From the free lawns of Lodhi Garden and Nehru Park to the ticketed, beautifully kept grounds of Sunder Nursery and the Garden of Five Senses, Delhi has a green corner for every kind of day out. This guide compares the city's most dependable picnic spots — timings, entry fees, nearest metro stations and the rules you should know — so you can shortlist the right park before you pack the basket.
Free public parks and ticketed gardens are clearly labelled throughout, so you always know what a day out will cost.Pick what matters most for your group. The cards below update as you choose; select “All picnic spots” to see everything again.
Filter by outing style
Showing 9 of 9 destinations
These are the parks and gardens that consistently work well for a Delhi day out — chosen for genuine picnic suitability, not popularity rankings. Entry fees and timings are drawn from official sources where available and marked for confirmation where they change often.
Lodi Road, Central Delhi
Centuries-old tombs set in 90 acres of lawns, tree-lined paths and flower beds. Delhi's most classic garden walk, with plenty of shade for a relaxed family spread.
Visitor tip: weekday mornings are calmest; weekends fill up fast with joggers and families.
Plan Your Visit
Batashe Wala Bagh, Nizamuddin, near Humayun's Tomb
A 90-acre heritage park with lakes, gazebos, rare trees and restored Mughal-era monuments. Beautifully maintained and home to regular cultural events and a weekend market.
Visitor tip: check the park's dos and don'ts before carrying food — some zones are event-only or restrict picnicking.
Plan Your Visit
Said-ul-Ajaib, Mehrauli–Badarpur Road, Saket
A 20-acre Delhi Tourism garden of themed sections, sculpture, water channels and a food and shopping court — designed for slow, social strolling.
Visitor tip: the on-site food court makes this an easy half-day out without packing a hamper.
Plan Your Visit
Vinay Marg, Chanakyapuri
A large NDMC park with mature trees, open lawns and a well-known morning yoga crowd. Winter weekend picnics under the shade are a Delhi institution here.
Visitor tip: the embassy belt around it stays green and quiet — carry a mat and pick a tree for shade.
Plan Your Visit
Central Ridge, off Sardar Patel Marg / Vande Mataram Marg
A terraced, forested garden on the Central Ridge with a serene Buddhist shrine at its centre. Quieter and shadier than most Delhi parks — Delhi's calmest green corner.
Visitor tip: paths slope through the ridge forest — comfortable shoes help, and aim to leave before sunset.
Plan Your Visit
Hauz Khas, South Delhi (near Hauz Khas village and lake)
Roughly 60 acres of ridge forest, lawns and lakeside paths connecting to Hauz Khas Garden. A classic morning-walk and relaxed-picnic green in South Delhi.
Visitor tip: deer enclosures here have been under transition following a court-directed relocation — check current access conditions before planning a visit around the animals.
Plan Your Visit
Sector 10, Rohini, West Delhi
A vast DDA park built around lakes, with paddle boating, a toy-train style children's zone, jogging tracks and endless lawns — West Delhi's big family picnic ground.
Visitor tip: Delhi Tourism recommends early morning or evening visits — afternoons are exposed and hot in summer.
Plan Your Visit
Shah Jahan Road, near India Gate, Central Delhi
A DDA-maintained park built for children, with play equipment, a small amphitheatre and lawns — and the India Gate lawns next door for post-picnic kite flying.
Visitor tip: pair it with the India Gate lawns — arrive by late afternoon so playtime and the monument visit both fit in daylight.
Plan Your Visit
Mayur Vihar Phase II, East Delhi
A large DDA lake park with walking tracks and boating. The EOD Adventure Park on its edge is a separately ticketed, privately operated attraction with rides and activity zones.
Visitor tip: keep the two experiences separate in your budget — the public lake park is free, while EOD runs its own ticketing and food rules.
Plan Your VisitA quick comparison of the strongest destinations above. “Typical visit” is a planning estimate for a relaxed outing, not a rule. Fees and timings change — confirm on official sources close to your visit.
Swipe or scroll horizontally to see all columns →
| Picnic spot | Best suited for | Entry cost | Typical visit | Nearest metro | Important visitor note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lodhi Garden | Families, quiet walks | Free | 2–3 hrs | Jor Bagh (Yellow) | Seasonal opening hours; busy weekend evenings |
| Sunder Nursery | Families, couples, events | ₹50 adult; ₹25 child 5–12; free under 5 | 3–4 hrs | JLN Stadium (Violet) | Last entry 9 pm; some zones restrict food; parking charged |
| Garden of Five Senses | Couples, families | ₹50 adult; ₹20 child/senior | 2–3 hrs | Saket (Yellow) | On-site food court; camera fee applies |
| Nehru Park, Chanakyapuri | Families, morning walkers | Free | 2–3 hrs | Lok Kalyan Marg (Yellow) | Winter mornings popular for yoga; confirm exact closing time |
| Buddha Jayanti Park | Couples, quiet walks | Free | 1–2 hrs | Jhandewalan (Blue) | Forested, sloping paths; leave before sunset |
| Deer Park, Hauz Khas | Nature walks, families | Free | 2–3 hrs | Hauz Khas (Yellow/Magenta) | Reported Friday closure; deer enclosure access in transition — check |
| Japanese Park, Rohini | Families, children | Free (boating charged) | 2–4 hrs | Rohini West (Red) | Very large campus; mornings/evenings more comfortable |
| Children's Park, India Gate | Children, families | Free | 1–2 hrs | Central Secretariat (Yellow/Violet) | Reported weekday closure (Monday); play equipment for kids |
| Sanjay Lake, Mayur Vihar | Families, children | Lake park free; EOD Adventure Park ticketed | 2–4 hrs | Trilokpuri–Sanjay Lake (Pink) | EOD has separate tickets, timings and food rules |
A family picnic succeeds or fails on the basics: shade, toilets, drinking water and enough room for children to run. Choose your family picnic spots in Delhi by matching these checks to your group — not by a list of names alone.
Toddlers do best at flat, compact parks close to home — Children's Park near India Gate is purpose-built for play. Older children handle bigger campuses like Japanese Park or Lodhi Garden, where walking distance adds up quickly.
Mature-tree parks such as Nehru Park and Buddha Jayanti Park keep cool even in March. Decide how far your group can walk from the entry gate or parking before you pick the picnic lawn.
Facilities vary widely across Delhi's parks, and many do not have drinking-water points or food counters. The Garden of Five Senses has an on-site food court; for most other parks, carry water and snacks where permitted.
Metro-reachable parks (Jor Bagh for Lodhi Garden, Saket for Garden of Five Senses, Rohini West for Japanese Park) avoid parking stress. Set a meeting point for the group and keep children within sight — public parks are open spaces, not supervised play areas.
Delhi's prettiest gardens are also its calmest early and late in the day. For a relaxed couple's outing, plan around quiet garden walks, good light and a comfortable bench — these are shared public spaces, so secluded corners are not something any park here really offers.
Buddha Jayanti Park is the greenest and calmest of the lot, with ridge-forest paths and terraces. Sunder Nursery's lakes and heritage structures give plenty to talk about, and the Garden of Five Senses is designed for slow strolling.
Arrive within the park's posted hours — early morning and the hour before closing are the quietest. Winter afternoons are pleasant; summer evenings work better than midday. Photography is welcome in most areas, though professional shoots at managed gardens such as Sunder Nursery need permission.
A note on access: all the gardens above are public spaces with standard rules on food, music and closing times. Follow the gate notices, and treat the park's posted timings as the day's real deadline.
“Picnic” means different things to different groups. Knowing which kind of day out you want makes choosing an outdoor picnic spot in Delhi much easier.
A mat under a tree, home-packed food and games on the lawn — the classic form works best at large free parks such as Nehru Park, Lodhi Garden and Japanese Park. Check each park's food and mat rules at the gate, since managed gardens are stricter.
If your group prefers landscapes, flower beds and photography over spreading a feast, ticketed gardens like Sunder Nursery and the Garden of Five Senses offer beautifully maintained settings for a slower, cleaner day out.
Buddha Jayanti Park on the Central Ridge, the lakeside paths of Sanjay Lake and the Hauz Khas green belt reward walkers and birdwatchers. These outings are about trails and trees rather than picnicking gear.
When children want rides and structured activities, a ticketed venue such as the EOD Adventure Park at Sanjay Lake delivers them — with its own tickets, timings and food rules, separate from the free public lake park.
Delhi's public parks are free or inexpensive, but someone still has to plan the day. If you would rather hand the arrangements to a team, Manesar Resorts offers planning help through these enquiry-based options. Public park entry charges and rules always apply independently of any planning support.
For a family of four, using verified entry fees and typical transport costs. This is a planning aid only — not a Manesar Resorts package price, and actual park rules and entry fees always apply.
| Expense | Free park (e.g. Lodhi Garden) | Ticketed garden (e.g. Sunder Nursery) |
|---|---|---|
| Park entry | ₹0 | ₹150 (2 adults + 2 children, per official rates) |
| Transport (metro return, central Delhi start) | about ₹100–₹300 | about ₹100–₹300 |
| Parking (if driving) | varies by park | ₹100 (car, 4 hrs, weekday — official rate) |
| Food | ₹0–₹500 (home-packed) | ₹0–₹1,000 (subject to the garden's food rules) |
| Extras (water, sun protection, games) | about ₹100 | about ₹100 |
Planning estimate, not a quotation. Transport and food figures are typical ranges; confirm metro fares and park charges before you go.
Ten steps that take an outing from idea to a genuinely relaxed day. Outdoor conditions, seasonal restrictions and opening hours change through the year — build a final check into your plan.
Delhi's seasons decide what kind of picnic you are having. Here is the honest, practical read — follow each park's own timings and any seasonal rules on top of this.
The picnic season. Bright afternoons in the mid-teens (Celsius) suit full days outdoors — though fog can linger till mid-morning in January, and New Year weekends bring real crowds to popular lawns.
Warm, light-filled days with manageable mornings — an excellent window for garden walks and photography. Carry water as afternoons begin to warm up.
Harsh heat. Plan strictly early-morning or evening visits, stick to shaded parks, and avoid prolonged outdoor activity in the afternoon. Many venues' summer timings reflect exactly this.
The city is at its greenest, but rain forecasts and slippery paths change plans quickly. Keep visits flexible, avoid waterlogged corners, and watch for park-specific advisories.
Seasonal disclaimer: outdoor conditions, seasonal restrictions and opening hours can change at short notice — especially during heatwaves and heavy rain. Check the official source for your chosen park close to your visit date.
This page covered Delhi's own parks and gardens. If your day out can stretch beyond the city border, these guides cover the wider NCR — clearly labelled by location, so you always know where a venue actually is.
Lodhi Garden, Sunder Nursery, Garden of Five Senses, Nehru Park, Buddha Jayanti Park, Deer Park in Hauz Khas, Japanese Park in Rohini, Children's Park near India Gate and Sanjay Lake in Mayur Vihar are among the most dependable picnic spots in Delhi. Free public parks work well for a relaxed day out, while ticketed gardens such as Sunder Nursery and the Garden of Five Senses offer more managed surroundings. Compare entry costs, timings and metro access in the comparison table above before you decide.
Families usually get along best where there is shade, open lawns and space for children to move around. Japanese Park in Rohini, Nehru Park in Chanakyapuri, Lodhi Garden, Children's Park near India Gate and Sanjay Lake in Mayur Vihar are all family-friendly picks. Always check the current timings, the availability of toilets and drinking water, and whether food is permitted before you go, since facilities can change.
For couples who prefer quiet greenery, Buddha Jayanti Park, Lodhi Garden and Sunder Nursery are good places to walk and talk in calm surroundings. The Garden of Five Senses is another pleasant option, especially on weekday afternoons. These are public spaces, so there are no private or secluded areas; plan your visit during comfortable daylight hours and follow the park's rules on food and photography.
Yes. Lodhi Garden, Nehru Park, Buddha Jayanti Park, Deer Park, Japanese Park, Children's Park and Sanjay Lake all have free entry. Boating at Sanjay Lake and Japanese Park, and the EOD Adventure Park beside Sanjay Lake, are chargeable. This page marks every free and ticketed destination clearly so you can plan a budget-friendly outing.
Sunder Nursery charges adults Rs 50, children aged 5 to 12 Rs 25, and foreign visitors Rs 200, with free entry for children under 5. The Garden of Five Senses charges adults Rs 50, and children and senior citizens Rs 20. Parking and special events are charged separately at many venues. Fees are revised from time to time, so please confirm the latest charges on the official websites before visiting.
Snacks and water are generally carried into Delhi's public parks, and families do picnic on the lawns of popular parks. Rules are stricter at managed gardens such as Sunder Nursery, and some areas restrict food entirely. Follow the notices displayed at each gate, avoid single-use plastic where restricted, and always carry your waste back to a bin. Where a park's food policy is not clear, check its official website or confirm at the entry gate.
Check five things before you leave: the park's official opening hours, the entry fee and any online booking requirement, whether outside food and mats are allowed, the nearest metro station or parking option, and the weather for that day. Outdoor conditions, seasonal restrictions and opening hours can change, so recheck official information close to your visit date.
Yes. Manesar Resorts helps visitors plan day outings and group picnics through its enquiry desk. Share your date, group size and preferences and the team will suggest suitable arrangements. Delhi's public parks are independent public spaces, so any permission-dependent event must be confirmed separately; venues outside Delhi are always disclosed before a booking is confirmed.
Tell us when, where and how many — we will come back with practical options. Use this form for picnic planning assistance, private group day outings, or corporate and school group enquiries.
Research note: entry conditions, charges and opening hours at Delhi's public parks and gardens are set by their managing authorities and can change. Facts marked “confirm” in this guide should be verified with the relevant official source — such as the Sunder Nursery and Delhi Tourism websites — before you travel.
Delhi's picnic spots reward a little planning: the right season, the right metro, and a park whose rules you have checked. Shortlist two or three from the comparison table, verify their timings, and the day is half-planned already.