Al Khor Park, recently renovated at QR250 million, having a whopping area of 240,000 square metres, caught our fancy, and we decided to explore the place during a family day out.

Life

The park, located west of the Al Khor municipality, originally opened in 1983 and was recently inaugurated after renovations by the Minister of Municipality and Environment HE Mohamed bin Abdullah al Rumaihi.

Google Maps led us on a wild goose chase, in fact, to another smaller park in Al Khor. However, after many wrong turns, we finally got to the right place. To our pleasant surprise, Al Khor Park has a huge parking lot with 700 spaces, where you are sure to find a spot, no matter how big the crowd. And crowded it was, being the weekend. There were long queues at the ticket counters, but thankfully, the people at the counters worked quickly and the lines moved fast.

One of the first sights that greet you as you enter the park is the huge green glass dome with a beautiful fountain within and benches around it. It's a nice shady spot to rest and plan your next move, as the Al Khor Park stretches in all directions.

There are plenty of beautiful grassy areas where you can spread a mat or set up your folding chairs for a picnic. The tall trees planted at regular intervals, ensure that you stay protected from the sun.

The best place to start exploring the park is from the mini zoo, which lies to the right of the entrance. Animals in the park, which include zebras, oryx, ostriches, llamas, spotted deers and more, were permanently shifted from the Doha Zoo, which is undergoing a facelift of its own.

You can recognise the mini zoo from the earthen-looking dome where it is located. The reptiles are housed in closed enclosures within the dome while the larger animals are in open enclosures around it.

This family-only park also has an aviary that houses over 22 species of birds. A walk across the bridge inside the netted aviary will give you an opportunity to observe colourful birds like peacocks, parrots and other exotic species at close quarters.

There is a wide variety of entertainment options here for all ages. The large children's play area with soft rubber topped surfaces ensure additional safety. Various slides, rock climbing walls and other facilities like a miniature golf course, an amphitheatre, skating area and canopied play areas will keep the younger ones busy, while the adults can loll on the well-manicured greens. And for those sports enthusiasts who want a bit of action, jogging tracks, a basketball court and an obstacle course for skateboarders will provide hours of fun.

Natural and man-made splendour has been the focal point of the renovations, where alongside the colourful extravaganza of the flowers and plants, you can find a man-made lake surrounded by artificial rock formations and colourful murals on a curving wall, all adding to the aesthetics of the park.

Basic amenities have been given precedence in the park, which has 26 bathrooms spread throughout. A mosque is also part of the facilities provided. Safety has been given utmost priority and one way to ensure it is by having constant CCTV monitoring in every area of the park.

And if you wish to replenish your snack stock, there are cafeterias and a restaurant in the premises that offer everything from quick nibbles to a full meal.

It might take a lot of time to walk and see the entire park on your first visit and the exercise can seriously tire you out. The authorities understand this and to solve this problem, have got a mini train running, complete with a lovely little railway station. The train sets a course through many attractive-looking tunnels to take you around the park. The battery-operated train can accommodate 36 people and is the best way to see the entire park at one go.

This green oasis in the midst of Qatar's Al Khor area, with its beautiful flowering plants, shade-giving trees and abundant animal and bird life is the perfect spot for rejuvenation. So, don't wait for the heat to set in, visit Al Khor Park on your next free day and enjoy a day out with the family.

Do's and Don'ts:

- No grilling. Don't bother hauling your barbeque grill to the park. It will only be sent back.

- No pets. Your little Chihuahua might be the light of your life, but he has no place at this park. Leave your pets at home.

- Big bikes will not be allowed in. But hoverboards, skateboards and kiddie tricycles are welcome.

- Do not feed or taunt the animals. Just enjoy their beauty, take photos and leave them alone.

- Do not leave a mess. There are plenty of waste bins around the park. Please pick up your rubbish and dispose it of correctly.

- Al Khor Park opens at 8am and stays open till 10 in the night. Our tip: go early in the morning before the sun gets too hot or wait till it sets and spend the cool evening there.

- A ticket to enter the park and access all its facilities costs only QR5. Children under nine get in free.

- Tuesdays and Thursdays are for women and children only.

How to get there:

From D-ring road get onto Al Shamal road, keep going until you see Exit 35, take a right turn and follow the road till you get to the roundabout. Take a U-turn and come back approximately a kilometre and you will see the exit for the Al Khor Park on your right. Follow the road for another 500 metres till you get there.

Source: Qatarday