Closed
Mondays
The most common wasted trip
Travel Guide
Nandankanan Zoo Timings, Tickets and Safaris
The single most useful fact about Nandankanan is that it closes on Mondays. The second is that it is much larger than most visitors expect, and the walking rather than the ticket queue is what decides how the day goes.
Travel planning
Nandankanan Zoo Timings, Tickets and Safaris
The single most useful fact about Nandankanan is that it closes on Mondays. The second is that it is much larger than most visitors expect, and the walking rather than the ticket queue is what decides how the day goes.
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Summer hours
7:30am – 5:30pm
Roughly April to September
Winter hours
8:00am – 5:00pm
Roughly October to March
Adult entry
₹50
Checked August 2026; safaris extra
1
Hours, and the Monday closure
Nandankanan operates on seasonal hours: roughly 7:30am to 5:30pm through the summer months, and 8:00am to 5:00pm in winter. It is closed every Monday. That closure catches out a surprising number of visitors, particularly people building a Bhubaneswar itinerary around a long weekend, and it is the first thing to check before committing a day to it. Last entry is before closing time, so arriving in the final hour leaves very little usable visit.
- Closed all day Monday.
- Summer hours run roughly 7:30am to 5:30pm.
- Winter hours run roughly 8:00am to 5:00pm.
- Arrive in the morning; last entry closes well before the gates do.
2
What entry and safaris cost
Entry at the time of writing is ₹50 for adults and ₹10 for children between roughly three and twelve, with younger children admitted free. Foreign nationals pay a higher rate. The safaris are charged separately and individually — the lion and white tiger safaris, the bear safari and the herbivore safari each carry their own small charge, and the battery-operated vehicle that saves a great deal of walking is charged separately again. None of these are large amounts individually, but a family adding several of them should expect the total to be a multiple of the entry fee. All of it is set by the zoo authority, and tickets can be booked through nandankanan.org.
- Adult and child entry are modest; foreign nationals pay more.
- Each safari is ticketed separately rather than bundled.
- The battery vehicle is a separate charge and worth it for the distance involved.
- Charges are set by the zoo authority and are not part of any cab fare.
3
How long it actually takes
This is where most plans go wrong. Nandankanan is spread over a large area of forest, and walking between enclosures takes far longer than the map suggests. Three to four hours is a realistic minimum for a proper visit; with young children, safaris and a meal break, half a day disappears easily. Treating it as a two-hour stop on the way to somewhere else generally means a rushed visit and a hot, unhappy group. The battery vehicle exists precisely because of the distances involved and is worth the money for anyone with children or limited mobility.
- Allow three to four hours minimum; half a day with children.
- Distances between enclosures are substantial and largely unshaded.
- The battery vehicle materially reduces the walking.
- Morning visits are cooler and the animals are more active.
4
The botanical garden and the lake
Nandankanan is not only a zoo. A botanical garden sits across the lake from the zoological park, and the two have separate entrances — which occasionally leads to visitors arriving at the wrong one. There is boating on Kanjia lake between them. If you only have a few hours, the zoological park is the part most people come for, and the white tigers Nandankanan is known for are inside it.
- The zoo and the botanical garden have separate entrances.
- Boating operates on the lake between the two.
- The white tigers, the main draw for most visitors, are in the zoological park.
- Say which entrance you want when arranging a drop.
5
Getting there and planning the day around it
Nandankanan sits north of Bhubaneswar, and reaching it from the city or the airport means crossing town rather than skirting it, so allow longer than the distance implies — particularly in the morning peak, which is unhelpful given mornings are the best time to visit. Because the visit itself runs to several hours and taxis are not reliably available at the gate afterwards, keeping the vehicle for the outing usually works better than booking a one-way drop and hoping. Many visitors combine it with the Bhubaneswar temple circuit in a single day, which is comfortable if you start early.
- The drive from the city or airport crosses Bhubaneswar; allow extra time.
- Return transport at the gate is not something to leave to chance.
- It combines well with the Bhubaneswar temple circuit on a full day.
- Confirm the Monday closure before fixing the date.
FAQ
Nandankanan Zoo Timings, Tickets and Safaris questions
The answers separate confirmed booking scope from facts that still depend on your date, itinerary, and vehicle.
Is Nandankanan open on Monday?
No. The park is closed every Monday, which is the most common cause of a wasted trip. Confirm the current schedule before fixing your date.
What are the Nandankanan zoo timings?
Roughly 7:30am to 5:30pm in the summer months and 8:00am to 5:00pm in winter. Last entry is before closing, so a late-afternoon arrival leaves very little time.
How much does Nandankanan cost?
At the time of writing, around ₹50 for adults and ₹10 for children, with higher rates for foreign nationals. Safaris and the battery vehicle are charged separately. Rates are set by the zoo authority and can change.
How long does a visit take?
Three to four hours as a minimum, and half a day with children or if you take several safaris. The park is large and the walking between enclosures is what takes the time.
Should I book a cab to wait or take a one-way drop?
Keeping the vehicle is generally better. A visit runs to several hours and taxis are not reliably available at the gate when you come out.
Continue planning
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The park combined with the city, cab waiting throughout.
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What the park holds and how it is laid out.
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Going straight there from a flight.
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The wider city itinerary.
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