Last updated: September 2026 · Method: desk research from heritage and municipal sources (garden acreage and zoo history sourced). Zoo facilities evolve — verify current state before promising children animals.
On Mandore Road, in the shadow of the fort’s northern views, spreads Ummed (Umed) Garden — 82 acres of trees, lawns, a small heritage rail prop, and one of Rajasthan’s oldest zoos, opened in the colonial era with a Viceroy cutting the ribbon. It’s not a headline attraction; it’s the city’s green lung and the local families’ picnic ground — which, on a Jodhpur afternoon, is exactly the right thing to be.
What’s here
- The garden — 82 acres of mature planting: lawns, avenues, seasonal flower beds and enough shade to make an April afternoon negotiable. The local picnic institution.
- The zoo — inaugurated in the colonial era by Viceroy Lord Willingdon and among the state’s oldest, housing the standard cast of big cats, deer and birds. Facilities are modest; manage expectations and it does its job.
- The museum complex — the garden’s edges hold the government museum noted in our market guide research, plus an auditorium and the airy Art Deco-style heritage buildings the era favoured.
- Toy-train charm — the garden’s little rail heritage adds the element that keeps small children voting for a return visit.
Practicalities
| Where | Mandore Road — on the north axis with Mahamandir Temple and Mandore Gardens |
| Hours | Daylight hours; zoo runs its own timings within the garden |
| Entry | Nominal garden fee; separate zoo ticket (approx figures — small either way) |
| Best for | Families, shade-seeking afternoons, the north-axis day |
Questions worth asking
Garden or Machiya park with kids?
Machiya for animals done properly (bigger enclosures, safari format); Ummed Garden for the shade, the picnic and the train. The honest answer: families with a full day do both sides of the north axis.
Is the zoo ethical?
It’s an old municipal zoo — modest, improving, not a wildlife sanctuary. If that framing troubles you, the garden alone is a fine visit and the Bishnoi safari is your wildlife hour.
Related guides
Picnicked here recently? Send the current state of the zoo — parents planning trips will thank you.