Nature and wildlife conservation's unique confluence is Nandanwan Jungle Safari

Nature and wildlife conservation's unique confluence is Nandanwan Jungle Safari Spread over 320.15 hectares Nandanwan Jungle Safari has become a favorite destination for nature lovers and tourists Dhanyanjay Rathour Joint Director Public Relations Ashok Kumar Chandravanshi Assistant Public Relations Officer Nandanwan Jungle Safari in New Raipur offers several adventurous safari rides for tourists including vegetarian safari tiger safari bear safari and lion safari Additionally there is a small zoo (Nandanwan Zoo) Located in Sector-39 of New Raipur (Atal Nagar) the capital of Chhattisgarh Nandanwan Jungle Safari is among the state’s major tourism and wildlife conservation centres The vast 320.15-hectare complex is a major attraction for nature and wildlife enthusiasts and tourists providing opportunities to see wildlife in natural settings and learn about them Mini Zoo to Jungle Safari Journey Nandanwan began in 1979 in Raipur as 'Nandanwan Mini Zoo' a rescue and relief centre for wildlife In 2008 the Central Zoo Authority (CZA) officially recognized it as a Mini Zoo Between 2012 and 2015 320.15 hectares of land were allocated in New Raipur to develop a modern and vast jungle safari On 1 November 2016 on the occasion of the 16th foundation day of Chhattisgarh Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated Nandanwan Jungle Safari Wildlife conservation and environmental education emphasis The main aim is conservation of wildlife protection of rare species and breeding and raising environmental awareness among people Efforts are made to provide safe stress‑free habitats matching natural environments Educational programs are organized for students and tourists about wildlife and biodiversity importance Five major safari zones Vegetarian Safari (30.89 ha) where chital swamp deer nilgai and black deer roam Bear Safari (20.03 ha) offering special attraction to see bears in natural habitat Tiger Safari (20.04 ha) allowing tourists to closely experience the national animal tiger Lion Safari (20.01 ha) conserving Asian lions Zoo Zone (50 ha) housing various birds reptiles and other wildlife Protection of rare and special wildlife Through animal exchange programs with various zoos rare species such as white tiger river horse crocodile and cloned wild buffalo 'Deepasha' have been brought in providing special attractions Tourists from home and abroad According to wildlife officer Shri Tejas Shekhar under the leadership of Chief Minister Shri Vishnu Dev Sai and Forest and Climate Change Minister Shri Kedar Kaushik Nandanwan Jungle Safari is continuously gaining popularity Visitor numbers have risen from 1,74,611 in 2018‑19 to 3,24,785 in 2025‑26 indicating growing popularity Biodiversity conservation awareness centre International Biodiversity Day World Tiger Day and Wildlife Week events raise awareness about wildlife protection and environmental security Easy access from Raipur Located in Sector‑39 New Raipur (Atal Nagar) about 15 km from Swami Vivekananda International Airport and 35 km from Raipur railway station the safari is closed every Monday Wildlife conservation and environmental education unique centre Nandanwan Jungle Safari has become a unique centre for tourism wildlife conservation and environmental education in Chhattisgarh allowing people to get close to nature view wildlife and receive conservation messages