Thrissur Zoo, Kerala

Kerala is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the southern west of India. Its unique culture and tradition attracts a lot of tourists which adds up to the major contributor of the state’s economy.  It is well known for its mountain ranges, backwaters, beaches and wildlife sanctuaries and is a destination for both domestic and international tourists.

Among the many such tourist attractions, Thrissur Zoo is one of them, which holds immense importance when wildlife conservation picture comes to the scenario.

The Thrissur zoo is one of the oldest zoos in India and the famous attraction in the town too. It is located 2 km away from the main town and was established in 1885 in a 13.5 acre land. It is also known as State Museum. It includes an art museum and a natural history museum showcasing the socio-cultural heritage of the place and is home to the wide variety of animals, birds and reptiles. It also includes some of the rare and endangered animals. 

The zoo also undertakes research and breeding of animals for the conservation of the endangered species. The zoo is well known for its snake collection including King Cobras, Rat Snakes, Vipers, Pythons, Kraits, etc.  Some of the notable animals include Sloth bears, Lion tailed macaques, lion’s, deer’s, monkey, hippopotamus, camels, etc. It also has a Botanical Garden. 

It attracts a lot of tourist because of its old reputation and a good collection of animals some being very rare. It is a great opportunity to see the decorated botanical garden with beautiful flower beds and trees. One can even find a good collection of all the religious idols and sculptures in the Art Museum there also having different kinds of jewelleries and traditional lamps.

It is being said that the current size of the zoo will be expanded from 13.5 acres to 306 acres. The new zoo will be constructed in nearby area Puthur. 

Visit Timing
the usual timing is from 10:00am to 06:30 pm. On Wednesday visitors are allowed only till 01:00 pm and the zoo would be closed on Mondays.

Ticket charges
A fare of Rs. 20/- for every adult and for children it is Rs. 5/-. It is charged Rs. 20/- for family (parents + two children) and a sum of Rs. 90 for a student’s group of 35 students and two teachers.
Camera is allowed inside the premise with a fee of Rs. 15/-. For professional video camera it is charged a sum of Rs. 200/- and for non-professional Rs. 50/-.

Restaurants nearby
Some of the famous restaurants nearby are the Spoon Restaurant, Mithila, Sub Restaurant, Malabar Mint Restaurant, Pathans Hotel and many more. You can also go the nearby fast food Kfc restaurant to satisfy your hunger after a long visit to the zoo.

Places to visit around
You can also pay visit to the nearby destinations since you are already at the Thrissur zoo. Archeological Museum, Mural Museum, Archaeological and Art Museum, RC Bishop House, Devasowm Museum, Shakthan Thampuram Palace, Jawaharlal Nehru Park, Mar Thomas Church, and many more.

Nearby places to stay
Since Kerala is full of numerous best hotel ranging from all star levels some of the nearby hotel are Vishnu Garden and Resorts, Kovilakam Lakeside Villa, Pooram International, Grand Park Regency, Joys Palace, Das Continental, Lulu International, Coconut Island, and many more.   

How to reach
By air: The nearest airport to Thrissur Zoo is the Cochin Airport which is 65 km away from the Thrissur Zoo.
By train: 20 km away from the Thrissur zoo is the Guruvayar train station junction.
By road: Driving distance from Thrissur to Thrissur Zoo is just 61 kms.