Location: 20 Km away
from Bhubaneswar, the capital city of Orissa, India.
Major Wildlife Attractions: White tigers, Asiatic Lion,
Gharial crocodiles, Lion-tailed macaque, Nilgiri langur, Indian pangolin,
Mouse deer etc.
Attractions in the Park: Tiger Safari, Botanical Garden,
Chandaka Wildlife Sanctuary, Lake Kanjia, Aquarium.
Nearby Tourist Destinations: Bhubaneswar, Khandgiri,
Dhauligiri, Puri and Konark.
When to Visit: Throughout the year, but October to March
is the best time.
Entry Fee: Indians- Rs.10/-, Foreigners- Rs.40/-(from
SAARCcountries) & Rs.100/- (others)
About Nandan Kanan National Park
Nandan Kanan National Park is situated 20 Km from Bhubaneswar, capital city
of Orissa, India. The name Nandan Kanan means 'Garden of Pleasure', which
gets justified when one enters the park. Along the banks of lake Kanjia and
amidst natural forest, is located one of India'a largest Tiger-safari, along
with a reptile park, a botanical garden and a nocturnal animal park. The
park has an interesting history that the idea of the park was given by
National Geographic magazine. It happened so that a wild female tiger came
to the zoo, found a tiger enclosure, and stayed there. it was unique in the
way that no animal wants to stay in a fenced zoo. National Geography pointed
out that there should be constructed a sophisticated zoo for tigers and
Nandan Kanan came into existence. Currently Nandan Kanan has over 34 white
tigers.
Wildlife Attractions in Nandan Kanan National Park
The Flora
The park is situated in the Chandaka forests. The lush green zoological
park is spread in about 4 sq.km. of area, while the wildlife sanctuary is
spread in around 5 sq.km.
The Fauna
The park is home to more than 75 species of mammals and reptiles. This
include the rare White Tigers, Asiatic Lion, Indian Crocodiles, Lion-tailed
macaque, Nilgiri Langur, Indian Pangolin, Mouse deer, Himalayan Black bear,
Rhesus Macaque, Black buck.
There is a separate Reptile-park in the zoo, which is dedicated to
conservation of reptiles. A botanical garden is also in the compound of the
zoo.
The Avifauna
Around 75 species of birds can be found in this park. There is an aviary
for the aquatic birds as well. Some of the rare species of birds are here,
like, White Peacock, Open billed stork, Blue & Yellow Macaw, Green
winged Macaw etc.
The Park Trip
One can visit the park using the bus service provided by the zoo
authorities. Theres also a lake where a boat ride can be enjoyed.
Getting There
It is located 20 kms from Bhubaneswar and one can use bus, taxis,
auto-rickshaws to reach Nandankanan as per convenience and preference.
Accommodation
One can stay in Bhubaneswar, which has a large range of luxury and budget
hotels. Government owned hotels, yatri-nivas, guest houses, lodges give the
visitor a lot of options to choose a place for stay.
