Away from the usual hustle and bustle, it’s rare to come across open-air spaces like Sunder Nursery, Delhi. Don’t let the name fool you; it’s far more than just a nursery in the conventional sense.
This place offers a perfect blend of nature, history, and culture, while being extremely accessible, right in the heart of the national capital.
Table of Contents
- Sunder Nursery, Delhi – Timings:
- Tickets and Entry Fee:
- How To Reach (and Nearest Metro Route for Sunder Nursery, Delhi):
- A Brief History:
- 15 Things to do in Sunder Nursery, Delhi:
- 1) Explore the place:
- 2) Eat at Carnatic Café:
- 3) Sit by the Water:
- 4) Workout, yoga, run:
- 5) Play some sport:
- 6) Bird Watching:
- 7) Have a picnic:
- 8) Relax and lie down:
- 9) Go for a walk with your dog:
- 10) Explore the flower beds:
- 11) Photography:
- 12) Read:
- 13) Attend the cultural event happening inside:
- 14) Check out the weekly organic market:
- 15) Buy plants at the Nursery:
- Is Sunder Nursery, Delhi worth your visit?
Sunder Nursery, Delhi – Timings:
The park is open every day of the week, including public holidays. Timings vary by season:
- Summers (April – September): 7:00 AM – 10:00 PM
- Winters (October – March): 7:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Entry to the park closes 30 – 60 minutes before the closing time.
Tickets and Entry Fee:
I recommend you buy tickets on-site.
There’s a ticket booth at the entry that sells tickets for Sunder Nursery, Humayun Museum, and Humayun’s Tomb.
- For adults, entry tickets will cost you 50₹.
- For children (aged 5-12), tickets come down to 25₹.
- For foreign nationals, they go up to 200₹.
Entry is free for kids under 5 years of age.
THE EVERYWHERE TRAVELLER PRO TIP: If you’re planning on visiting all three of the places mentioned above, you can also get packaged tickets for cheaper from the same counter, and
If you really like this place and are a frequent visitor, you can get an annual pass by filling out this form.
How To Reach (and Nearest Metro Route for Sunder Nursery, Delhi):
Address: Sunder Nursery, Bharat Scouts and Guides Marg, Opposite Humayun’s Tomb Park, Nizamuddin, National Zoological Park, Sundar Nagar, New Delhi, Delhi 110013.
Sunder Nursery Nearest Metro Station:
The closest metro station, and my recommendation, is JLN Stadium (violet line). You can easily get a rickshaw directly to Sunder Nursery. You can also get off at Sarai Kale Khan Nizamuddin Metro Station (pink line) or Supreme Court (blue line). Check your exact route here.
Your own vehicle:
If you plan to come via your own vehicle, you can park it in the paid parking area of Sunder Nursery. For 4 hours, it comes up to 25₹ for two-wheelers and 100₹ for four-wheelers on weekdays. For weekends, bump that up to 200₹.
Nearest Bus Stop:
Nearest bus stop is DPS School (Neela Gumbad). The stop serves bus routes 19, 166, 181, 181A, 408, 794, 794A, 966, 970B.
Uber/Rapido:
Taxi/cab/Uber/Rapido are also valid and easy-to-get options. Choose rideshare to save money.
A Brief History:
Sunder Nursery was developed as a garden, called “Azim Bagh”, in the 16th century. It was repurposed as a nursery (that’s where the nursery part comes from) by the British in the early 20th century, and used as a testing area for imported plants, to check if they can survive Delhi’s harsh climate or not.
If they did survive, they were used in Lutyen’s central Delhi project (Connaught Place).
During partition, this place served as a refugee camp.
In the 2000s, an independent conservation organisation, AKTC (Aga Khan Trust for Culture), partnered with the CPWD (Central Public Works Department) and ASI (Archaeological Survey of India) to repurpose this land, which had significant potential.
It was officially reopened in 2018 and has been open ever since.
It’s sandwiched between Humayun’s Tomb and Purana Quila, which gives this place its signature sprinkle of heritage.
Today, this site receives a million footfall every month.
15 Things to do in Sunder Nursery, Delhi:
1) Explore the place:
Sunder Nursery is spread across 90 acres of land and covers 20 different historical structures. Try to explore the place and see how many of these structures you can find.
Many of these structures, including Sunder Burj, Lakkarwala Burj, etc. are a part of UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
2) Eat at Carnatic Café:
Check out the Carnatic café, conveniently located next to a pond, for a South Indian craving.
They have dosas, idlis, thindis, shakes, and coolers.
3) Sit by the Water:
You can also sit by the man-made lakes, fountains, or artificial ponds that cover this Nursery.
Very likely to come across a family of ducks (including the cute little ducklings).
As tempting as it may be, do NOT feed them.
4) Workout, yoga, run:
Perfect place if you want to get a quick workout in: Yoga, sprints, and distance running are all well-suited here.
5) Play some sport:
You cannot play sports that can potentially damage the flowers, or go in the water bodies, because that disturbs the natural environment here. So, no cricket or similar sports, but you can find an empty area and play casual badminton.
Sit on a bench with a chessboard, and you’ve got an open-park chess tournament.
6) Bird Watching:
Avid bird watchers will not be disappointed here. With over 14 acres of bird habitat and 80 species of chirping friends, you’re sure to find some unique species, not visible across Delhi. Look around, and you’re sure to spot birds like spot-billed ducks, beautiful Indian kingfishers, black ibis, etc.
You can carry your binoculars if you wish.
7) Have a picnic:
With Lodhi Gardens being considered the go-to picnic spot in Delhi, Sunder Nursery gives it a run for its money.
Outside food is allowed, so you can bring your food along with you. However, be responsible, do not litter, and leave no trace afterwards.
8) Relax and lie down:
Having a tough week? Come to Sunder Nursery, find some shade, and just relax, sit and pause for a while. Let your senses soak in their surroundings.
Another thing to help ease your mind is to go for a solo walk. Nobody to talk to, nothing to think about, just you with your thoughts. It will help you better align your thoughts or maybe find some inspiration.
9) Go for a walk with your dog:
You can also come for a walk with your dog here.
Dogs are also allowed in the café’s right before the exit, so if you fancy yourself some lunch, you can also bring your dog and take the outside tables.
Dogs will not be allowed to be off-leash anywhere in the Nursery. No entry without a leash is a general rule in most places anyway. Make sure you clean up your dog’s litter afterwards so the park is clean for everyone else.
10) Explore the flower beds:
In a section behind the Lakkarwala Burj, you can find more than a dozen beautiful flower beds. Each bed is detailed and marked with the species that is planted within. Flowers bloom the best during October-November.
11) Photography:
A combination of good flora, fauna, heritage and culture makes this place ideal for photographers. Outdoor portraits, still life, or nature, whatever it is that you like to click, there’s something for you.
Sunrise and sunsets are very beautiful here, don’t miss them.
For a hazy, foggy effect, pick any day in late December or January. For a lush, green and humid frame, pick summers or springs.
12) Read:
If you’re into reading, this can be a great place to get a quick session in.
Sit by the pond, or the lake, maybe under the shade of a tree, and read to your heart’s content.
I actually came here for a friend’s book launch. If you’re into poetry, check out Permission to be a Poet.
13) Attend the cultural event happening inside:
There’s some sort of cultural event always going on in Sunder Nursery. It has a well-built amphitheatre as well, which is where most of these events are held.
During my time here, I got to experience a tribute show to Ustad Zakir Hussain.
14) Check out the weekly organic market:
Every weekend, this place hosts organic weekly markets that run from 8:00 AM to 1:00 PM. If you’re coming in the morning, this is a decent option to check out.
15) Buy plants at the Nursery:
Finally, since it’s a Nursery, you can also buy plants and flowers here.
If you’re coming just to buy flowers, you still need to buy a ticket and parking, but the cost of parking will be refunded to you if you buy plants for over 500₹.
Is Sunder Nursery, Delhi worth your visit?
I would highly recommend you visit Sunder Nursery at least once. It’s a perfect spot to ride solo, chill with your friends, plan a get-together, or go for walking dates.
Highly suggest winters, but if you can find a cool day, summers also work. Avoid middays if possible.
Take out at least 3-4 hours to get a proper feel for the place.
Wear something comfortable, as it involves a lot of walking.
Wear enough sun protection, which can be harsh depending on the day.
Have you been to Sunder Nursery? Let me know your experience down below.
For more information, check out their official website.
If you want to delve deeper into Delhi’s cultural scene, check out Jashn-e-Rekhta, Delhi’s very own Urdu Festival.