Kankaria Lake Ahmedabad

Kankaria Lake is the biggest lake in Ahmedabad, Gujarat. It is located in the southern part of the city, in the Maninagar area. A lakefront has been developed around it, which has many public attractions such as a zoo, toy train, kids city, tethered balloon ride, water rides, water park, food stalls, and entertainment facilities. The lakefront was revamped in 2008. Kankaria Carnival is a week-long festival held here in the last week of December. Many cultural, art, and social activities are organised during the carnival.

Attractions :

Kankaria Zoo :

Kamla Nehru Zoological Park was established by Rueben David in 1951 CE spread over 21 acres. It was rated the best zoo in Asia in 1974. They are 450 mammals, 2,000 birds, 140 reptiles in a 31 acre zoo. It is a treasure of wild animals like tigers, lions, python, anaconda, snakes, elephant, albinos (white), like the rhesus monkey and peacock, spotted deer, white blackbuck, chinkara, elephants, emu, jungle babbler, bush-quail and common palm civet. Kankaria Zoo has also records in breeding of rare species in Zoo like pythons, crocodiles, bearcats and wild asses.Reuben David was awarded Padma Shri in 1974 for it.

Balvatika :

It is a children's park named after Jawaharlal Nehru. Balvatika has a boat house, playroom, butterfly and weapon displays, mirror house, toy house and planetarium.

Kids City :

Kids City is a miniature world designed for kids. It is spread in 4240 sq.metre area having 18 activity centres including banks, fire station, science lab, radio station, police station, court room and prison, dental as well as medical hospital, theatre, BRTS, heritage gallery, town governance, IT centre, News room, ice-cream factory, etc. AMC had applied for copyrights and patents on the individual games in the premises, the unique point system, Virmo (Virtual Money) and the design of the different venues in games.

Toy Trains :
Atal Express - Toy Train

A train named Atal Express (Named after Atal Bihari Vajpayee on his birthday 25 December 2008) was imported from London, the train circles the lake on a 4.5 km track at a speed of 10 km/h.The train has the capacity to carry 150 passengers, including 36 adults. The train is manufactured by Severn Lamb.During the first 11 months of introducing the train, it attracted nearly a million visitors. After the success of this train, another train was also started which named Swarnim Jayanti Express. All trains on the railway, and hence the railway itself, are 2 ft (610 mm) narrow gauge.

Balloon Safari :

Ahmedabad Eye is a tethered balloon ride set up near Kankaria Lake after renovation. The tethered balloon complex spread over 3000 square yard, is divided into four sections including a restaurant, tethered balloon, heritage exhibit and an exhibition displaying the making of the Ahmedabad Eye. SKYZ is a balloon themed restaurant located at the Ahmedabad Eye complex. It is managed by Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation.Rainforest theme restaurant is also there.

Nagina Wadi :

Main article: Nagina Wadi
Musical Fountain at Nagina Wadi

There is an island in center of Kankaria Lake which houses a small summer palace and a musical fountain.Food stalls are also there.

Stone Mural Park :

India's biggest Stone Mural Park named Gurjar Gaurav Gatha[19] on the side walls of the circular lake in which sculptors are depicting, in pink sand stone, the history and rise of Gujarat is under construction.[8] It has murals covering 3150 sq feet depicting the history of Ahmedabad right now but when completed, it will measure 6000 feet in length and will be world's largest mural (30000 sq.metre).