Mysore Zoo

Mysore Zoo, formally the Sri Chamarajendra Zoological Gardens, is one of the oldest zoos in the country, laid out in the late nineteenth century on a palace estate and now a shaded park of mature trees in the middle of the city. It is unusually well regarded among Indian zoos for enclosure size and animal condition, with large open paddocks for elephant, giraffe, rhinoceros and big cats rather than the bare cages typical of older institutions. The collection covers African as well as Indian species, and the zoo runs breeding programmes and takes in rescued animals. Paths are wide, well planted and easy to walk in a morning.

What you actually see

• Open paddocks - large enclosures for elephant, giraffe and rhinoceros.
• Big cat sections - tiger, lion and leopard in wooded compounds.
• Mature garden trees - the shaded avenues that make the grounds pleasant to walk.
• Rescue and breeding areas - animals brought in from confiscations and captive programmes.

When to go

October to February is the cool season and the most comfortable for a long walk outdoors. Arrive at opening, when animals are active and the heat has not built; by the middle of the day most of them are asleep in shade. The zoo closes one day a week, and weekends and school holidays bring very heavy crowds. Tickets are best booked online in advance.

Honest expectations

It is still a zoo, and visitors who object to captive animals will not be won over by better than average enclosures. Weekend crowds are large and loud, and some visitors bang on glass or try to feed animals despite the rules. Midday viewing is mostly of sleeping animals. Shade is good but the circuit is long, and food options inside are limited and basic.

Nearby

Mysore Palace and the Devaraja market are within walking distance.