Sri Chamarajendra Zoological Gardens

Chamaraja Wadiyar X founded the zoo in 1892 on the grounds of the palace's Summer Palace as the Palace Zoo, a private collection intended for royal and diplomatic visitors rather than the public. It was renamed Chamarajendra Zoological Gardens in 1909 in his memory after his death, and expanded steadily under subsequent Wadiyar rulers before opening to public admission in the early 1920s.

In 1979, management of the zoo passed to the newly formed Zoo Authority of Karnataka, which became the first autonomous body in India created specifically to run a zoological garden, separating day-to-day operations from direct government department control. Ten elephants currently live at the zoo, and a total of 34 elephants have been recorded there across its history — a legacy tied directly to the Wadiyar dynasty's ceremonial use of elephants during Dasara processions. Breeding-loan partnerships with zoos across Europe and North America through the twentieth century account for how species such as the white rhinoceros and the orangutan, native to entirely different continents, came to appear on a Mysuru inventory at all.

The zoo closes on Tuesdays, shared with the adjoining Karanji Lake Nature Park, so plan around this if both are on the itinerary. Feeding animals is prohibited throughout the grounds, and staff intervene quickly around the primate enclosures, where visitors most often attempt it.

Tickets should be booked only through the zoo's official portal at tickets.mysuruzoo.info; the zoo's own website carries an explicit public notice warning against third-party resale platforms that have historically sold inflated or invalid tickets. The grounds cover 157 acres, more than most visitors expect, and comfortable walking shoes matter more here than at any other stop on a typical Mysuru itinerary.

Karanji Lake Nature Park shares a boundary wall and can be visited on the same outing, either before or after the zoo depending on which is cooler at the time. Large-mammal enclosures are most active in the first two hours after opening, before the late-morning heat sends much of the collection into shade.

A full circuit of all 157 acres takes a minimum of two hours at a steady pace, longer with children who want to linger at the elephant and primate enclosures. An electric buggy service, where available, cuts significant walking time for visitors with mobility constraints or young children who tire early.