RAWAL PARK, ISLAMABAD TOUR GUIDE
One of the most famous parks in Pakistan is the lake view park in islamabad. If you want to have fun and enjoy with your family and want a family friendly place to do so then Rawal Park is your place to go. This is a simple tour guide to Rawal Park also known as Rawal Lake View Park with some little known information that is worth knowing if you want to visit this place with your friends and family.
HISTORICAL CONTEXT
In the era of the military dictator Ayub Khan the Punjab Government initially built the Rawal Lake View Park as a water reservoir in 1962. It was built to fulfill the water needs of Rawalpindi and the newly built capital of pakistan, islamabad. This place was later repurposed to serve as a tourist destination and recreational spot with the help and efforts of Kamran Lashari, Chairman CDA at the time. The park is now commonly referred to as lake view park of rawal lake promenade.
LOCATION
The park is situated on Murree road beside the bank of rawal lake near the village of Malpur, bani gala, islamabad. The park covers an area of 8.8 km or about 10,760,000 sq ft. the park also has many beautiful spots for tourists to visit including picnic spots and tree shades.
ADMINISTRATION
The park is administered by the Government of Capital Territory of Pakistan specifically the Capital Development Authority or CDA for short. The park employs many people on different posts including security personnel, administrators, cultivators, gardeners, managers and many others. The park in total has about 230 employees which include regular and contract workers. The park is competently administered and well maintained under the management of capital development authority. The park itself is very beautiful with tall and shady trees, a beautiful lake and various recreational spots.
RAWAL DAM
As mentioned before, even though the place is now famous among tourists for being a recreational spot, its main purpose is to serve as a water reservoir for the twin cities of Rawalpindi and islamabad. It also allows the underground water level of Islamabad to be maintained. According to some it is also the secret behind Islamabad’s pleasant weather.
RECREATIONAL VALUE
The Rawal lake view park has immense recreational value especially for the people of twin cities. The people of the twin cities visit the lake view park frequently. The number of people is unusual during holidays like Eid. not only the twin cities but tourists from all over Pakistan visit here. Some international tourists are also seen sometimes. It adds another layer of wonder to the already beautiful Rawal Lake. The park is very large and is often also used to host many cultural festivals and programs. The park also has many different sections where tourists can visit and have fun. The main sections include F1 Traxx where you can have fun track racing and completely with your friends. Battlefield islamabad where colorful fun comes alive and the Ibex Club where you can enjoy multiple physical activities including zipline and wall climbing.
VIEWS
The park has the beautiful Rawal Lake with its breathtaking views. You can also boat in the Rawal Lake and do some fishing if you’re into it. The lake has many different varieties of fishes. The lake is very large. When you ride the boat deep into the lake and look around, the skyline and the water surface blend together to give a magical view that is unparalleled anywhere else. There is also a garden section where beautiful flowers of different species fill the air with their beautiful scent. Their fragrance in the air gives the place a heavenly vibe.
POPULAR TOURIST SPOT
The amazing lake view park is not only a popular tourist spot nationally but also internationally. It was considered one of the top under the radar tourist destinations by the FORBES magazine. Part of its charm is its natural beauty and recreational spots. There is also some live music for tourists here to enjoy.
DISTINCTIVE FEATURES
Lake view has many unique features and characteristics that make it an amazing place for tourists. One of their amazing features is the lake view park aviary which is maintained and looked after by the members of capital development authority. The aviary is very beautiful and gives a serene romance that makes it perfect for you to visit it with your partner especially on the honeymoon. It is considered one the world’s largest aviary. It is rated no 3 in the ranking of world’s largest aviaries and is home to many unique birds including duck, emus, black swan, australian parrot, pelican, ostrich, macau, peacock, etc.
FAUNA OF LAKE VIEW PARK
The rawal lake view park is also home to a diverse collection of fauna. It has many different forms of snakes including Russl’s Viper and Cobra(Indian Cobra). The lake itself has according to some estimates over 15 different fish species including carp, thaila, mori, pahu, doula, etc. many migrating birds including winter waterfowl come here to spend their winter. The park is also home to animals such as porcupine, wild boar, jungle cat, yellow throated marten, pangolins, fox, jackal, etc.
SERVICES AND RIDES
Rawal lake view park offers many different services amd rides that are unique to it some of these include:
- GOLF CARTS
- HORSEBACK RIDING
- ATU RIDING
- BOATING
- JUMPING CASTLE
- SWIMMING POOL
- RESTAURANT
- F1 TRAXX
- FISHING FACILITY
- SNACK BAR
- CAMPING GROUNDS
- PASSENGER TRAIN
- AVIARY
- MINI GOLF
- ROCK CLIMBING
- AMUSEMENT PARK
- FESTIVAL ARENA
- CHILDREN AREA
- BARBECUE FACILITIES
- PAINTBALL
FOOD
In the lake view park you have many different food options. The most recommended is to bring your own food. However there are other options as mentioned before if you don’t wish to bring your own food. There are many refreshment stalls and a small restaurant to fulfill your requirements. There is also a specific barbecue area with attached sinks and stone hearths where you can enjoy a barbecue and bond with your family.
If you choose to do so, there are many amazing restaurants near the lake view park where you can visit to have an amazing meal. Some of these are listed below:
- PINETREE RESTAURANT
- ANDAAZ
- ZAMANA
- ASIAN WOK BEVERLY CENTER
- MONAL ISLAMABAD
- TABLE TALK
- WILD RICE RESTAURANT
- TEXAS STEAKHOUSE
- DES PARDES RESTAURANT
TIMING AND PRICING
The normal timing of the park is 10:00 am to 10:00pm and it is open all week. As for pricing some common ticketing info is given below:
PARKING FEE | 20 PKR |
ENTRY FEE(PER PERSON) | 20 PKR |
PARACHUTE | 80 PKR |
3D RIDE | 150 PKR |
DISCOVERY | 150 PKR |
BUMPER CAR | 70 PKR |
BOATING STUDENTS HALF ROUND | 100 PKR |
BOATING STUDENTS FULL ROUND | 200 PKR |
BOATING FAMILY HALF ROUND | 500 PKR |
BOATING FAMILY FULL ROUND | 1000 PKR |
HORSE RIDE | 300 PKR |
AVIARY TICKET KIDS | 50 PKR |
AVIARY TICKER ADULTS | 100 PKR |
CAR RIDING | 250 PKR |
WASHROOM | 20 PKR |
