Nandankanan

ABOUT NANDANKANAN..

Nandankanan Zoological Park is a premier large zoo of India. Unlike other zoos in the country, Nandankanan is built right inside the forest and set in a completely natural environment. The animals are housed in enclosures with greenery with a feel of real forest and live with no fear or apprehension of becoming the hunter’s prey.

Nandankanan is 15 kms from Odisha’s capital, Bhubaneswar. The Bhubaneswar railway station is at a distance of 18 kms and the Biju Patnaik International Airport is at a distance of 20 kms. Tourist cottages inside Nandankanan are available for accommodation, only during day time, on prior reservation from the office of Deputy Director, Nandankanan Zoological Park.

VISITING HOURS

Zoological Park

April to September (07.30 hrs. to 17.30 hrs.)

October to March (08.00 hrs. to 17.00 hrs.)

Zoological Park remains closed on every Monday

Botanical Garden

April to September (07.30 hrs. to 17.30 hrs.)

October to March (08.00 hrs. to 17.00 hrs.)

Botanical Garden remains closed on every Monday

NANDANKANAN SPECIAL

Boating

Boating on paddle or row boats in the blue water of Kanjia lake is an exhilarating experience. The multi-storey Boat Ghat is renovated to give new looks providing enough space for the visitors to relax and enjoy the picturesque fresh water spreading over an area of more than 66 ha. lake. The boating service is outsourced for better management and satisfaction of the visitors. The lake is also known for its rich floral and faunal diversity and is declared as a Wetland of National Importance by Govt. of India.

White Tiger Safari

A unique white tiger safari established on 1st October, 1991 over an area of 12 ha in natural surroundings. It provides exposes you to unique situation where the visitors are confined in a vehicle and the animals roam in the open jungle. Nandankanan is the first zoo in India with a white tiger safari.

Lion Safari

A twenty-minute drive through the meandering roads crisscrossing the natural forest in a specially protected vehicle takes the visitors straight into pride of lions in the lion safari over an area of 20 ha established in the year 1984.

Reptile Park

A reptile park, with a life size Tyrannosaurus at its entrance with an interpretation centre houses 27 species of reptiles including crocodiles, lizards, turtles and snakes. One would encounter crocodiles, king cobras and a huge Reticulated Python inside the reptile park.

Aquarium

Aquarium is an integral component of a modern zoo. Adequate steps were taken to include well researched education materials on the various aquatic ecosystems both marine and fresh water indicating their uniqueness and conservation needs. The aquarium was dedicated to the visitors on 4th February, 2008 by the Honourable Chief Minister, Odisha.

Battery Operated Vehicle

To facilitate elderly and physically challenged visitors in particular and tourists in general, Battery Operated Vehicles (BOVs) are available for tourists for an hourly trip around the zoo on payment of Rs.50/- per head and Rs 750/-and Rs 500/-per trip of large and small BOVs respectively.

Electronic Gate Entrance System

An automated electronic entry gate system has been installed in the Zoological Park on 30.03.2012. Each visitor is issued with a bar-coded ticket for entering through any of the six electronic gates into the park. This gives an exact figure of adult, children and foreigner visitor entry statistics at any point of time. This facility is the first of its kind for entry into any tourist place in Odisha.