Lahore Zoo: Timings, Tickets and Animals to See

Lahore Zoo timing is 9 am to sunset, every day of the week, and the ticket price in 2026 is PKR 100 for adults and children, with senior citizens aged 60 and over free, according to the zoo's own website. In practice sunset means closing at about 5:30 pm in mid-October, 5 pm in December and after 7 pm in June.

The ticket covers almost the whole zoo, on Mall Road in the centre of the city; a handful of extra attractions, such as the Reptile House and aquarium, are ticketed separately. Evening opening until 9 pm was announced from February 2026 for some sections, such as the lion enclosures, Reptile House and aquarium, with higher weekend night prices, so confirm at the gate whether it applies on your day. Founded in 1872, it is one of the oldest zoos in South Asia, and this guide covers current timings and tickets, what to see, and when to go to avoid the worst of the weekend crowds.

Tickets and timings

The zoo is open every day of the week from 9 am until sunset, so closing time shifts with the season, earlier in winter, later in summer. Sunset in Lahore falls at about 5 pm in early December, about 5:30 pm in mid-October, about 6:10 pm in mid-March and about 7:10 pm in late June, so on a winter afternoon you have less time than you might think. In winter we would arrive by about 2 pm at the latest to see the main enclosures without rushing.

Lahore Zoo ticket price in 2026

The zoo's website gives these prices:

Tickets are valid only on the day you buy them and are not refundable. The website also points to online booking through the Punjab government's zoo ticketing system, and schools can apply on letterhead for a student package.

Add-on attractions

A few attractions inside the zoo are charged separately. When the zoo administration took ticketing back from a private contractor in July 2025, it cut these prices by up to half (ProPakistani, 18 July 2025):

The entry ticket and parking fees were left unchanged then. Prices here have moved several times, and in April 2025 a reported rise to PKR 300 caused enough argument that the Punjab minister responsible publicly denied any increase in the entry fee. Bring some spare cash and pay what is posted at the gate.

What to see

Lahore Zoo's collection runs to well over a thousand animals across more than a hundred species, on about 25 acres, spread across enclosures that range from the original 19th-century aviary and tiger house to more recent additions. Highlights worth seeking out include:

• The tiger and lion enclosures, among the zoo's oldest sections and still its biggest draw for most visitors.
• The elephant and giraffe houses, both popular with children.
• The monkey house, with a range of monkeys and great apes.
• The aviary, one of the zoo's original 1872 features, home to a wide range of birds.
• The snake house and reptile section, if your group doesn't mind it.
• The aquarium, a separately ticketed attraction, for anyone wanting to extend the visit.
• The hippopotamus, which arrived in March 2026 (Dawn), and the 29 animals the zoo reported adding in September 2026.

A short history

Lahore Zoo traces its origins to the 1860s, when a menagerie on the site grew into a proper zoo with the addition of an aviary in 1872, donated by a local philanthropist. That aviary, and the zoo's original tiger house from the same year, are still standing, though the tiger house was renovated in the 1980s. For its first decades the zoo was run by the Lahore Municipal Committee, before passing to the city administration and then, in 1982, to what is now Punjab's Wildlife and Parks Department. It is often described as among the oldest zoos in South Asia, and its age shows in places: some enclosures are smaller and older in style than at a purpose-built modern zoo, alongside newer additions.

Facilities and getting around inside

The zoo's paths are paved and mostly flat, which works reasonably well with a pram, though they can get crowded on a busy weekend. Shade is patchy rather than constant, heavier around the older parts of the zoo near the aviary and tiger house than in some of the newer, more open enclosures. Basic food stalls and toilets are available inside, but don't expect much beyond simple snacks and drinks; if your group has particular food needs, it is worth eating beforehand or bringing something with you.

Tips for visiting with children

• Go early and plan for two to three hours, not a full day; younger children tend to lose interest before adults do.
• Point out the aviary and tiger house as the zoo's oldest sections if your children are old enough to find that interesting.
• Keep to the shaded stretches in the middle of the day during the warmer months.
• Don't let children feed the animals. Zoo staff ask visitors not to, since the animals are on specific diets.

Best time to go

Go on a weekday morning, arriving close to opening at 9 am, for the coolest weather and the smallest crowds. Weekends, public holidays and the days around Eid bring the biggest numbers, and by afternoon in the warmer months both the animals and the visitors are less active in the heat. From May to September, an early visit matters even more, since much of the zoo has limited shade and midday walking is uncomfortable.

Getting there

Lahore Zoo sits on Mall Road, close to the Lahore Museum and a short trip from Anarkali Bazaar, which makes it easy to combine into a single morning or afternoon in the city centre. A rickshaw or ride-hailing car dropped outside is the simplest way in; parking on the Mall itself is limited, especially at busy times.

How it compares with Lahore Safari Zoo

Lahore also has a separate wildlife attraction, Lahore Safari Zoo on Raiwind Road, where much of the park is seen by driving through rather than walking. The two are different experiences: the Mall Road zoo is a walk-around, conventional zoo close to the old city, while the safari park is a drive-through outing further from the centre, easier with toddlers or anyone who tires quickly on foot. Our guide to family places to visit in Lahore compares the two, along with Jallo Park and the museums, for age suitability and how much walking each involves.

Is it worth visiting?

Yes, particularly for families with children and for anyone with a couple of spare hours in central Lahore. The central location is the real advantage: nowhere else in the city lets you combine a zoo visit with the museum and a bazaar in the same morning. It is a working, historic zoo rather than a modern purpose-built one, so enclosures vary in size and age, and it is not the place to go expecting the newest facilities. For a more open, drive-through visit, Lahore Safari Zoo is the better choice; for convenience and combining with other Mall Road sights, the zoo covered here wins.

If Lahore is part of a longer family trip, our guide to places to visit in Lahore with family and kids sets out how to build a day or two around it.

Frequently asked questions