India GOPune with kids: places to visit with the family
Pune is easy with children because many of its best sights are built as shows: a miniature railway city that runs to a script, a free walk-through museum with holograms, a Shivaji theme park, and Katraj zoo with one of India's best-known snake parks. Group them by area, go out in the mornings, and keep evenings for Saras Baug.
What children like in Pune
By interest. Prices are approximate; the place pages have the details.
Animals
Rajiv Gandhi Zoological Park (Katraj Zoo): 130 acres around a lake with leopards, sloth bears, tigers and deer, a rescue centre and the Katraj Snake Park with more than 22 species, king cobras included. Closed on Wednesdays; about ₹60 for adults, ₹20 for children under 132 cm and ₹150 for foreigners. Mornings are when the animals move. More on the zoo page.
Trains
Joshi's Museum of Miniature Railways in Kothrud: a whole miniature city of trains, trams, flyovers and working signals, run as a 25–30 minute light-and-sound show. About ₹120 a person, under-3s free, and a show needs at least three visitors; show times change by day and Sunday is evenings only, so check before setting out.
Shivaji's story
Shivsrushti off the Katraj-Sinhagad road tells the life of Chhatrapati Shivaji in galleries and a Time Machine theatre; tickets are about ₹200 a person from age 3 and ₹100 for school students with ID, under-3s free; foreign visitors book by contacting Shivsrushti directly. Allow about four hours. In the old city, Lal Mahal has large paintings of his life and the Jijamata garden outside works as a children's playground.
A museum as theatre
Darshan Museum near Pune railway station stages the life of Sadhu Vaswani in eight walk-through sets with holographic figures and theatre lighting. Free; shows start on the hour, the last at 5 pm, and a run takes 60–90 minutes.
Sport and machines
Blades of Glory in Sahakar Nagar, recognised as the world's largest cricket museum, has more than 51,000 items; entry about ₹236 including GST, under-2s free. At the National War Memorial in Camp, a Patton tank and a MiG fighter stand in the grounds.
Gardens
Empress Botanical Garden, 39 acres of old trees, palm and bamboo avenues, nominal entry, coolest in the morning. The P.L. Deshpande Japanese garden has bridges, ponds and koi. Saras Baug is free, with lawns, an island temple and balloon and toy sellers in the evening.
Plan by area
Pune is spread out and slow to cross, so keep a family day inside one area.
- South, Katraj: the zoo in the morning, then Shivsrushti nearby. Shivsrushti alone needs about four hours, so the pair takes most of a day.
- Old city: Lal Mahal is a two-minute walk from Shaniwar Wada. In the evening, Saras Baug at the foot of Parvati Hill, where older children can climb the hundred-odd stone steps for the view. The chaat stalls are just outside the Saras Baug gate.
- Kothrud: Joshi's miniature railway; check the day's show times first.
- Camp and the station: Empress Garden, the War Memorial and the Darshan Museum are all in this side of town.
Snacks on the way: street food and sweets.
Easy trips out of the city
- Lohagad Fort: the climb from Lohagadwadi is mostly stepped and forgiving, which is why families and first-time trekkers pick it. Entry is free; wear shoes with grip, because wet basalt is slippery.
- Sinhagad Fort, about 30 km south-west: a 45 to 90 minute climb from Atkarwadi, or a road to the summit for about ₹50 a car. Weekends are packed; a weekday is calmer.
- Khadakwasla Dam, 15 km out on the Sinhagad road: free, with roast corn, bhel and ice-cream carts along the water and sunset over the reservoir. Swimming is not allowed.
More options are in day trips from Pune.
Best time with children
October to February is the easiest season: Pune sits on the Deccan plateau, drier and milder than Mumbai, with winter nights down to about 11–13°C. May is the month to avoid, with daytime heat up to about 37–38°C. In the monsoon, June to September, the forts and hills are green but paths are wet.
Water and roads
In India people drown every year in rivers and reservoirs with strong currents, and the UK Foreign Office advises following local warnings. Keep children away from the water's edge at dams and lakes, where swimming is not allowed anyway. The FCDO also notes that seatbelts are not common in auto-rickshaws or in the back seats of taxis, so for longer rides with children pick a car that has them. In an emergency, call 112. See also is India safe and emergency numbers.
FAQ
How to spend a day in Pune with family?
Pick one area: Katraj zoo in the morning and Shivsrushti after it, or the old city with Lal Mahal and Shaniwar Wada, then Saras Baug in the evening.
Is Katraj zoo open every day?
No, it is closed on Wednesdays. Tickets are sold from 9:30 am to 5 pm, and to 5:30 pm from 1 April to 15 June.
How much is the Katraj zoo ticket?
About ₹60 for adults, ₹20 for children under 132 cm (4 ft 4 in) and ₹150 for foreign visitors.
What are good family destinations near Pune?
Lohagad Fort for an easy stepped climb, Sinhagad Fort, which also has a road to the top, and Khadakwasla Dam for an evening by the water.
Is there anything free for kids in Pune?
Yes: the Darshan Museum shows are free, and so are Saras Baug, Khadakwasla Dam and the forts.
How long should we allow for Shivsrushti?
About four hours. Tickets are booked online; foreign visitors book by contacting Shivsrushti directly.
Sources (1)
Facts checked: 15 October 2026. Prices and hours are approximate; check locally.
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