Sakkarbaug Zoological Garden

Spread across the leafy northern edge of Junagadh, beneath the sacred peaks of Girnar, Sakkarbaug Zoological Garden is one of the oldest zoos in India, established in 1863 during the era of the Nawabs of Junagadh.

• Locally still called Sakkarbaug or "Sakkarbaug Zoo," this sprawling green campus has grown from a princely menagerie into one of the country's most important centres for wildlife conservation.
• For travellers exploring the Somnath and Girnar circuit, it makes an easy and rewarding day excursion, roughly 80 kilometres inland from Somnath, and pairs naturally with the temples and monuments of Junagadh.
• The zoo's defining role is its work with the Asiatic lion, the majestic big cat that survives in the wild only in the nearby Gir forest.
• Sakkarbaug runs a respected conservation-breeding programme for these endangered lions and has supplied animals to help establish and strengthen lion populations at other Indian zoos, making it a cornerstone of the species' long-term survival.
• Alongside the lions, the enclosures and open sections house leopards, spotted deer, blackbuck, nilgai, birds and other native fauna, giving visitors who cannot venture on a full Gir safari a genuine chance to see Saurashtra's wildlife at close and safe quarters.
• The campus also holds a natural history and geology museum, adding an educational layer for families and school groups.
• Shaded avenues, old trees and wide walkways make Sakkarbaug a relaxed, unhurried place to wander, best enjoyed in the cooler morning hours.
• It is family-friendly and well suited to children, elders and first-time wildlife visitors.
• Because timings, ticketing and the internal battery-vehicle service can change seasonally, it is wise to confirm current hours locally before setting out, and to carry water, a hat and sun protection.
• For meals, Junagadh's pilgrim-town core has plenty of pure-vegetarian Gujarati and Kathiyawadi thali houses.
• Look for pure-veg thali and Punjabi-Gujarati restaurants along Kalwa Chowk and the main bazaar near the railway station, where an unlimited Kathiyawadi thali of rotla, shaak, dal, kadhi, bajra rotli and buttermilk is the classic fill-up.
• Simple pure-veg snack counters and farsan shops near the zoo road serve dhokla, khaman, fafda-jalebi and hot chai, making it easy to eat well without any non-vegetarian food.