Panda House Park has emerged as a popular tourist destination that is attracting a growing number of visitors, especially fans of FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022.
The 120,000 sqm Park, located in Al Khor City, 35 km from Doha, houses Suhail and Thuraya, the two giant pandas.
Panda House Park opens for visitors from 9am to 5pm daily. The entry is through tickets which are available on Oun app of the Ministry of Municipality.
“Panda House Park is receiving large number of visitors from different age groups and backgrounds,” said Lulwa Al Mohannadi, from the Public Parks Department of the Ministry of Municipality.
Speaking to Al Rayan TV recently, she said that the number of visitors is growing daily and reached 1,200 visitors a day. “People are booking days in advance. We are increasing the number of visitors gradually following the capacity of Panda House Park and the comfort of pandas,” said Al Mohannadi.
Regarding the conditions for visiting Panda House Park, she said that tickets are available through Oun app of the Ministry of Municipality. “The visitors are also required to maintain peace and calm during their visits to ensure the safety of pandas,” said Al Mohannadi.
The pair came to Qatar as a gift from China ahead of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 and to mark the strengthening of the relationship between the two countries.
The Ministry of Municipality had announced that tickets are a must in order to visit the Panda House Park in Al Khor City. As of now, tickets can only be booked online through the Oun application, which is available to download for Apple and Android users.
Tickets purchased are valid only for the day specified at the time of booking. The ticket is also not refundable. As per the Oun application, the ticket price is QR50 for an adult and QR25 for children under 14 years old.
With Suhail and Thuraya’s arrival on October 19, Qatar has become the first country in the Middle East to have giant pandas.
Panda House Park has an enclosure, an outdoor garden pathway, outdoor booths, a garden, and a connecting door to Al Khor Family Park and Zoo. Up to 300 parking spaces are also made available for visitors. The expanse of the Panda House Park contains 464 trees and 2, 814 bamboo plants. It also has a Global Sustainability Assessment System (GSAS) certification.
The 120,000 sqm park, with a capacity of 725 people, consists of a 37 sqm plant mural, gallery, and education room. Visitors can access gift shops, cafe, a veterinary clinic, as well as prayer rooms.
