Kamla Nehru Zoo Ahmedabad (Timings, Entry Fee, Safari, Images, Reviews, Location & Contact Phone)

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No city is complete without its very own zoo. It provides the perfect spot for you to spend the day with your family, for that much needed picnic and the relaxation that comes with it. The large variety of animals keeps your children entertained and when they inevitably get tired way earlier than you, you can finally rest.

Feeling the cool breeze on your face and the trees at your back as your family prepares to partake in the meal that has been waiting inside your hamper all morning; now that is domestic bliss ! In the city of Ahmedabad, that sort of domestic bliss is offered by the Kamla Nehru Zoo.

Located along the banks of the circular Kankaria Lake, the zoo offers a welcome respite from your everyday life. It is home to a large variety of animals including 2000 types of birds, 450 types of animals as well as 140 types of reptiles. Approximately 20 lakh people visit the zoo annually and it continues to attract crowds not only locally but internationally as well.

Overview of Kamla Nehru Zoo

The Kamala Nehru Zoological Garden is spread over an area of approximately 110 acres, with a large number of related amenities around the Kankaria Lakefront falling under it. The zoo itself is about 31 acres of the total.

Also known as the Kankaria Zoo (since its located on the banks of the famous Kankaria Lake), this zoo is home to a large number of rare species of Indian animals that have been retained for recreational as well as ecological purposes.

The zoo also conducts breeding of species like crocodiles and the python. It boasts of a dedicated staff that look after all the inhabitants of the zoo with the utmost efficiency and care. The Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation is responsible for the maintenance and upkeep of the zoo and, in fact, the entire Kankaria Lakefront.

What does Kamla Nehru zoo have to offer?

As mentioned earlier, the zoo is home to a large variety of birds, animals as well as reptiles. Some of these species are endangered or rare and the zoo serves the purpose of trying to prevent their extinction by attempting to conserve these very species through breeding in captivity.

Some of the unique species that you might spot at the Kankaria Zoo include the White Blackbuck, the Spotted deer, the Indian Star tortoise, Nicobar pigeons, the White Peacock and Silver pheasants, along with Tigers and Elephants. A vibrant collage of exotic colours and visuals, the Kamala Nehru Zoo does not disappoint.

History of Kamla Nehru Zoological Garden

Self-taught veterinarian and a recipient of the prestigious Padma Shri award, Reuben David was at the helm of the Kamla Nehru Zoological Garden project. The zoo was established in 1951 under his guidance.

From there, it went on to receive national recognition, perhaps international as well, by being declared the “Best Zoo in India” in 1974. A year after this, in 1975, David was awarded the Padma Shri by the Government of India. As a matter of fact, David was actually invited by the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation to build a zoo in the city.

Image Gallery of Kamla Nehru Zoo Ahmedabad

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Entry Fees of Kamla Nehru Zoological Garden

The entry fee to visit the zoo is Rs. 20 per person for adults aged above 12 years of age, and Rs. 10 per person for children between 3 to 12 years of age. There is no entry fee for children below 3 years of age and for physically challenged people.

For an educational trip, the entry fee is Rs. 5 per person. Every Thursday, there is no entry fee collected for such Educational tours.

Camera charges are Rs. 5 for Still Camera, Rs. 25 for Movie Camera (8 MM), Rs. 50 for Movie Camera (16 MM) and Rs. 100 for Movie Camera shooting. For Industrial Film producers and Television serial shootings, the fee is Rs. 10000 per day.

Timings of Kamla Nehru Zoological Garden

Kamla Nehru Zoo timings are from 9:00 am to 6:15 pm during the period of March to October and from 9:00 am to 5:30 pm during the period of November to February. The zoo is closed on Mondays.

Places to visit around Kamla Nehru Zoo

Since the zoo is along the Kankaria Lake, there are a lot of other places that one can visit along with the zoo itself.

There is a toy train that children especially enjoy, known as the “Atal Express”.

In recent times, the lakefront has also been identified as a central entertainment complex in the city, with a large number of festivals, picnics, laser shows, fireworks and informal meetings being held.

That’s not all; the lakefront has also hosted quite a few city as well as state-wide events that have seen participation from various communities. These communities belonged to both the local as well as global sector.

The transformation of the lakefront has definitely revitalized the economy of the area by strengthening the business of the local food vendors. But along with that, it has also proven to be highly ecologically beneficial as well, since a large number of new bird species were spotted around the area after the development.

Apart from the actual lakefront itself, there are a number of places that one can spend their time at, surrounding the lake. Some of them are:

1. Balvatika: Kids’ City

Balvatika is a beautiful children’s park to the south of the actual zoo. Equipped with a breath-taking view of the park, this theme park engineered exclusively for children is a must if you happen to find yourself along the banks of the Kankaria Lake.

Paired with the zoo, it makes for a perfect day outing. It doubles as an amusement park, offering a variety of rides as well as quiet, green pastures which are ideal for the day trip with your child.

Visiting the park after sunset will enable you to experience a stunning lighting set-up. And if that’s not enough to get you interested, well, how about a Natural History museum? Yes, Balvatika has one of those too. Now, in case even that wasn’t enough, Balvatika also has a planetarium to top it all off.

Key things to note:

Timings: Balvatika remains open from 9 am in the morning, right up to 10.15 pm at night. People are suggested to visit the zoo sometime around 10 am to 12 pm to get the most out of the day.

Entry Fees: The entry fees vary from ₹2 for children aged 3 to 12 and ₹3 for children who are older than 12 years of age. Entry is completely free for toddlers who are less than 3 years of age.

Free entry is also offered to people who are physically challenged. In addition to that, entry fees for any type of school trip or educational purpose is only ₹1. And on top of that, if the educational trip is on a Thursday, there is no entry fee provided you have an entry permit from the zoo.

The natural history museum as well as the planetarium have the same timings. But the entry fee for the planetarium is ₹10 children of all ages and ₹15 for all adults.

2. Butterfly Park

Much like the metamorphosis of the caterpillar into the elegant and beautiful butterfly, the area further along the lake (having passed Balvatika on the hills) has been transformed into an ecological safe haven for the rapidly diminishing species.

Approximately 8000 square meters of area has been devoted to the development of this park and it displays a gorgeous collage of the most exotic and vibrant flowers, with equally eye-catching butterflies floating amongst them like the graceful creatures that they are.

This park also serves the purpose of being informative in nature, as it raises awareness about the unfortunate decline of the species. But that’s not all that they offer; they also have a ride which they have ingeniously named “Skyderman”, which launches children connected to a harness-cable system towards the ground, accompanied by a supervisor.

Key things to note:

Timings: The park has seasonal timings; from March to October, they are open from 9 am to 6.15 pm and during the November to February period, the park is open from 9 am to 5.30 pm.

Entry Fees: The ticket prices are reasonable, with children from the ages of 5 to 12 require an entry fee of ₹5 and anyone above the age of 12 has to pay ₹10 for entry. There is free entry for children who are under 5 years of age. Skyderman rides cost ₹25 for adults and ₹15 for children.

3. Naginawadi

Right at the centre of the lake is the small garden and entertainment complex known as Naginawadi. It is accessible by one single pathway from the south side of the lake. The bridge is made of concrete and is lined on either side with several trees.

A large variety of boating activities are available from the island-like structure. But the main attraction would have to be the central musical fountain. This special fountain boasts of a vivid multicoloured laser after dark.

Key things to note:

Timings: Naginawadi is open throughout the day from 9 am to 4 pm but the boating activities are only available at a special time which is from 7 am to 10 am. And if you want to experience the wonders that the musical fountain has to offer, the timings for that are 7 pm to 10 pm.

Entry Fees: The entry fees for Naginawadi is same for people of all ages; ₹3. For the musical fountain, it can range from ₹17 to ₹20 depending on the seating arrangement. The most expensive water sport activity is the jet ski, costing ₹250. All the other boating facilities are available within ₹30.

How to reach Kamla Nehru Zoo

The zoo is approximately a 15-minute drive from the Kalupur Railway station, which is connected to the primary railway circuit of the country. It is accessible from any other major city that is also connected to the circuit. The nearest prominent bus stand is the Gita Mandir New Bus Stand, which is about a 20-minute walk (or a 10-minute drive if you have a car waiting at the stop). Sardar Vallabhbhai International Airport is about 30 minutes by car from the zoo.

For a hassle free trip to the zoo and other popular sightseeing places of Ahmedabad, you can book a private cab from top car rental companies in Ahmedabad.

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Location Map for Kamla Nehru Zoo Ahmedabad