Pt. G.B. Pant High Altitude Zoo
#5of 9 places to visit in NainitalNainital, Uttarakhand
Also known as Nainital Zoo · G.B. Pant Zoo
Quick answer
Opening hours: 09:30–16:30, closed Mondays. Entry: ₹50 Indian · ₹300 foreign. Allow 1.5 hrs. Best time: 10:00 – 12:00.
Updated · Compiled by Traveliac, AI-assisted · 4 min read
- Opening hours
- 09:30–16:30
- Closed Mondays
- Entry fee
- ₹50 Indian
- Ticket from
- Time needed
- 1.5 hrs
- Best time of day
- 10:00 – 12:00
- Best months
- Mar – Jun, Sep – Nov
- Address
- Mallital, near Snow View Road, Nainital, Uttarakhand 263001
About Pt. G.B. Pant High Altitude Zoo
Pt. G.B. Pant High Altitude Zoo sits at roughly 2,100 metres above Mallital, making it one of the highest-altitude zoos in India and giving it a mandate distinct from most Indian zoos: housing species adapted to cold, high-elevation habitat rather than general wildlife. The collection centres on Himalayan species — snow leopard, Himalayan black bear, red panda, barking deer, and several pheasant species including the state bird, the Himalayan monal — kept in enclosures built into the natural forested slope rather than flat paved yards. The zoo is named for Pandit Govind Ballabh Pant, the Uttar Pradesh chief minister and independence-era political figure born in nearby Almora district, and functions as much as a conservation and breeding centre for threatened Himalayan species as a public attraction.
Best time of day: 10:00 – 12:00. Shortly after opening, when animals are more active in the cooler morning temperature and before the ticket queue lengthens.
Pt. G.B. Pant High Altitude Zoo timings
- Opening hours
- 09:30–16:30
Monday Closed Tue–Sun 09:30–16:30 - Closed on
- Monday (most sources), Holi, Diwali
Good to know: Reports conflict on the weekly closed day — most consistently cited as Monday; a smaller number of sources cite Thursday. It is also closed on Holi and Diwali.
Opening hours compiled from nainitalzoo.org.in and public records, last updated . They change without notice — confirm before you travel. How we write these guides
Pt. G.B. Pant High Altitude Zoo ticket price
| Ticket | Price |
|---|---|
| Indian visitors | ₹50 |
| Foreign visitors | ₹300 |
| Children | ₹20 |
| Camera | Free |
Entry ₹50 for adults (13–60 years) and ₹20 for children (5–12) as of 2026; free for senior citizens and persons with disabilities. Some sources list higher foreign-visitor rates around ₹150–300 — confirm at the counter.
Prices compiled from nainitalzoo.org.in and public records, last updated . They change without notice — confirm before you travel. How we write these guides
Best time to visit Pt. G.B. Pant High Altitude Zoo
- Quiet
- Moderate
- Busy
09:30 – 11:00
Morning OpeningBest time to go
Fewer visitors at opening; animals more active in cooler temperatures, particularly the snow leopard and red panda.
Quiet11:00 – 14:00
Midday Family Peak
Family groups and school trips concentrate visits here; enclosure viewing areas can get crowded at popular exhibits.
Busy14:00 – 15:30
Afternoon Moderate
Crowd eases; many animals rest during warmer afternoon hours, reducing sighting chances somewhat.
Moderate15:30 – 16:30
Last Entry Window
Final viewing hour before closing; queues are minimal but some enclosures may have reduced activity.
Quiet
History of Pt. G.B. Pant High Altitude Zoo
Pt. G.B. Pant High Altitude Zoo was established by the Uttar Pradesh state government in the 1980s, before Uttarakhand's creation as a separate state in 2000, specifically to breed and conserve high-altitude Himalayan fauna under threat from habitat loss across the wider Himalaya. It passed to the Uttarakhand Forest Department's management on the state's formation in November 2000, continuing its original conservation mandate.
The zoo has operated an active snow leopard breeding programme, one of relatively few in India given the species' extreme rarity in captivity, and has periodically received attention in wildlife-conservation circles for its red panda enclosures, another species with a shrinking wild range across the eastern Himalaya and adjoining hills.
Rules & etiquette at Pt. G.B. Pant High Altitude Zoo
Feeding animals is strictly prohibited throughout the zoo, enforced by posted signage and patrolling staff, given the sensitivity of the high-altitude species housed here to dietary disruption. Flash photography is discouraged near the nocturnal and low-light enclosures, including the red panda and snow leopard sections, to avoid distressing the animals.
The zoo's paths follow the natural forested slope and include a moderate amount of uphill and downhill walking between enclosures; visitors with mobility concerns should budget extra time. Large bags and outside food are subject to a basic security check at the entrance gate.
Tips for visiting Pt. G.B. Pant High Altitude Zoo
- 1
Visit slowly rather than rushing — the zoo's enclosures are spread across a genuine forest slope rather than a compact flat layout, and the walk between them is itself a reasonable substitute nature walk if a longer trek elsewhere in Nainital is not planned that day. Morning visits give the best chance of seeing the snow leopard and Himalayan black bear active, since both tend toward lower activity in the warmer midday hours.
- 2
Combine the visit with Snow View Point, which lies close by on the same side of town, to avoid doubling back across Nainital in a single day. The zoo café near the entrance sells basic snacks and hot drinks, useful given the noticeably cooler temperature at this elevation compared to the lake.
How to reach Pt. G.B. Pant High Altitude Zoo
The red star is Pt. G.B. Pant High Altitude Zoo; the numbered pins are the 2 nearest places in our guides, each showing its rank in its city. Tap a pin for details.
Mallital, near Snow View Road, Nainital, Uttarakhand 263001Directions in Google Maps
From Mall Road, Mallital
₹80–₹1201.5 km · 20 min walk or 8–10 min by taxi
Shared auto/taxi).
From Kathgodam Railway Station
₹900–₹1,20036 km · 80–90 min
Shared taxi).
From Pantnagar Airport (PGH)
₹1,800–₹2,50072 km · 2.5 hours
Prepaid taxi).
Nearest airport
From Pantnagar Airport (PGH)
72 km, approximately 2.5 hours by road.
Nearest railway station
From Kathgodam Railway Station
36 km, approximately 1.5 hours by road.
Pt. G.B. Pant High Altitude Zoo FAQs
What is the entry fee for Nainital Zoo?
₹50 for adults (13–60 years) and ₹20 for children (5–12) as of 2026, with free entry for senior citizens and persons with disabilities. Some sources cite different foreign-visitor rates, so confirm at the counter.
Which day is Nainital Zoo closed?
Most sources cite Monday as the weekly closed day, though a smaller number cite Thursday — the zoo is also closed on Holi and Diwali. Verify locally before a visit timed around a specific weekday.
What makes this zoo different from other Indian zoos?
Yes, it is distinct — it sits at roughly 2,100 metres and specialises in high-altitude Himalayan species such as the snow leopard, red panda, and Himalayan monal, rather than general wildlife found in lowland zoos.
Is feeding the animals allowed?
No. Feeding is strictly prohibited throughout the zoo and enforced by staff, given the dietary sensitivity of the high-altitude species housed here.
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 . How we rank and check places
Places to visit near Pt. G.B. Pant High Altitude Zoo
Straight-line distances from our map; times are estimates.
