In the Chandaka Forest on the northwestern edge of Bhubaneswar, adjacent to Kanjia Lake and the Chandaka-Dampara Wildlife Sanctuary, there is a zoo unlike any other in India. Nandankanan — literally “Garden of Heaven” in Odia — is not a zoo that was built in a city. It is a zoo that grew inside a forest, where the moist deciduous trees were already standing when the first animals arrived, and where the enclosures were designed to conform to the existing landscape rather than flatten it.
Established in 1960 and declared a sanctuary and zoo in 1979, Nandankanan carries two global distinctions that no other Indian zoo can claim: it was the first zoo in the world to breed white tigers (leucistic Bengal tigers) in captivity, and it remains the world’s only conservation breeding centre for Indian Pangolins. In 2009, it became the first Indian zoo to join the World Association of Zoos and Aquariums (WAZA). These are not promotional superlatives — they are documented firsts that reflect decades of serious conservation work carried out in what still feels like a natural forest setting.
Nandankanan Ticket Price 2026 — Official Entry Fee
As confirmed on the official Nandankanan website (nandankanan.org), the entry fee structure is:
| Category | Entry Fee |
| Adults (above 12 years) | ₹50 per person |
| Children (3 to 12 years) | ₹10 per person |
| Children below 3 years | Free |
| Foreign Nationals | ₹100 per person |
| Differently-Abled Persons | Free |
Free entry on special days: Students up to 12 years are allowed free entry on Children’s Day and Wildlife Week, subject to production of ID cards.
Safari and Activity Charges
| Activity | Charge |
| Lion & White Tiger Safari (Non-AC vehicle, 45 min) | ₹65 per person |
| Lion & White Tiger Safari (AC vehicle, 45 min) | ₹100 per person |
| Bear Safari (45 min) | ₹15 per person |
| Herbivore Safari (45 min) | ₹15 per person |
| Paddle Boat — 2 seater (30 min) | ₹50 |
| Paddle Boat — 4 seater (30 min) | ₹100 |
| Family Boat (30 min) | ₹150 |
| Aquarium | Free |
| Toy Train (children above 3 years) | Nominal charge — verify at counter |
Photography Charges
| Equipment | Charge |
| Handy-cam | ₹100 |
| High-end Video Camera | ₹500 |
| Movie Camera | ₹4,000 |
| Smartphone | Free |
Parking Charges
| Vehicle | Charge |
| Two-wheeler | ₹20 for 6 hours |
| Four-wheeler | Nominal — verify at gate |
Nandankanan — Quick Overview
| Detail | Information |
| Full Name | Nandankanan Zoological Park & State Botanical Garden |
| Address | Nandankanan Road, Near Police Station, Barang, Bhubaneswar, Odisha – 754005 |
| Contact | +91-674-2547850 |
| Website | nandankanan.org |
| Established | 1960 (zoo declared 1979) |
| Area | 400 hectares (zoo + sanctuary) |
| Open Days | Tuesday to Sunday (closed every Monday) |
| Summer Timings (01.04–30.09.2026) | 7:30 AM – 5:30 PM |
| Winter Timings (01.10–31.03) | 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM |
| Adult Entry | ₹50 |
| Child Entry (3–12 yrs) | ₹10 |
| Foreign Entry | ₹100 |
| White Tiger Safari | ₹65 (Non-AC) / ₹100 (AC) |
| Distance from Bhubaneswar city | ~17 km |
| Distance from Bhubaneswar Railway Station | ~17.1 km |
| Distance from Airport | ~17.7 km |
| WAZA Member | Yes — first Indian zoo to join (2009) |
Timings 2026
The official Nandankanan website confirms that summer timings from 01.04.2026 to 30.09.2026 are 7:30 AM to 5:30 PM. The zoo is closed on Mondays.
| Season | Opening | Closing |
| Summer (April–September) | 7:30 AM | 5:30 PM |
| Winter (October–March) | 8:00 AM | 5:00 PM |
| Closed | Every Monday |
History and Global Significance
Foundation
Nandankanan’s origin is itself a good story. In 1960, some forest officials from Odisha decided to represent the state at the World Agricultural Fair in Delhi by showcasing its indigenous rare orchids and wild animals. The idea faced roadblocks as procuring and transporting wild animals proved expensive. The alternative was to develop a zoological park at home — and Nandankanan was the result.
The land chosen was not a blank field but an existing deciduous forest with Kanjia Lake as its natural water body. The zoo was designed around the forest rather than building a zoo and planting trees in it afterwards — a fundamental design distinction that still differentiates Nandankanan from most Indian metropolitan zoos.
White Tiger Breeding — A World First
Nandankanan has the distinction of being the first zoo in the world to breed melanistic and white tigers, and the sole conservation breeding centre for Indian Pangolins across the globe.
The white tiger — technically a leucistic (pigment-reduced) Bengal tiger rather than a separate subspecies — has become the most iconic animal associated with Nandankanan. The zoo maintains a white tiger safari where visitors are enclosed in vehicles while the tigers roam the open enclosure — a reversal of the conventional zoo arrangement that creates a genuinely different viewing experience.
The Gharial Conservation Programme
In the 1970s, the Gharial — the long-snouted, fish-eating crocodile — was nearly extinct. Nandankanan took up the challenge and became the first zoo to breed them in captivity. They now run a “Head-start” programme where young gharials are raised in the zoo until they are large enough to be released into the Mahanadi river. Nandankanan’s Gharial pool houses dozens of these prehistoric-looking crocodilians.
Indian Railways and Postal Recognition
Such is the importance and exclusivity of the zoo that the Indian Railways has named an express train after it — the Nandankanan Express — while the Indian Postal Department has released a special cover featuring it. These are unusual honours for a zoo and reflect its standing as genuinely nationally significant rather than merely a regional attraction.
2025–2028 World Class Zoo Master Plan
Under a “World Class Zoo” master plan (2025–2028) spearheaded by Odisha Tourism and the Forest Department, several new features have been added to modernise the visitor experience while enhancing animal habitats, including a Tunnel Aquarium where visitors walk through a glass tunnel with sharks, rays, and thousands of fish swimming around them.
What to See — Key Animals and Exhibits
White Tiger and Lion Safari
The white tiger safari is Nandankanan’s most distinctive visitor experience. Unlike conventional zoo viewing where humans stand outside barriers and animals are inside, the safari reverses the dynamic — visitors travel in an enclosed vehicle through a forested area where white tigers roam freely. The visual impact of a white tiger at close range, in a naturalistic forest setting, is the single most memorable experience available at this zoo.
The lion safari operates on the same principle in a separate enclosure. White tiger safari runs both Non-AC (₹65) and AC (₹100) vehicle options.
Indian Pangolin — World’s Only Conservation Breeding Centre
Nandankanan is the only place in the world with an active conservation breeding programme for the Indian Pangolin (Manis crassicaudata). This critically endangered, scale-covered mammal — targeted by illegal wildlife trade for its scales, which are used in traditional medicine across Southeast Asia and China — is almost never successfully kept in captivity elsewhere. Nandankanan’s success is a genuine conservation breakthrough.
The pangolin enclosure is one of the zoo’s most educationally significant exhibits for this reason.
Gharial Pool
A massive pool housing dozens of Gharials — the long, thin-snouted crocodilians endemic to the Gangetic river system. The Gharial was classified as critically endangered by the 1970s; Nandankanan’s captive breeding and river release programme contributed significantly to its partial recovery. The pool shows multiple gharials basking simultaneously, offering clear views of their distinctive narrow snout.
Melanistic Tigers (Black Tigers)
Beyond the white tiger, Nandankanan also houses melanistic tigers — tigers with excess dark pigmentation that makes the stripes merge into an almost entirely black appearance. These are exceptionally rare even among captive populations and are one of the zoo’s most-discussed exhibits.
Bear Safari
The sloth bear (Melursus ursinus) enclosure at Nandankanan is open as a drive-through safari at ₹15 per person. Sloth bears are nocturnal in the wild but are visibly active at the zoo, particularly in the morning.
Herbivore Safari
An open enclosure safari (₹15) through areas housing deer, antelope, and other herbivores in a semi-naturalistic landscape. Suitable for younger children who find the large predator safaris too intense.
Crocodile Breeding Centre
In addition to Gharials, Nandankanan maintains a saltwater crocodile and mugger crocodile breeding facility — one of the early examples of institutional crocodile conservation in India.
Aquarium (Free)
A dedicated aquarium with freshwater fish species and exotic species including albino varieties, accessible free with the standard zoo entry. Recent upgrades under the World Class Zoo master plan include the walk-through Tunnel Aquarium.
State Botanical Garden (173 acres)
Adjacent to the zoo, the State Botanical Garden occupies 173 acres of the same moist deciduous forest. It houses:
- Butterfly Park — In 2026, the butterfly park houses over 80 species within a domed structure.
- Orchid House — The largest in Odisha, featuring over 1,000 orchids
- Bonsai Collection — Multi-decade-old specimens
- Kanjia Lake — A 134-acre lake within the sanctuary used for paddle boating
The Botanical Garden charges a separate entry fee (₹20 for adults; children below 12 free; foreign ₹100 per the State Botanical Garden website).
Toy Train
A miniature train that circuits through the zoo campus — useful for covering the 400-hectare spread without exhaustive walking. Particularly valuable for families with young children or elderly visitors.
How to Reach Nandankanan
Address: Nandankanan Road, Near Police Station, Barang, Bhubaneswar, Odisha – 754005. Approximately 17 km from Bhubaneswar city centre.
By Rail: Bhubaneswar Railway Station is approximately 17.1 km from the park. Tourists can take a train at Bhubaneswar Railway Station and get down at Barang station, which is located close to the park. Taxis and autos from Barang station complete the final distance.
By Air: Biju Patnaik International Airport is located at a distance of approximately 17.7 km. You can reach the park by hiring an auto or taxi from the airport.
By Bus: Local buses from various parts of Bhubaneswar ply toward Nandankanan.
By Taxi/Auto: Ola and Uber available from Bhubaneswar city. Set destination “Nandankanan Zoological Park Bhubaneswar.”
Online Booking
Tickets can be booked through the official website: nandankanan.org (ticket section). Select your date, number of visitors, and add any safari packages. Walk-in tickets available at the gate.
Visitor Rules
No vehicles other than permitted vehicles, fire sources, arms and ammunition, food items, polythene bags, and general baggage are allowed to enter the Zoological Park. Wheelchairs are available for differently-abled visitors (free entry for differently-abled persons).
Best Time to Visit
October to February: Bhubaneswar’s winter months offer comfortable temperatures for the full 400-hectare walking experience. Animals are most active in cooler conditions, particularly the tigers and bears which tend to retreat into shelter in peak summer heat.
Early morning (7:30–9:30 AM in summer): The zoo opens at 7:30 AM in summer and the first two hours see the freshest animal activity and smallest crowds.
Monsoon (July–September): The forest setting transforms dramatically in monsoon — deep green, alive with bird activity and the sounds of the surrounding Chandaka Forest. Visitor numbers are lower and the botanical garden is spectacularly lush.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q1. What is the Nandankanan Zoological Park ticket price in 2026?
Adults (above 12 years) ₹50; Children (3–12 years) ₹10; Foreign nationals ₹100; Children below 3 and differently-abled persons free. Confirmed on the official nandankanan.org ticket page.
Q2. What are Nandankanan timings in 2026?
Summer (April–September): 7:30 AM–5:30 PM. Winter (October–March): 8:00 AM–5:00 PM. Closed every Monday.
Q3. What is the White Tiger Safari charge?
₹65 per person (Non-AC vehicle, 45 minutes); ₹100 per person (AC vehicle, 45 minutes). Nandankanan is the first zoo in the world to breed white tigers in captivity.
Q4. What makes Nandankanan unique among Indian zoos?
It is the first zoo in India to breed white tigers and melanistic tigers; the world’s only conservation breeding centre for Indian Pangolins; the first Indian zoo to join WAZA (2009); and built inside a natural moist deciduous forest rather than a constructed urban zoo campus.
Q5. How far is Nandankanan from Bhubaneswar city?
Approximately 17 km from the city centre — about 30–40 minutes by cab or auto from Bhubaneswar Railway Station or airport.
