We can’t escape from nature; we all need to interact with nature. Technology cannot replace the natural world, no matter how advanced it is. A wise man said it as:
Gardening adds years to your life and life to your years.
Lahore’s second name is the city of Gardens; its vast green areas are alive with blooming flowers, — the gentle air makes you feel refreshed as you breathe it in. For centuries ago, Lahore green locations always cared well.
Every new visitor is curious to walk in the gardens of Lahore & experience the beautiful green spaces. If you are planning to explore the gardens of the city. Here are the 5 most visited gardens:
1. Bagh-e-Jinnah
One of the oldest parks on the heart of Mall Road is opposite the Governor House. Originally, this park was called Lawrence Garden after John Lawrence, who was the first Lieutenant General and Chief Commissioner of Punjab.
Now the area of this park is 141 acres (0.57 km2), which was 176 acres formerly but allocated to Lahore Zoo for development purposes.
There are 150+ varieties of trees, 50 types of creepers, 140 types of shrubs, 30 palms, almost 100 succulents. Likewise, it contains four hillocks and three nurseries in it.
The running track is 2.65km long and is ideal for runners and athletes. Other attractions include a café, tennis court, open-air theater, and Gymkhana Cricket Ground.
Quaid-e-Azam Library
The library is located in Jinnah Park and has a unique architect. It was constructed in mid 19th century during British Raj. So, if you’re finding a library near Mall Road, this library is best for you. Yet, it contains 125,00+ English, Urdu, Persian books, weekly magazines, and daily newspapers of different languages (local and international).
Darussalam Library
Another library in Jinnah Park is especially for Islamic books and madrassa for youngsters to memorize the Holy Quran. If the Quaid-e-Azam Library is fully occupied, you can study at the Darussalam Library instead.
2. Jilani Park
The older name of Jilani Park was Race Course Park. It is located opposite Punjab Institute of Cardiology on Jail Road, opened in 1985 by Governor Ghulam Jilani Khan. At the start, it was explicitly for hosting polo sports. However, to prevent the development of a housing society, the horse club was later turned into a public park.
Its green space is expanded to 88 acres of land that contains an artificial waterfall, polo club, and child play area. Therefore, it is one of the most visited parks in the city. In addition, it also hosts events of:
- Spring Festival
- Lapboard Mela
- Flowers Exhibitions
- Lahore EAT Festival
- Musical Concerts (Private & Public)
- Horse Sports (Polo Club)
This is the list of events organized at Jilani Park to provide the citizen’s entertainment to them.
Ideal Jogging Track & GYM
The jogging track of Jilani Park is 2800 meters long, so you keep your pace consistent without any hurdle.
Also, the GYM is available for the visitor to achieve their fitness goals.
Other Activities include:
- Children’s Playing Area
- Café & Restaurant
- Polo Lounge Restaurant
- Boating in the Lake
Near food Restaurants
- KFC
- Macdonald
- Subway
- Texas Chicken
- OPTP
Park Timings: Monday – Sunday (06:00 am till 10:00 pm)
3. Jallo Park — Botanical Garden
Love nature? Come to this park. It is a beautiful family picnic spot near Jallo. This park is maintained for cultural, educational, and enjoyment activities. In 1978, this park was built and later expanded to 461 acres. From 2007 to 2010, this park was prioritized for development. The park was successfully renovated to increase its aesthetic value.
Butterfly House
Pakistan’s first artificial butterfly home has more than 3000 species available there. Iftikhar Ahmad: The Vice Chairman of PHA (Park and Horticulture Authority), advised the idea of this corner house.
Every visitor is invited to explore the informational walls, tunnel, stream, waterfalls, aquarium, and rearing chamber inside this covered area.
Also, the warmth & moisture inside this tunnel is artificially maintained for butterflies, as these species can’t survive in high temperature.
Note: When you purchase a ticket for this site, it is valid for only 15 minutes, and it’s enough as per my experience.
Here is the list of other fun activities you can perform during your visit to Jallo botanical park:
- Butterfly House Visit (300m)
- Boating
- Wild Park Visit
- Water Slides
- Boating
- Swings
- Gazebo
- Set up a camp
- Eat lunch with your family
Ticket Price at Jallo Park
You will be glad to know that there is no entrance fee. However, if you do other activities like riding, water slides, visiting wildlife parks, or butterfly houses, you need to purchase a separate ticket.
Timings: 06:00 am – 07:00 pm
4. Greater Iqbal Park
Before this name, it was known as the Minto Park, situated in the Walled City of Lahore suburbs. It is a famous site for Minar-e-Pakistan which can be seen from miles away. Meanwhile, due to its location in a historical area, Iqbal Park has a more excellent value.
The 329-acre park includes a history museum, artificial lake, open-air gym, two-kilometer soft trail, library to study, and food court to refuel your body.
Dancing Fountains
The artificial lake (800 meters) straight in length hosts musical dancing fountains. That attracts visitors to leave other activities and enjoy the water light trials. Iqbal Park was a pioneer of this type of entertainment for the public.
Fountain Timings
6:00 pm | 7:15 pm | 10:00 pm
Other entertainment activities for kids, and families:
- Horse Cart Riding
- Buggy Track
- Library
- Boating in Lake
- Minar-e-Pakistan Visit
- Walking Trails
- Gazebo
5. Gulshan-e-Iqbal Park
The word “Gulshan” is borrowed from the Urdu Language; it means the “Garden” and the whole Garden of Iqbal. The park occupies more than 67 acres, making it among the largest in the area. For family picnics and stranger meetups, this park has a lot of recreational activities to entertain yourself.
It is precisely on the Gulshan Block of Allama Iqbal Town (widespread housing town). You can access it via the main boulevard from Wahdat Road or the famous Fazl-e-Haq Road.
This park is ideal for each age, for kids; it has a theme park for kids and a dedicated playing area. Meanwhile, adults can experience adventurous ziplining too.
Similar entertaining activities include:
- Mini Zoo
- Ziplining Adventure Ride
- Artificial Lake
- Boat Riding
- Playing Area
- Sports facilities include
- Jogging & Walking Track (1.75 km long)
- Basketball Court
Ticket Price: The entrance fee is amazingly free for everyone; however other amusement activities may cost you around Rs.50-100/- each.
Timings: Open – Close: 06:00AM – 10:00PM
Parks & Horticulture Authority Lahore (PHA)
PHA was incorporated in 1998 as an independent authority. The department’s primary function is to maintain and optimize the green landscapes of Punjab, especially in huge cities. As per the PHA sources, they oversee 828 parks, 276 green belts, and 34 major projects that keep the environment clean and healthy.
If you have any query or suggestion, you can contact directly at following numbers:
Call at: +92 42 99200830 or +92 42 99203333
Email: [email protected]
We discuss the few best green spots of Lahore; whether you have recently visited or are planning to visit let us know in comments.
