Dehiwala Zoo Ticket Price 2026 for Locals, SAARC and Foreigners

Dehiwala Zoo, officially the National Zoological Gardens of Sri Lanka, sits about 10 km south of Colombo Fort and has been a public zoo since the 1930s. It is the main reason people search for a zoo ticket price in Sri Lanka, and the fee confuses more visitors than it should. Older websites still quote Rs 100 and Rs 2,500, which have not been charged in years. This page lists what the counter takes today, what costs extra and how to pay. Opening hours and the route from Colombo have their own pages: Dehiwala Zoo timings and how to reach Dehiwala Zoo.

Ticket Price For Dehiwala Zoo (Colombo) in 2026

Entry fees for the Dehiwala Zoological Garden in Colombo, Sri Lanka, differ depending on nationality and age. Sri Lankan adults (over 12) pay Rs 295, and Sri Lankan children under 12 pay Rs 118. School children who come as a group of 20 or more pay Rs 59 each. Overseas visitors pay USD 17.70 for adults and USD 8.85 for children. For SAARC visitors, the fee is USD 11.80 for adults and USD 5.90 for children.

The 'You pay' column is the official tariff shown on nationalzoo.gov.lk. The base fee is that figure before the 18% VAT. Rupee and Indian rupee amounts use the exchange rate of 22 October 2026 (1 USD = Rs 331.71 = INR 94.59). The counter converts dollar fares at its own rate on the day, so expect a small difference.

Put together, a Sri Lankan family of two adults and two children pays Rs 826 at the gate. An Indian family of the same size pays the SAARC rate of USD 35.40 in total, which works out to roughly Rs 11,740. That is exactly what a foreign couple without children pays, so it is worth carrying proof that you qualify for SAARC fares.

Dehiwala Zoo ticket price for Indians and other foreigners

There is no separate 'Indian' ticket. India is a SAARC member, so Indian passport holders pay USD 11.80 per adult and USD 5.90 per child, about INR 1,116 and INR 558. Visitors from every other country pay the full foreign rate of USD 17.70 and USD 8.85. The dollar figure is only the price label. You hand over Sri Lankan rupees, cash or card, so change some money at the airport or draw it from an ATM before the visit. Carry your passport, since the SAARC rate depends on nationality. If you are still sorting out entry to the country, our guide to the Sri Lanka visa for Indians covers the ETA.

Paid extras: Elephant Friends encounter and animal feeding

The entry ticket gets you onto the grounds and into every enclosure. Two things cost more, and only one has a published price.

Feeding animals outside the official Animal Interaction Program is not allowed, and the zoo fines or evicts visitors who harass animals. Cafeterias and food stalls inside sell snacks, drinks and meals, so you do not need to pack lunch. Bear in mind that plastic and polythene are banned at the gate.

What your Dehiwala Zoo ticket includes

One ticket covers the whole park for as long as you stay before closing. Most families spend three to four hours inside. The sections people head for first:

•The aquarium, with freshwater and marine tanks

•The butterfly garden and the walk-through bird aviary

•The reptile house, with snakes, crocodiles and lizards

•Big cats, including lions, leopards and tigers, plus chimpanzees and smaller monkeys

•The elephant and sea lion displays, which run when the keepers schedule them, so ask at the gate for that day's times

For the full animal list and the history of the zoo, see our Dehiwala Zoo guide.

How to buy Dehiwala Zoo tickets: gate or online

The ticket counters are at the main entrance on Anagarika Dharmapala Mawatha in Dehiwala. On a weekday morning you are through in a few minutes. School-holiday weekends in April, August and December are a different story, and that is when the online option at tickets.nationalzoo.gov.lk saves the queue. It is the zoo's own eTicket service, and a small convenience fee is added to card payments.

1. Open tickets.nationalzoo.gov.lk and choose Dehiwala Zoo.

2. Pick your visit date and the number of local, SAARC or foreign adults and children.

3. Pay in Sri Lankan rupees by card. The convenience fee shows before you confirm.

4. Save the e-ticket on your phone or print it.

5. Show it at the entrance, and keep your passport handy if you booked a SAARC ticket.

School groups of 20 or more qualify for the Rs 59 rate. Teachers should call the zoo office on 0112 712 752 a few days ahead so the group can be processed together at the gate.

Why some websites still show Rs 100 or Rs 2,500

Until early 2023 the zoo charged Rs 100 for local adults, Rs 30 for local children, Rs 2,500 for foreign adults and Rs 700 for SAARC adults. Government gazettes issued in 2023 (Nos. 2314/90 and 2331/67) moved foreign fares into US dollars and raised the local adult fee to a Rs 250 base. Sri Lanka's VAT then rose to 18% in January 2024, and the zoo now adds it on top, which is how Rs 250 became Rs 295 and USD 15 became USD 17.70. Many travel blogs never updated their tables, and some still quote Rs 500 or Indian-rupee prices. If a figure does not match the table above, it is out of date.

Dehiwala Zoo timings

The zoo is open every day of the week. Gates open at 8:30 am, and the official opening hours run to 5:00 pm, so plan to buy your ticket well before late afternoon. Animals are most active in the first two hours, and the paths are shaded enough for a morning visit even in April. Feeding times and seasonal hours are on the Dehiwala Zoo timings page.

Where to buy tickets and how to get there

The entrance is at 120 Anagarika Dharmapala Mawatha, Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia, about 2 km inland from Galle Road (A2). From Colombo Fort it is roughly 10 km. A tuk-tuk or ride-hailing car gets you there in 30 to 45 minutes depending on traffic, and buses running south along Galle Road stop at Dehiwala junction, a short walk or tuk-tuk ride from the gate. Routes, fares and parking details are on how to reach Dehiwala Zoo.

Before you go: rules at the gate

The zoo's own rulebook is short, and staff enforce it at the entrance.

•No pets, and no drums, whistles or portable speakers.

•No plastic or polythene. Bags are checked, so decant snacks into paper or a lunch box.

•No smoking, alcohol or narcotics anywhere on the premises.

•Do not climb barriers or enter construction areas.

•Pay only official guides. The zoo warns that people offering unofficial tours near the gate are not its staff.

More practical advice on what to carry and when to go is in our Dehiwala Zoo tips.

How we keep these prices accurate

Fares on this page are checked by our Colombo desk against the official ticket table on nationalzoo.gov.lk, most recently on 22 October 2026, and the dollar conversions are refreshed on the same day. We re-check the tariff every quarter and whenever the zoo announces a change.

Plan the rest of your Colombo day

The zoo fills a morning. After lunch, Mount Lavinia beach is a 10-minute tuk-tuk ride west, and the rest of places to visit in Colombo are within an hour. If the zoo is one stop on a longer trip, our Sri Lanka tour packages start or end in Colombo, and the 3 nights 4 days Colombo tour leaves room for a zoo morning. For elephants in a bigger setting, the zoo department also runs the Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage on the way to Kandy.

Edited by TravelTriangle