Kotli Sattian is located at 50 km distance from Islamabad. It is located in the ranges of Pir Pangal mountains. Rawalakot Road runs southeast of this hill station while the northeastern side is connected to National Highway (N-75) via Bunns Road. This subdivision is geographically a part of Murree and Kahuta hills. IThe name Kotli Sattian is derived from the mountain town of ‘Kotli’ and the ‘Satti’ tribe.
The Government of Punjab recently took the initiative to declare Kotli Sattian as a new tourist spot in the province. This alpine zone near Rawalpindi/Islamabad is the second tourist spot in the province after Murree. As per the official statement, this site will be opened to tourists in summer with well-furnished restaurants, paved roads, first-class resorts, and much more. Murree gets too crowded during the holiday season particularly in July nad ASugust and during the snowfall season. So, the government has selected Kotli Sattian as an alternative spot to Murree hill station which is equally beautiful as Murree.
Due to its high elevation, Kotli Sattian oftern experiences temperatures below 15 degrees centigrade in winters, while the climate remains pleasant during the rest of the year. Meanwhile, the weather is quite unpredictable, and it often rains. Just like any other hill station in Pakistan, January is the coldest month of the year with snowfall, while June and July are best, as it is the time for the monsoon rains. This makes it a suitable place to visit both in peak summers and peal winters.
It takes an hour to reach Kottli Sattian from Islamabad. After crossing Lehtrar, the road becomes densely covered with tall pines and a path takes towards the famous and well-maintained Danoi forest rest house. This rest house is also the staging ground for a day long trek to Punj Peer rocks. From Kotli Sattian, the road takes you to Bagh in Kashmir and to Karore and Patriata. Karore, a village between Murree and Kotli Sattian that is true symbol of scenic beauty. This place has beautiful natural fountains with crystal clear water that are source of drinking water for the local residents. From the heights of this place, you can spot both Simli dam and Rawal dam. Ariari is famous for its fire towers. The tower was installed to keep an eye out on forest fires and control timber theft. The tower offers an extensive view of the forest and is around 0.8 km away from the main road. The tower gives a breathtaking view. Only a few fire towers remain in the Murree hills now as a number of them have gone down. Besides Ariari, there is one near the Narr forest area and another near the recently renovated Charehan forest rest house close to Jhika Galli.
There is no better place for camping than Kottli Sattian. The tourists stay the night to catch a glimpse of the Milky Way or enjoy the sunset. There are several spots in the region along the mountain that are extremely ideal for camping or setting a bonfire. You can even light some coals for barbecue and make some koyla chai. If you are planning to camp at Kotli Sattian, make sure you are well-equipped with enough blankets, pillows, and sleeping bags to keep yourself warm.
by: Abeer Arshad
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