Best Picnic Spots in Delhi – The capital city Delhi is a concoction of culture, history, cuisine, and commerce. Keeping you engaged right till the end, it houses many places to make weekend plans with family. The city may seem bustling all the time, but the fact is that there’s a lot to explore. Be it the iconic India Gate or the magical Lodhi Gardens, Delhi has a charm that has no equal.
Tourism in Delhi encompasses not only places of historical importance but also shopping on the streets of Janpath and Sarojini and trying to get the best bargain, eating the sumptuous chats and parathas from Old Delhi and travelling in the Delhi Metro!
Delhi is a perfect combination of old world charm and modern technology. The city is well planned and tourist friendly. When one plans, Best Picnic Spots in Delhi must be an important destination or else the vacation is incomplete.
So, are you ready for some outdoorsy fun with your family? Here is the list of family picnic spots in Delhi that you can refer to when you are planning the quintessential weekend getaway with your family: –
India Gate
India Gate is one of the politically and historically significant places in Delhi. It is represented as an All India War Memorial as it displays its grandeur to honor the martyrdom of valor fore-taken by the India Army. It was constructed as a war memorial by the British Raj in order to pay tribute to the martyrdom of British Indian Army during the First World War. The deemed designer of this structure was Sir Edwin Lutyens. The foundation of this structure was laid in the year 1921. After ten years of planning and construction, it was finally inaugurated by the then Viceroy of India Sir Lord Irwin in February 1931.
Now, it is seen as an honorary monument not only to the 72,000 soldiers who were martyred in the First World War, but also 13,300 servicemen who fought in the Anglo-Afghan War that later came to be known as the Bangladesh Liberal War. Within the premises of India Gate lies Amar Jawan Jyoti, or the Flame of Immortal Soldier that remains constantly flamed or lit up as a gesture of respect and honor to the martyrs. There is a huge parade that crosses India Gate on Republic Day to honor this tradition.
A canopy is situated at an area about 150 meters from the Gate. The architecture of this canopy was inspired from that of Mahabalipuram pavilions in the 6th century, thus embarking a journey of decadence. The canopy constitutes of a dome, and four pillars with ornate architecture, Best Picnic Spots in Delhi.
Location: Rajpath, India Gate, New Delhi
Nearest metro station to India Gate: Central Secretariat (Yellow Line)
Timings: You can visit all day long (12 am – 12 pm)
Sound and Light Show timings: 7 pm – 9.30 pm
India Gate Boating timings: 2 pm – 9 pm, Open all days of the week
Entry fee: No entry fee for India Gate
Boating charges: INR 50/ person for 15 minutes ride, INR 100/ person for 30 minutes ride
Nehru Park
Located Chanakyapuri, that is, the Diplomatic Enclave of New Delhi, this park is named after the first Prime Minister of India, Jawahar Lal Nehru. The park grounds are spread over a massive 80 acres and it is nestled away in the center of the city. Nehru Park, or Buddha Jayanti Park, was first established in 1969, and today, it is considered as one of the most lush green areas in Best Picnic Spots in Delhi.
The park often hosts Morning and Evening Raga concerts, which are organized by the NDMC (New Delhi Municipal Council). Other events that can be enjoyed at this picturesque location include SPIC MACAY music concerts, and an annual Bhakti Festival. For art enthusiast, Nehru Park often hosts art workshops, and fitness enthusiasts can partake in the morning yoga classes. For history buffs, Nehru Park offers a life sized, alloy statue of Vladimir Lenin, the leader of the Great October Socialist Revolution in Russia.
The statue was installed in 1987 by the then Soviet Premier Nikolai Ryzhkov, Indian Prime-minister Rajiv Gandhi and his wife Sonia Gandhi. Nowadays, members of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) and other Left political parties visit the statue every year on April 22 to commemorate the birth anniversary of Lenin, Best Picnic Spots in Delhi.
Nehru Park is perfect for evening strolls, picnics with your family, or just taking a walk with your doggos and puppers. The emerald green forests, beautiful shrubs and bushes, and blooming flowers will refresh and rejoice your soul. If you happen to be in this area, it is an absolutely unmissable destination.
Location: Ashoka Hotel in the Chanakyapuri diplomatic area, New Delhi
Nearest metro station to Nehru Park: Lok Kalyan Marg (Yellow Line)
Timings: 5 am – 9 pm
Entry fee: No entry fee
Lodhi Garden
Lodi Gardens are a real heaven of tranquility in the hustle and bustle of Delhi. Spread over an area of 80 acres, the popular historical park is visited by tourists and locals alike. The gardens get their name from the four monuments of the Lodi dynasty, the last of the Delhi Sultanate. It was developed during the British Period and inaugurated by Lady Willingdon on 9th April in the year 1936, Best Picnic Spots in Delhi.
The monuments around which the Lodhi gardens are laid out date back to 15th and 16th century. The tomb of Mohammed Shah, the last of the Sayyid rulers was built in 1444 by Ala-ud-din Alam Shah to pay a tribute to Muhammed Shah. The Bara Gumbad and the attached mosque were built in 1494 by during the reign of Sikander Lodi. The Sheesh Gumbad or the Glazed Dome was built around the same time but is smaller in size. The tomb of Sikander Lodi was built by Ibrahim Lodi in 1517. It has a striking resemblance to the tomb of Mohammed Shah except for the addition of chhatris along the dome.
Of mention is the ‘Atha pula Bridge’, the bridge of eight pillars. These eight pillars support the seven arches of the bridge under which waters of a lake flow. These waters are inhabited by swans. Go down to the lake for a better view.
Lodhi Gardens boasts of having an excellent collection of trees. Spot species including Neem, Amaltas, Moulshree, Peepal, Bargad, Gulmohar, Ashok, Silver oak, Magnolia etc. the garden is also the abode of birds like Babblers, Parakeets, Mynahs, Kites, Owls, Kingfishers etc.
Location: Lodhi Road, Lodhi Gardens, Lodhi Estate, New Delhi
Nearest metro station to Lodhi Garden: JLN Stadium (Violet Line), Jor Bagh or Khan Market (Yellow Line)
Timings: 5 am – 8 pm (April to September), 6 am – 8 pm (October to March)
Entry fee: No entry fee
Deer Park
Deer Park is a vast land and preservation area built in Delhi. It is also referred to as the A. N. Jha Deer Park, after Shri Aditya Nath Jha, a veteran of the Indian Civil Services who was awarded a Padma Vibhushan for his immense contributions. There are various subsections to the park with flourishing flora and fauna. These sections include the Rose Garden, Rabbit Park, Duck Park, and Deer Park and interspersed Best Picnic Spots in Delhi. The Park is also a reverend spectacle of tombs from the Mughal era.
There is a shimmering lake inside the park with bountiful vegetation around it, which makes it a mesmerizing destination to lay back and relax. Many tourists and localities alike visit the park for morning walks and immerse into the liberal and pollution-free atmosphere provided by the park. Others come here for bird-watching as spotting a rabbit, or a rise winged parakeet is not an uncommon sight, Best Picnic Spots in Delhi.
Deer Park is one of the most sensitive green zones in Delhi that preserves an interdependent and nurturing relationship between flora and fauna. Thus, the park poses not only as a historical and cultural attraction but also provides a nurturing space for children to learn about codependent relationships between animals and their biodiversity.
Location: Unnamed Road, Hauz Khas Village, Deer Park, Hauz Khas, New Delhi
Nearest metro station to Deer Park: Green Park (Yellow Line)
Timings: 5 am – 8 pm (summer), 5.30 am – 7 pm (winter)
Entry fee: No entry fee
National Zoological Park
National Zoological Park is one of the most popular tourist places in Delhi. The National Zoological Park which was formerly called Delhi Zoo was later renamed to make it an ideal model of a zoo in the country.
National Zoological Park has created an abode that resembles a natural habitat of several wilds as well as domestic animals. The zoo houses around 1300 animals from around 130 species of Indian as well as international animals and birds. The zoo serves as a home for these animals and is also a breeding ground for those animals. This natural citadel situated in the middle of the hustle and bustle of Best Picnic Spots in Delhi serves as a break for the citizens.
The various fascinating animals that can be found in the zoo are – Spider monkey, Asiatic Lion, Royal Bengal Tiger, Zebras, Indian Rhinoceros, Brow Antlered Deer, Swamp Deer, Giraffes, Gir Lion and migratory birds like Peafowl and a few water birds. These animals attract large numbers of visitors to the zoo from various places across the globe. Other than these animals, the zoo also houses a few reptiles for whom an underground house is constructed.
Location: Mathura Rd, near Purana Qila, Pragati Maidan, New Delhi
Nearest metro station to National Zoological Park: Khan Market (Yellow Line), Pragati Maidan (Blue Line), JLN Stadium (Violet line)
Timings:
1st April-15th October: 9 am – 4.30 pm
16th October-31st March: 9.30 am – 4 pm
Entry fee:
Adults –
INR 80/ person (Indians)
INR 400/ person (Foreigners except for SAARC countries)
INR 200/ person (Foreigners SAARC countries)
Children –
0-5 years: Free entry
5-12 years: INR 40/ child (Indians), INR 200/ child (Foreigners except for SAARC countries), INR 100/ child (Foreigners SAARC countries)
Senior Citizen (60 years and above): INR 40/ person
Buddha Jayanti Park
Buddha Jayanti Park happens to be a truly beautiful and well-maintained park with sprawling lush gardens located in the capital of India, Delhi. Since its inception, the park has managed to gain a lot of popularity amongst the locals as well as tourists. This picturesque park includes multiple paved walkways with mesmerizing landscape and blooming flowers. It also has high trees with clear streams gushing through the terrain, complimenting the sheer elegance of the garden. The park is also privileged to shelter an 8-feet copper statue of Lord Buddha, positioned at one of its corners.
Buddha Jayanti Park or Buddha Jayanti Smarak Park was established as a token to mark the celebration of Gautam Buddha’s 2500th birth anniversary. The significance of the park lies in the young sapling of the popular Bodhi tree planted here, which has been brought down from Sri Lanka. The Bodhi tree sapling was planted here in the year 1964 by the ex-Prime Minister of India, Lal Bahadur Shastri in the memory of Buddha’s attainment of Nirvana under the Bodhi tree.
In the year 1933, Buddha Jayanti Park was dedicated affectionately to the fourteenth Dalai Lama. Each year the people of Delhi celebrate Buddha Purnima or Buddha Jayanti in this park in the month of May with great pomp and show. Buddha Jayanti Park is mostly visited by nature lovers, photo fanatics, and wanderers. It is also considered to be one of the major hubs for couples. So, if you are visiting Best Picnic Spots in Delhi with your loved one, do not forget to pay a brief visit to the famous Buddha Jayanti Park. That being said, the park also invites families and friends.
Location: Vandemataram Marg, Central Ridge Reserve Forest, New Delhi
Nearest metro station to Buddha Jayanti Park: Rajendra Place (Blue Line)
Timings: 6 am – 8.30 pm (Sundays Closed)
Entry fee: No entry fee