If you enjoy wildlife and natural scenic beauty, then head over to Ayub National Park in Rawalpindi for an adventure of a lifetime. Ayub National Park is one of the biggest parks in Asia spread over an area of 2,300 acres. Besides vast grassy lawns, wild jungle beauty, serene lakes and lots of flowery plants and trees, the park houses a Snake House, a scary Mystery House and the famous Jungle World where you will find all kinds of rare and exotic bird and animal species.

If you wish to enjoy everything that the park has to offer, make sure to arrive early in the morning. The first stop is the Snake House which you can reach after crossing a swaying, wooden plank bridge. The wild and overgrown greenery is a perfect setting for viewing some of the most dangerous and poisonous species in the world, but the reality is a bit of a disappointment.

Many of the glass cages are broken and empty. The cages which contain the snakes are rather dirty and grimy, and one can barely make out the coiled snakes snoozing behind the dusty glass. The pythons are dead so only the cobras, vipers and some tree-snakes can be viewed. However, if snakes give you shudders, even this much is enough.

After the scaly reptiles, a long walk along a stony crumbling path will take you to the Birds Enclosure. Here you can take your time to enjoy the wide range of ring-necked pheasants, common doves, fan-tailed pigeons and gobbling turkeys housed in separate hut-like cages. The variety of peacocks is staggering. You can see snowy-white peacocks, richly coloured Indian and black shoulder peacocks, and speckled Cameo and pied peacocks with their graceful gaits and royal feathers.

Back along the main road in Ayub Park, there are many other attractions. There are plenty of wide open spaces where people can just sit, relax and have picnics. There are also rides and swings which children can enjoy for free. For Rs100 you can enjoy camel and horse rides. If you are feeling hungry, there are many small cafes, tuck shops and restaurants to sell you all kinds of edible goodies.

The main attraction of Ayub Park for children is the Jungle World. The entrance fee for adults is Rs30 and for children up to age 12 it is Rs20. Once you enter the gate, you are welcomed by the Jungle Band, a group of mechanical animals playing all sorts of musical instruments. Then you walk through a tiger’s mouth with all its teeth bared to reach the other side. Here there is a long row of cages where you can see birds like parrots, finches, love-birds, etc.

Each enclosure has a board carrying information about the animal’s natural habitat, their food and breeding habits, etc. The mini-zoo houses a large variety of birds and amphibian species brought from all over the world like pheasants, peacocks, ostriches, swans, pelicans, flamingos, ducks and many other types of water birds.

Some of the rare animals that can be seen here are the white tigers, llamas, Australian sheep, a pair of black bears, wallabies, hog deer, monkeys, striped zebras and leopards. Watching the pair of majestic African lions lazing under the sun alone is worth the trip. They are absolutely magnificent!

The zoo administration claims to keep the animals in simulated natural habitat so as to keep them physically and psychologically happy. Indeed, the space given to individual animal species here is much more than for animals in Murghzar Zoo in Islamabad.

A special mention must be made of Mystery House, a grand building which you can enter for Rs50 and leave with your hair standing on its ends. There are all sorts of horrible and ghoulish creatures leaping at you in the Mystery House and it is definitely not a place for the weak hearted.

By the end of the day, be prepared for very tired legs and rumbling tummies as a result of your long walk between one jungle attraction to another. For all this fun and much more, do visit Ayub Park if you live in Islamabad or Rawalpindi or are visiting the twin cities. It is best to bring your own picnic baskets and water but be sure to leave the area clean and litter-free.