Lahore zoo unveils HoloVerse: A virtual jungle adventure for visitors

Lahore Zoo has launched a state-of-the-art HoloVerse, which will soon allow visitors to experience virtual and mixed reality technology, bringing them closer to wildlife than ever before.

The zoo has partnered with a private company to manage the HoloVerse, where citizens will be able to virtually interact with wild animals, touch them, and watch wildlife-related films in 3D cinemas.

Speaking to Express News, Lahore Zoo's Director, Sheikh Muhammad Zahid, explained that three unique technologies have been introduced within the HoloVerse: Virtual Reality (VR), Mixed Reality (MR), and Hologram 3D Cinema.

Under the VR experience, visitors will feel as though they are in the heart of a jungle, where they will encounter dangerous wild animals in a lifelike setting. The VR technology will allow individuals to see animals they may never have encountered before, making it a truly immersive experience.

An Express News reporter had the chance to experience the Mixed Reality technology, where animals such as dinosaurs, elephants, and lions were observed up close. Visitors will also be able to capture photos with these virtual creatures.

During the VR experience, when an African lion suddenly attacked, the reporter, too, felt the thrill of danger, highlighting the realism of the experience. The technology creates a feeling of being in a perilous jungle, surrounded by wild animals, insects, and birds—where both observation and evasion are part of the adventure.

Sheikh Muhammad Zahid further shared that ticket prices for these experiences are set at 100 Pakistani rupees for Virtual Reality, 200 rupees for Mixed Reality, and 300 rupees for Hologram 3D Cinema.

Visitors can choose to explore all three options or select individual experiences based on their preference.

The HoloVerse has been handed over to a private company, and Zahid mentioned that family packages and student packages may be introduced in the future, offering more convenience to visitors.

He also credited the success of this innovative project to the tireless efforts of senior Punjab Minister Maryam Aurangzeb, Secretary of Forests and Wildlife Mudassar Waheed Malik, and especially DG Wildlife Mudassar Riaz Malik.

Zahid emphasized that this was the realization of a dream envisioned by the DG Wildlife, which has now been brought to life, providing citizens with a unique and exciting recreational opportunity.