- Established
- 1859
- Area
- About 55 acres
- Closed
- Mondays
- Best time
- October to March
- Ideal time needed
- 2–3 hours
Animals to see
The zoo keeps both Indian and exotic species, with an emphasis on animals from the Western Ghats.
- Big animals: Bengal tigers, Asiatic lions, leopards, Indian rhinoceros, Asian elephants and hippopotamuses.
- Primates: the lion-tailed macaque and the Nilgiri langur, both found only in the Western Ghats.
- Reptile house: one of the zoo's highlights, with many snake species, both harmless and venomous, including anacondas.
- Birds and deer in large walk-past enclosures around the lakes.
On the same campus
The Napier Museum, housed in a striking nineteenth-century building, holds bronzes, carvings and ornaments, while the Sree Chitra Art Gallery shows paintings by Raja Ravi Varma and others. There is also a small aquarium. Together they easily fill a morning or an afternoon, and the gardens around the museum are a pleasant place to rest in the shade between visits. Separate tickets usually apply for the museum and gallery, and cameras may carry an extra charge.
Timings and best time
The zoo is closed on Mondays and on some public holidays. Entry fees are modest, with lower rates for children; check the current rates at the gate. The most comfortable months are October to March. Go early in the day, when the animals are more active and the paths are cooler, and allow two to three hours, as the grounds are hilly and spread out.
How to reach
The zoo is in the heart of Thiruvananthapuram, near the Museum junction, so autos, taxis and city buses reach it easily. Thiruvananthapuram Central railway station and the international airport are both a short drive away. We can combine it with the Padmanabhaswamy temple area or Kovalam on a city day tour.
Also nearby
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