Lohi Bher Wildlife Park: Animals, Timings and Tickets

Lohi Bher Wildlife Park is a government-run wildlife park in Rawalpindi, just off the Islamabad Expressway, with lions, urial, deer and an aviary set across open grounds far larger and quieter than Ayub Park across the city. It suits a couple of hours for families who want to see animals without the crowds or the fairground atmosphere of the more commercial parks nearby.

This guide covers what animals are actually there, what the park is like today, and how to reach it and plan around it.

What animals are there

Lohi Bher keeps lions as its main draw, along with urial, the wild mountain sheep native to Pakistan's hills, and deer, monkeys and an aviary of peacocks and other birds. Lions have had a difficult history here: the park's last lion died in 2015, and more recently a lioness and her three cubs arrived from Lahore in 2024, though the cubs later developed movement problems linked to inbreeding in their original stock. Treat the exact animals on show as something to confirm close to your visit rather than a fixed list, since a wildlife park's residents change over time.

This is not a large, modern zoo on the scale of Lahore Safari Zoo. Enclosures are basic, and the appeal is a quieter, more spread-out walk through grounds with animals dotted through it, rather than a dense collection viewed one cage after another.

The park's condition, honestly

Lohi Bher opened in 1992 on land that originally covered over 1,000 acres, though encroachment and development have reduced it to roughly 687 acres today. It has gone through repeated cycles of neglect and renewal: newspaper reports over the years have described it as run down and under-visited, followed by periodic restoration plans from the wildlife department.

That history matters for what to expect: this is a working government park rather than a polished attraction, with basic paths, modest facilities, and enclosures that show their age. Go with those expectations and it is a pleasant, low-key outing; go expecting a modern zoo and you will be disappointed.

Facilities for families

The park has play areas for children, including slides and swings, food stalls for snacks and drinks, and designated picnic spots on the open grounds. Parking is available near the entrance and is rarely a problem, since the park sees far fewer visitors than Ayub Park across town.

Bring your own water and snacks as a backup, since the food stalls are basic rather than a full restaurant, and there is more shade in some parts of the grounds than others, so a hat is worth carrying in summer.

Timings and entry fee

The park generally opens through daylight hours, roughly from mid-morning to early evening, though exact opening and closing times have varied across different listings and are worth confirming locally, particularly around Ramadan and in winter when daylight hours are shorter.

Entry pricing has also been inconsistent across recent sources, some describing it as a nominal fee and others as effectively free with charges only for special attractions. Rather than quote a figure that may already be wrong, bring a small amount of cash and expect to pay very little either way.

Getting there from the Islamabad Expressway

Lohi Bher sits between Rawalpindi, Police Town, PWD and Bahria Town Phase 1, and the easiest approach for most visitors is off the Islamabad Expressway rather than through central Rawalpindi's traffic. From Islamabad, the drive takes around twenty to thirty minutes depending on where you start and how the expressway traffic is running; from central Rawalpindi it is a similar distance in the other direction.

A car or ride-hailing service is the practical way in, since the park is not directly on a major public bus route the way the old city bazaars are.

Lohi Bher versus Ayub Park

The two are often compared because they are both wildlife-and-family parks in the same city, but they suit different moods. Ayub Park is larger in facilities, has boating and a proper amusement park in Jungle World, and draws heavy weekend crowds as a result. Lohi Bher is quieter, more basic, and better suited to a shorter, calmer visit, particularly with smaller children who tire quickly in a crowd.

If you want a full day out with rides and boating, go to Ayub Park. If you want an hour or two of walking among animals without queues, Lohi Bher is the better choice, and our places to visit in Rawalpindi guide covers both alongside the rest of the city.

Is it worth the trip?

For families staying in Islamabad or Rawalpindi with a spare morning and children who enjoy animals, yes, particularly given how little traffic it takes to reach from the expressway. Keep expectations modest: this is not a wildlife safari or a modern conservation zoo, and the honest answer is that the park has had a difficult history of underfunding.

If your time is limited and you can only fit in one animal-focused stop in the twin cities, most families still get more out of Ayub Park's Jungle World for the variety of things to do. Lohi Bher is the better choice if quiet and space matter more to you than rides and crowds. Our trip planning page can help you weigh it against the rest of a Rawalpindi or Islamabad itinerary.

Frequently asked questions