Pricey and precarious : Safari Park excursion unfeasible for families

Overpriced entry tickets, substandard safety mechanisms have raised scepticism among locals seeking recreation

LAHORE:

Among the various developmental endeavors kick started by the caretaker provincial minister, the refurbishment of the Safari Park has reserved the top spot, with many reports claiming that the newly upgraded facility imitates Singaporean zoos to a great extent yet the one of a kind endeavor has failed to win the hearts of the masses, the low-income families, who believe that the price of the safari tickets is incongruent with the facilities offered.

The Wildlife Safari Park of Lahore, which has been reopened for tourists after an upgradation project costing Rs2.4 billion, offers a unique experience to wildlife enthusiasts through its captivating displays and wild ranging safaris including the Salt Range Safari, Desert Safari, Lion and Tiger Safari, Bird Aviary, Local Ungulates Safari, Aquarium and Hologram Museum.

While the introduction of these modern facilities has beautified the landscape of the Safari Park, turning it into the cynosure of all eyes, it has also received skepticism from the local, middle class masses, who claim that a visit to the new Safari Park, which expects visitors to purchase a separate ticket for each of the safaris, has become unfeasible for large families, who will not be able to afford the superfluous expenditure and hence will not benefit much from these recreational facilities.

Tehreem Fatima, a local from Lahore, felt that big families seeking recreation on a tight budget would refrain from visiting the Safari Park. “The ticket for each swing is Rs500 per child, while the tickets for each zoo safari are also separately priced. If a family of four wants to enjoy a day out at the Safari Park, they require a minimum budget of Rs5000 for the swings, Lion Safari, Desert Safari, boating tickets and other activities, which is unaffordable. The expenditure on refreshments will be additional,” complained Fatima.

Read: Upgraded Safari Park opens its doors

“Apart from the costly tickets, the new Safari Park also expects visitors to park their cars in the parking area and explore the park on foot. This will be a big hindrance for families with little children since walking with toddlers can be very demanding, especially in open areas,” opined Rizwan Shehzad, another local.

While visitors would be expected to walk around the park during their excursion, the management of the park has arranged special vehicles covered with iron bars for taking tourists safely inside the Lion and Tiger Safaris.

However, many including Muhammad Jawad Butt, a visitor, have expressed their dissatisfaction at the vehicles used for the Lion and Tiger Safaris.

“If I am paying Rs300 per person for the Lion and Tiger Safari, I would expect to be seated in a glass cabin with air conditioning so that the family can enjoy the safari comfortably. However, these vehicles with bars are very inconvenient and they imitate vans which are used to transport prisoners or animals,” claimed Butt.

While some tourists like Butt disapprove of the vans due to their frugality, others raise concerns on the safety levels of these vehicles after a recent incident, where a pair of lions attacked one of the safari vans, smashing its bumper and tearing its tyres.

Despite such unfortunate incidents, sources from Punjab Wildlife claim that there will be a slight increase in the entry ticket and parking fee of the Safari Park, which is currently Rs60 for adults and Rs30 for children with the car parking fee being Rs100, and the motorcycle parking fee Rs30.

Speaking to The Express Tribune on the matter, Deputy Director of the Safari Zoo, Ghulam Rasool said, “The new Safari Park covers an area of 242 acres. 25 electronic vehicles will be operated here for the convenience of the tourists. Now, if the standard of these facilities is to be maintained, then ticket prices will have to be increased.”

Published in The Express Tribune, March 11^th, 2024.