Daman-e-Koh

Daman-e-Koh (Urdu: دامن کوہ) is a viewing point and hill top garden north of Islamabad and located in the middle of the Margalla Hills. Its name is a conjunction of two Persian words, which together means foot hills. It is about 2400 ft from sea level and almost 500 ft from the city of Islamabad. It is a popular destination for the residents as well as the visitors to the capital.[1]

This article is about hill top garden north of Islamabad. For the forested hilly areas of Rajmahal Hills, see Damin-i-koh.
Daman-e-Koh
دامن کوہ
An evening view at Daman-e-Koh
Daman-e-Koh is located in Islamabad Capital Territory
Daman-e-Koh
Location in Islamabad Capital Territory
TypePublic
LocationPir Sohawa Road, Islamabad
Nearest cityIslamabad
Coordinates33.7395548°N 73.0554566°E / 33.7395548; 73.0554566
Elevation2,400 feet (730 m)
Administered byCapital Development Authority
Hiking trailsTrail 2

Monkeys are a common sight, attracted by the food given by tourists.[2] Leopards are frequently reported to descend from higher hills of Murree during snowfall.[3]

Airblue Flight 202 crashed near here on 28 July 2010.[4]

Access

Daman-e-Koh is located on the road to Pir Sohawa, which is located at the top of Margalla Hills at an elevation of about 3600 ft. The popularity of the site regularly leads to traffic jams due to the absence of public transport options on the narrow, winding road.[5] There were plans to construct a chairlift from Daman-e-Koh to Pir Sohawa, but were put on hold due to environmental concerns.[6]

The viewpoint can also be accessed by hiking on Trail 2.[7]

Panoramic view of Islamabad
View of Islamabad from Daman-e-Koh

The southern spot is the main attraction as it provides a panoramic view of Islamabad. The visitors experience a unique view of Faisal Mosque, the Seventh Avenue , and Rawal Lake.

Telescopes are installed for observers. There is also a large sign installed showing an original map of Islamabad.

Renovation

In 2007, Capital Development Authority further developed the viewpoint by upgrading the restaurant, widening the car-parking and providing other necessary facilities including electric-powered cars.

References in literature

Daman-e-Koh is described in the book The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini.

  • Map of Islamabad
    Map of Islamabad
  • View of Seventh Avenue from Daman-e-Koh at night
    View of Seventh Avenue from Daman-e-Koh at night
  • A peacock at Daman-e-Koh
    A peacock at Daman-e-Koh
  • View of Islamabad from Daman-e-Koh
    View of Islamabad from Daman-e-Koh
  • View of Faisal Mosque from Daman-e-Koh
    View of Faisal Mosque from Daman-e-Koh
  • The road to Daman-e-Koh
    The road to Daman-e-Koh

See also

References
  1. "Weather turns pleasant as rain lashes capital". The Express Tribune. 2022-05-28. Retrieved 2023-03-15.
  2. "Margallas' monkeys become trouble for local area residents". Pakistan Observer. 2021-10-05. Retrieved 2023-03-15.
  3. Uddin, Salah (2020-10-28). "Leopard spotted strolling near Islamabad's Daman-e-Koh". ARY News. Retrieved 2023-03-15.
  4. Zafar, Zeeshan (2010-07-28). "Crash site of smoke, rain and bodies". BBC News. Retrieved 2023-03-15.
  5. "Chaos: Traffic jam in Murree, Damn-e-Koh mar Eid celebrations". The Express Tribune. 2016-07-08. Retrieved 2023-03-15.
  6. Hussain, Danish (2013-07-13). "Environmentalists' concern: Margalla Hills chairlift project being revived". The Express Tribune. Retrieved 2023-03-15.
  7. Abbasi, Kashif (2020-12-16). "Islamabad to have new hiking trails". Dawn. Retrieved 2023-03-15.
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