Posted by Those of us who have grown up in Delhi will remember the National Zoological Park or the Delhi Zoo, as it is better known, very fondly. It was and continues to be a huge attraction for children and parents of young children. It has a well-mapped out and lovely selection of animals and is located in a beautiful and green part of Delhi. I remember going there as a 3-year-old myself, and we have been taking my son for frequent visits ever since he turned two. So, for his recent 8th birthday, when we asked him what he would like to do to celebrate, he had two requests: take his closest friends for a zoo visit and take the whole family for a weekend staycation to his favourite resort, the Westin Sohna. And of course, we indulged his birthday wishes. Mind you, planning a trip to the zoo with a big group wasn’t easy but it was loads of fun! The kids had an absolute blast. So, I’m here to share tips in case you would like to plan a similar outing with your children’s friends.
Another reason I was keen to write this post was that I recently read an influencer’s post on Instagram completely dissing the Delhi Zoo as being unworthy of a visit because she had such a bad experience. If you go without any idea of what to expect and without even a basic plan in place, you may end up having a tough time. So, be mindful of these tips and you will be sure to enjoy your visit to the Delhi Zoo.
What You Should Know Before Visiting the National Zoological Park or Delhi Zoo
Book your tickets online a day before
Though you can buy tickets on the spot, the Delhi Zoo tends to be very crowded when the weather is as lovely as it currently is. Hence, I recommend booking your tickets a day in advance from their website: https://nzpnewdelhi.gov.in/?ln=en , especially if you are going in a big group. Over the weekends, the tickets tend to sell out fast, so be mindful of that. The tickets only become available one day in advance, so you can’t book them weeks or months in advance.
Avoid weekends unless you go early morning because during season time it’s crazyyyy crowded!
For most of us, weekend visits to the Delhi Zoo are the most convenient. However, if you do go on a weekend, it is best to go as soon as the Zoo opens at (8:30 am in the winters) in order to avoid the crazy crowds. This will ensure you reach in time to avail of the next and most important point.
Book a private buggy
The Delhi Zoo covers a large area and you will have to walk a lot. Most people buy individual buggy tickets, which means you have to wait at the designated pick-up points for a buggy to arrive. This can be very inconvenient as you have to jostle for space with large crowds and you end up wasting a lot of time as you keep waiting for buggies to arrive. Fortunately, there is an option to book private buggies (Rs 800 for a 14-seater and Rs 1100 for a 20-seater), which allows you to minimise walking, and choose the animals you want to see. Most importantly, you won’t have to fight with others for a seat on the public buggies. Unfortunately, this option is only available on weekdays or weekend mornings as when it’s too crowded, they don’t allow private buggy hires.
No food is allowed inside!
Till quite recently, there were a number of food and drink vendors selling their wares inside the Delhi Zoo. However, their contracts ended recently, and so now there is no food available inside. What’s worse is that you aren’t allowed to carry any of your own snacks in because they discourage feeding of animals. Don’t try to sneak any food in because it will be confiscated at the checking point! Hence, if you are visiting with kids, ensure they are well-fed before taking them to the zoo to avoid hunger-related meltdowns.
Carry plenty of water
Fortunately, you are allowed to carry your own water bottles, and I recommend you carry plenty of them because even when you have a private buggy, there is still lots of walking involved! And you can always leave the bottles in the private buggy.
Chart out a map of the important animals you want to see to make the most of your time
It would be time well-spent to study the map of the Delhi Zoo online, so that you know which animals you are particularly keen to see and which ones you can skip to save on time. Fortunately, the buggy drivers also point out all the animals, so you will enjoy your visit even if you have absolutely no knowledge beforehand.
Wear comfortable shoes and clothes
A visit to the Delhi Zoo is an active, outdoor excursion, so be sure to wear comfortable shoes and clothes and carry a pram for your babies. I have seen women hobbling around barefoot holding their uncomfortable heels in their hands, having learnt their lesson the hard way!
The zoo is closed on Fridays
Though Friday is a nice day to visit the Delhi Zoo as an after-school excursion, or perhaps as a nice way to start the weekend, the zoo is actually closed on this day. So don’t turn up on a Friday hoping to get tickets on the spot!
The toilets are very dirty
Please be mindful that the toilets at the National Zoological Park are extremely dirty, so be sure to have every person use the toilet at home before you visit.
An overview of our birthday visit to the Delhi Zoo:
My son’s birthday was on a Tuesday, which was ideal because this meant we could definitely book the private buggies. However, we could only take his friends after school. The Delhi Zoo closes at 4:30 pm in winters, so this meant we had only about 1.5 hours after school to enjoy the zoo. To make the most of our time, we picked all the kids from school (made sure they used the toilet before we left!) and gave them lunch boxes to eat in the car on the way to the zoo. Once there, each one carried their water bottle inside and we booked two private buggies, which themselves were objects of fascination for all the 7-and 8-year-olds! After enjoying the zoo and seeing most of the exciting animals, we left at 4:30 pm and brought the kids back to our home, which is fortunately located close-by. The cake-cutting and birthday party with lots of food, took place at home. So, it was a pretty action-packed birthday celebration, and it ended up being very lovely!
Have you visited the Delhi Zoo with your kids? Do share your experiences in the comments section below!
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This blog post is part of the blog challenge ‘Blogaberry Dazzle’ hosted by Cindy D’Silva and Noor Anand Chawla in collaboration with Mads’ Cookhouse.
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*This is not a sponsored post.
**Copyright in pictures and content belongs to nooranandchawla.com and cannot be republished or repurposed without express permission of the author. As I am a copyright lawyer by profession, infringement of any kind will invite strict legal action.
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Really helpful post. These points are a must. As you said being hydrated is essential. Its a lot to walk
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Noor, would you believe that the Delhi Zoological Garden was one of my favorite places in Delhi even when I was growing up, especially in the winter season?
Actually, it houses so many lovely plants too because of which it was a great lesson in zoology and botany for me. Not to forget the beautiful landscape and the winter blooms, the backdrop of the Purana Qila, it was such a lovely hang out! The battery-powered buggy came much later but it was such a relief to have a buggy in the sweltering heat. You just brought all the great memories back with this post.
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First of all, Happy belated 8th Birthday to your son!
It’s really thoughtful of you to write this informative post Noor… it’s a helpful guide for everyone who is keen. You’ve mentioned small but important details that most people may otherwise overlook… like the toilet.
To answer your question, no I haven’t been to the Delhi zoo alone or with kids, although I’d love to.
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Im yet to visit any zoo, but this is helpful if and when I plan. Thank you!!
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You have given such practical advice that can be followed anywhere. I have taken my kids to Bangalore banarghatta Zoo and Mysore zoo and trust me having a water, Comfy shoes are must. Buggy is such boon as walking to huge property is next to impossible with kids.
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I last went to the zoo in 2013 or maybe 2014! It’s good to know about the bad condition of the toilets in advance. I like your pointers, though I am in a dilemma whether should zoos even exist or not. But they do have scientific value and can bring awareness for the generations while Nature is being trampled upon all the time.
Yes the concept of zoos is indeed sad despite the value they add to our lives…
Happy birthday to your Prince “belated”
I love to go to zoo but never visited Delhi Zoo. I like your post because you write all important details. Specially when you go for zoo wear a shoe is mandatory. I know how much it is painful of you not wear shoes. Experience 😁. Helpful post with do’s and don’ts .
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every time you came up with exciting places with great tips to make the travel plans easy. looking forward for more in future
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What a fantastic idea for a birthday celebration with practical tips for making it more fun and comfortable. My younger is 10 and I’m sure she would love this experience. We in Pune, have an amazing Zoo in our vicinity, and I’ll follow through on your advice.
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You remember going to the zoo as a 3-year-old? Wow! I don’t remember most things from my early life (ages 0-5). Oh boy the way you’ve described it, there still seems to be quite a few -ve points like dirty toilets and no food. The animals do look well-taken care of so that’s a a major +. I’m sure with all the tips you’ve shared one would have a great day at the zoo, especially the kids. I do wonder how to deal with nature calls and hunger pangs though. I’m so happy to read that your son had a great birthday. Hearty belated wishes to the little one.
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I was pretty young when I first went for a zoo visit in Nandan Kanan when went for a trip to puri with my parents and elder sister. What I still remember from that visit of mine is the black panther… it stared at me so bad that still I can recall those eyes. It was chilling experience for me. In later part when I was working at Delhi then I went for a date with my now husband and that time it was a better experience for me as there was no panther and the tigers were calm. Once an incident happened in the Delhi zoo where the tiger attacked one visitor and mishap happened, such incidents scare me a lot and that’s why I prefer no visiting zoo. But as my son is growing atleast once he deserves to visit there, i will keep your pointers in mind to plan the visit.
Oh gosh, those are some intense memories!
As a Delhiite, I’ve been to the Zoo many times with my parents & friends. The last visit was before my marriage, went there with a friend & her little nephew. Although, we had a wonderful time, seeing the behavior of people towards animals & noticing the limited space provided for them to roam was deeply troubling. After learning more about the conditions in which animals are kept in captivity, I made the decision to stop visiting zoos altogether. So, I’ve not visited any zoos with my son but he has been to some with his school. On a lighter note, I’m impressed at how well you managed the kids in a public place and organized a party at home afterward. Your efforts are truly commendable! Sending birthday wishes to your son.
Thanks Neha! I agree with you that the concept of zoos is indeed cruel but it’s also perhaps the best way to engender a love of animals and nature in children who don’t have access to them in other ways…
It has been ages since I have visited the Delhi Zoo. It was our favorite growing up. It is sure a fun place for kids. Being prepared with a bit of research does go a long way.
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From water, availability of food, looking at maps online prior to a visit and also notifying of holiday what a wholesome way of presenting the article always you are a pro.
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Thanks for sharing these great tips. Excursion with kids can be challenging and hence it’s important to have handy tips beforehand, like comfortable shoes, snacks, water etc. it’s always good to know what to expect beforehand.
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A trip to the zoo is always enjoyable especially with kids. Thanks for suggesting the tips that are needed to make sure this trip is smooth. Delhi zoo is indeed a great place for kids to explore
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Its been ages since I have been to the zoo, and it sounds like a lot of things have changed – for the better. I remember queuing up for an hour just to get a ticket! I like your point of planning which animals you want to visit beforehand is an excellent tip!
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Wow, such important points to visit Delhi Zoo Noor. I am planning to visit the Delhi Zoo with my little nephew and will keep these points in mind. Thanks for the post.
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Insightful tips for visiting the Delhi Zoo! Understanding the rules and guidelines beforehand can definitely enhance the experience.
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Thank you for the introduction of a range of information that is very interesting to see in this article. Thanks for sharing wonderful information.
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The section about the big cats and wide green spaces at Delhi Zoo really caught my attention—such an amazing place to reconnect with nature and wildlife in the middle of a bustling city! It instantly reminded me of the Jawalakhel Zoo in Nepal, which I visited during my Kathmandu, Pokhara, and Chitwan tour. That trip gave me the chance to explore not just the mountains but also the local wildlife, and reading this brought back those peaceful, curious moments. Such a well-written and helpful article—thank you for sharing this!
Thank you for reading and appreciating it!
thank you for great tips?
i have bein trying to book a buggy online but there isnt any option..if you could guide how to go about it will be really helpful.
You have to do it in person – there is no online option.