Restaurant. Trail 3: As mentioned above, Trail 3 is one of the most popular trails as well as being the oldest. The trail is divided into two parts: 3A and 3B. 3A is the more challenging one with being very steep and rocky and has a rock climbing point, however it is also very short (takes about 40 minutes to cover it). On
80-528: Is Saidpur Village . Sitting on the foothills of the Margalla Hills, this village shows how different village and city life can be to both foreigners and locals. This place is a hotpot of religious and cultural beauty that is within Pakistan. It is a place that signifies the religious harmony within the country as there is a mosque , a Hindu Temple and a Church standing side by side. The temple in
100-517: Is about 2500 years old and is believed that Alexander The Great as well as several other emperors used this route to either pass by or pass into this area. The cave also have Buddhist-era murals which date at least 2400 years old. The cave has seven alcoves which of different sizes for lamps which are still conserved today. Furthermore, one of the paintings found with the cave was of the Hindu god Shiva . There are around 250 to 300 species of plants on
120-433: Is the latest trail to be added as a hiking trail. Starting from behind the iconic Faisal Mosque's parking lot, it has a steep climb which is less crowded than Trail 3 and 5, making it a good trail for hiking enthusiasts. It takes about two hours to climb it, ending at a waterfall spot through which you can see the views of the city before. Margalla Hills contains several tourist spots that can wow its visitors. One of which
140-666: Is widespread throughout the world, in introduced feral populations and in farm operations. Various other pheasant species are popular in aviaries , such as the golden pheasant ( Chrysolophus pictus ). According to the Oxford English Dictionary , the word "pheasant" ultimately comes from Phasis, the ancient name of what is now called the Rioni River in Georgia . It passed from Greek to Latin to French (spelled with an initial "f") then to English, appearing for
160-711: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa , was being reared in Margalla Hills as a part of conservation campaign by the World Pheasant Association and Capital Development Authority . There are several hiking trails in the Margalla Hills. Trail 3 and 5 are the most popular ones, starting from the Margalla Road opposite sector F-6 and ending at the Pir Sohawa Road. In total, there are six trails now which are accessible to anyone. Below are
180-480: The Margalla Hills. As many as two-thirds of them are used by the people for their medicinal effects to treat or cure various diseases. The Margalla Hills are home to various species of wildlife, including monkeys , exotic birds and carnivores such as the rare and presently endangered Margalla leopard . Much less common are leopards , which occasionally come down from the Murree area but usually remain high up in
200-533: The descriptions of each trail: Trail 1: This trail is one of the more difficult ones that causes physical exhaustion and it can take up to two hours to finish it. Its highest point is the top of Pir Sohawa , and if you go 20 km ahead on the main road, you will find amazing city views along with the famous Monal Restaurant . Trail 2: This trail is not too difficult to climb and is recommended for families and hiking novices. It has many attractions such as street foods, play grounds and tea stalls, hence becoming
220-550: The hills near Taxila are busy eroding the hills for extracting building material. Deforestation is resulting from fires and illegal felling of trees. The Margalla Hills Society was established in 1989. The WWF-Pakistan 's 'Green School Programme', in collaboration with the Capital Development Authority (CDA), carries out 'Eco-Adventure Activities' on the Margalla hills to raise awareness in
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#1732771710219240-422: The hills, allowing them to fully immerse themselves in the natural beauty of the landscape. Trail 5: This is the other "most popular" trail because it is considered an all rounder, as families, runners, walkers and even pets can come here owing to its flat terrain. It goes through beautiful forested area adorned with big rocks and waterfalls. It also has a path leading to Saidpur Village . Trail 6: Trail 6
260-730: The hills. Villagers dwelling in the Margallas do report sighting of leopards off and on. The Margallas are an excellent place for bird watchers . The area is home to a large number of birds, including robins , sparrows , kites , crows , larks , paradise flycatchers , black partridge , shrikes , pheasants , spotted doves , Egyptian vultures , falcons , hawks , eagles , Himalayan griffon vulture , laggar falcon , peregrine falcon , kestrel , Indian sparrow hawk , white cheeked bulbul , yellow vented bulbul , cheer pheasant , khalij pheasant , golden oriole , collared dove , wheatears and buntings . The cheer pheasant, indigenous to
280-483: The other hand, 3B is more easy to walk on as it has wooden and forest covered trek to walk on, but it takes an hour longer to finish than trail 3A. Both sub-trails finish at the same viewpoint. Trail 4: Trail 4, situated near the former Islamabad Zoo , runs behind the Jamia Faridia seminary and is frequently utilized by its students. It offers an ideal route for individuals seeking an extended walk deep within
300-695: The pheasant genera's native range is restricted to Eurasia. The classification "pheasant" is paraphyletic , as birds referred to as pheasants are included within both the subfamilies Phasianinae and Pavoninae , and in many cases are more closely related to smaller phasianids, grouse, and turkey (formerly classified in Perdicinae , Tetraoninae , and Meleagridinae ) than to other pheasants. Pheasants are characterised by strong sexual dimorphism , males being highly decorated with bright colours and adornments such as wattles . Males are usually larger than females and have longer tails. Males play no part in rearing
320-506: The project "Post-Earthquake Explorations of Human Remains in Margalla Hills", the formation of the Margalla Hills dates to the Miocene epoch. The dominant limestone of the Margalla is mixed with sandstone and occasional minor beds of shale . The archaeologists of the project have also found two human footprints over one million years old here, preserved in sands. The Shah Allah Ditta Caves are also part of its ancient history. This cave
340-400: The school children regarding the conservation of natural environment and about the importance of being environmentally responsible. Pheasants Pheasants ( / ˈ f ɛ z ə n t s / FEH -zənts ) are birds of several genera within the family Phasianidae in the order Galliformes . Although they can be found all over the world in introduced (and captive) populations,
360-570: The village is said to be a small 16th century temple Rama Mandir, which is dedicated to Rama , who has said to be living in this land with his family during their 14 years of exile. Furthermore, the village also has a Gurdwara , constructed in the 20th century by Sikhs . It contains big rooms that were used at rooms for a school in which the philosophy of Guru Nanak was taught. The ecology of Margallas faces threats from quarrying by stone-crushing plants, deforestation, illegal encroachments, and buildings, and poachers. Crush plants situated around
380-1141: The west of the lake is the Islamabad Club. The Islamabad Club is a government-organized institution that provides various sporting facilities. The reservoir is of considerable importance for wintering waterfowl, especially Anas platyrhynchos . Here the resident mammals include the Red fox , Indian pangolin , Indian crested porcupine , jungle cat , Persian jackal , Central Asian boar and yellow-throated marten , reptiles include Indian Cobra and Russell's Viper . The majority of Birds of Islamabad are found here. There are 15 fish species belonging to 11 genera that are present in Rawal Lake. The fish species in Rawal lake and its tributaries include: Doula ( Channa channa ), Rahu ( Labeorohita ), Thaila ( Catla catla ), Mori ( Cirrhinus mrigala ), Carp fish ( Cyprinus carpio ) and Talapia ( Tilapia mossambica ). Margalla The Margalla Hills ( Urdu : مارگلہ پہاڑیاں ) are
400-474: The young. A pheasant's call or cry can be recognised by the fact it sounds like a rusty sink or valve being turned. Pheasants eat mostly seeds, grains, roots, and berries, while in the summer they take advantage of insects, fresh green shoots, spiders, earthworms, and snails. However, as an introduced species, in the UK they are a threat to endangered native adders. The best-known is the common pheasant , which
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