WildlifeClosed Monday

Nehru Zoological Park

#9of 10 places to visit in HyderabadHyderabad, Telangana

Also known as Hyderabad Zoo · Zoo Park

Quick answer

Opening hours: 08:30–16:00, closed Mondays. Entry: ₹100. Allow 4 hrs. Best time: 08:30–10:30.

Updated 18 September 2026 · Compiled by Traveliac, AI-assisted · 4 min read

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Photo: Cephas 405 at en.wikipedia) / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0

Opening hours: 08:30–16:00; Closed Mondays
Entry fee: ₹100; Ticket from
Time needed: 4 hrs
Best time of day: 08:30–10:30
Best months: Oct – Mar
Address: Bahadurpura, Hyderabad, Telangana 500264

About Nehru Zoological Park

Nehru Zoological Park spreads across roughly 380 acres in Bahadurpura, making it one of the largest zoos in India by land area, and it charges ₹100 for adult entry as of 2026 with no separate foreign-national rate. Much of the park's western section borders Mir Alam Tank, an artificial reservoir built in 1806 under Mir Alam, a Diwan serving the Nizam of Hyderabad, and the tank's older masonry embankment still forms part of the zoo's boundary. Beyond standard walking enclosures, the park runs a dedicated lion and tiger safari on a separate ticketed circuit, a nocturnal animal house designed with reversed lighting cycles so diurnal visitors can observe naturally nocturnal species awake, and a toy train that circles a portion of the grounds for visitors who want to cover distance without walking the full perimeter.

Best time of day: 08:30–10:30. Right after opening, when most large mammals are active and before the midday heat sends them into shaded enclosures out of easy view.

Photography

₹150 camera fee

Nehru Zoological Park timings

Opening hours: 08:30–16:00; Monday Closed
Tue–Sun 08:30–16:00; 08:30–16:00, Tuesday–Sunday (ticket counter closes at 16:00)
Closed on: Monday

Monday	Closed
Tue–Sun	08:30–16:00

Good to know: Extended to 08:00–17:30 during April to June to take advantage of longer daylight and to spread visitor flow away from the hottest midday hours.

Opening hours compiled from nzptsfd.telangana.gov.in and public records, last updated 18 September 2026. They change without notice — confirm before you travel. How we write these guides

Nehru Zoological Park ticket price

Entry fees for Nehru Zoological Park
Ticket	Price
Indian visitors	₹100
Foreign visitors	₹100
Children	₹50
Camera	₹150

Children aged 3 to 12 pay ₹50; children under 3 enter free. No separate foreign-national rate is published, so international visitors pay the standard adult fee. A video-camera permit costs ₹2,500, a still-camera permit ₹150. Lion and tiger safari rides, the toy train, and the reptile and nocturnal animal houses are ticketed separately at ₹20–₹120 each. As of 2026, verify at the counter, since the park revised its tariff in March 2025 and further adjustments are possible.

Prices compiled from nzptsfd.telangana.gov.in and public records, last updated 18 September 2026. They change without notice — confirm before you travel. How we write these guides

Best time to visit Nehru Zoological Park

Quiet
Moderate
Busy

08:30–10:30
Morning OpeningBest time to go
Ticket queues are short and animal activity is at its highest, since most species are more active in the cooler early hours before the day heats up.
Quiet
10:30–13:00
School Group Peak
Educational tour groups and family outings converge, concentrating around the safari boarding points and popular enclosures like the big cats and elephants.
Busy
13:00–15:00
Midday Lull
Many animals retreat to shaded areas of their enclosures during peak heat, reducing visible activity even as visitor numbers remain moderate.
Moderate
15:00–16:00
Closing Window
Ticket counter closes at 16:00, and visitor numbers thin accordingly. Some enclosures see renewed animal activity as the day cools.
Quiet

History of Nehru Zoological Park

The Telangana (then Andhra Pradesh) Forest Department established the zoo in 1963, naming it after India's first prime minister, Jawaharlal Nehru, in the years following his death, a naming pattern applied to several major public institutions built in that period. The site's selection around Mir Alam Tank connected the new zoo to a piece of much older Hyderabad infrastructure, since the tank itself had already functioned as a water-management structure for over a century and a half before the zoo was laid out around its shores. Over subsequent decades the park expanded from a conventional walking-enclosure zoo into a mixed-format facility incorporating safari-style drive-through zones for lions and tigers, reflecting a broader shift in Indian zoo design toward larger, less confined animal habitats. A natural history museum operates within the park grounds, adding an indoor, non-living-collection component distinct from the zoo's animal enclosures.

Rules & etiquette at Nehru Zoological Park

Nehru Zoological Park strictly prohibits feeding any animal, including through enclosure bars or safari vehicle windows, a rule actively enforced by zoo staff, both for animal health reasons and visitor safety. The lion and tiger safari requires visitors to remain inside the designated vehicle at all times, with windows kept closed per posted instructions, a rule tied directly to safety around large predators housed in open-style enclosures rather than caged ones. Plastic bags are discouraged and, in some enclosures, restricted outright, consistent with broader Telangana state efforts to reduce plastic waste in public parks. Ticket counters close at 16:00 sharp even though some visitors may still be inside the grounds, so timing an arrival with at least three hours before that cutoff is necessary to see a meaningful portion of the park.

Tips for visiting Nehru Zoological Park

1
The safari sections operate on their own vehicle schedule separate from general park entry, so visitors specifically wanting the lion or tiger safari should head there earlier in the visit rather than leaving it for the end, since queues build through the late morning. Monday closure catches a fair number of visitors by surprise, particularly those planning a Hyderabad itinerary around a short weekend trip, so checking the calendar before setting a date is worth the extra step. The nocturnal animal house is easy to miss on a first visit since its unlit entrance looks unremarkable from outside, but it houses species most visitors won't see active in any of the zoo's daylight enclosures. Visiting during the cooler months of October through February generally means more animals visible and active in outdoor enclosures, compared with the summer months when many retreat to shade for the middle of the day regardless of what time the zoo opens.

How to reach Nehru Zoological Park

The red star is Nehru Zoological Park; the numbered pins are the 7 nearest places in our guides, each showing its rank in its city. Tap a pin for details.

Bahadurpura, Hyderabad, Telangana 500264Directions in Google Maps

From Falaknuma MMTS Station
₹50–₹80
3 km · 10–15 min
Auto-rickshaw, negotiated); ₹100–₹140 (app-based cab
From Rajiv Gandhi International Airport (HYD)
₹600–₹780
24 km · 40–55 min
Prepaid cab); ₹420–₹560 (app-based cab
From Charminar
₹100–₹150
6 km · 18–25 min
Auto-rickshaw); ₹150–₹200 (app-based cab

Nearest airport

From Rajiv Gandhi International Airport (HYD)

24 km, 40–55 minutes.

Nearest railway station

From Falaknuma MMTS Station

3 km, 10–15 minutes; Hyderabad Deccan (Nampally) is 7 km away.

Nehru Zoological Park FAQs

Is Nehru Zoological Park open on Mondays?

No, the zoo is closed every Monday as a standard weekly holiday. It operates Tuesday through Sunday, including most public holidays, with hours varying seasonally between roughly 08:30–16:00 and 08:00–17:30.

Is the lion and tiger safari included in the general entry ticket?

No, the safari is a separately ticketed experience priced at around ₹100 per person as of 2026, in addition to the general park entry fee. Visitors ride in a closed vehicle through an open-style enclosure rather than viewing the animals from outside a cage.

Do foreign visitors pay a higher entry fee at Nehru Zoological Park?

No, there is no separate foreign-national rate published for this zoo, unlike several ASI-managed monuments in Hyderabad. International visitors pay the same standard adult fee of ₹100 as Indian nationals.

How much time is needed to see Nehru Zoological Park properly?

About four hours covers the main walking enclosures, the safari ride, and one or two of the smaller ticketed attractions like the nocturnal animal house. Visitors wanting to see every section, including the toy train circuit and natural history museum, should budget closer to a full day.

Compiled with AI assistance from official sources and public records, and published only after the checks in How we write these guides. Nobody from Traveliac has visited this place. Last updated 18 September 2026. How we rank and check places