Day trips in Gorakhpur
- 01
Bakhira Wildlife Sanctuary
A large floodplain lake and wetland in Sant Kabir Nagar district, listed as a Ramsar site and visited for its winter waterfowl. It makes a quiet half-day away from Gorakhpur's temple circuit.
- Time needed
- Half a day at the lake, plus about 1.5 hours each way by road
- Walking
- Easy
- Best time
- November to January, early morning, when migratory waterfowl are present
- Tickets
- Entry fees, opening hours, permits and boat or guide arrangements are not published. Confirm them with the Uttar Pradesh Forest Department or the UP Eco-Tourism Development Board before you travel.
- 02
Chauri Chaura Shaheed Smarak
A memorial and small museum on the site of the 1922 Chauri Chaura incident, which led Gandhi to halt the Non-cooperation Movement.
- Time needed
- 1 hour on site, plus about an hour each way
- Walking
- Easy
- Best time
- Morning, October to March
- Tickets
- No fee is listed on the district page. Museum hours and any entry charge are not confirmed, so check locally before travelling.
Culture in Gorakhpur
- 03
Gita Press and Leela Chitra Mandir
The press that put affordable Hindu scriptures into millions of homes, with an art gallery of devotional paintings and a bookshop on the same campus.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Walking
- Easy
- Best time
- Morning on a weekday; winter is most comfortable
- Tickets
- The district tourism page describes entry to the gallery as open to visitors and does not list a fee; check at the gate. Hours vary, so confirm locally on the day and avoid assuming it is open on public holidays.
- 04
Imambara Estate
A long-established Shia imambara and Sufi centre in the old city, known for its gold and silver tazias shown at Muharram and a sacred fire kept alight for generations.
- Time needed
- 45 minutes
- Walking
- Easy
- Best time
- During Muharram for the tazias; otherwise any quiet morning
- Tickets
- No fee is listed. It is a religious site, so cover your head and shoulders, remove shoes, and ask before photographing. Access to the tazias is mainly during the Muharram display; confirm dates locally.
Places of worship in Gorakhpur
- 05
Gita Vatika
A garden temple to Radha and Krishna, known for round-the-clock kirtan, with a quiet bookstore, built by the editor of Kalyan magazine.
- Time needed
- 45 minutes
- Walking
- Easy
- Best time
- Morning or late afternoon; winter months are most pleasant
- Tickets
- No entry fee is listed. Dress modestly, remove shoes, and ask about photography rules at the entrance.
- 06
Gorakhnath Temple
The seat of the Gorakhnath Math, the Nath yogis' main monastery in the region and the spiritual centre of the city that took its name from Gorakshanath.
- Time needed
- 1 to 1.5 hours; longer on festival days
- Walking
- Easy
- Best time
- Early morning or the evening aarti; avoid the weeks around Makar Sankranti unless the mela is the point
- Tickets
- No entry fee is listed. Dress modestly, remove shoes before the shrines and expect bag and phone checks; rules on cameras and leather can change, so ask at the gate. Check the official site for current aarti timings.
Gardens and parks in Gorakhpur
- 07
Gorakhpur Zoo (Shaheed Ashfaq Ullah Khan Zoological Park)
One of Uttar Pradesh's larger zoos, about 121 acres, opened in 2021 on the eastern edge of the city with enclosures, a cafeteria and battery buses.
- Time needed
- 3 to 4 hours
- Walking
- Moderate
- Best time
- Opening time on a winter morning
- Tickets
- Tickets were listed as 50 rupees for adults and 25 rupees for ages 6 to 12, with children under 6 free; a 7D theatre is extra. Fees and timings change, so check the official site, gorakhpurzoo.org. The zoo is closed on Mondays.
Read the Gorakhpur Zoo (Shaheed Ashfaq Ullah Khan Zoological Park) guide →
Landmarks in Gorakhpur
- 08
Ramgarh Tal and Nauka Vihar
Gorakhpur's large natural lake, now ringed by a promenade, boating at Nauka Vihar and an evening light show, and a favourite place for local families.
- Time needed
- 2 hours
- Walking
- Easy
- Best time
- Late afternoon to dusk, October to March
- Tickets
- Entry to the promenade is not ticketed as far as published sources show. Boating, water sports and any show are priced separately; confirm what is running on the day, since boating has been suspended temporarily after safety reviews.
Museums in Gorakhpur
- 09
Vir Bahadur Singh Planetarium (Taramandal)
A large dome planetarium run by the state science council, with three 45-minute shows a day and small science exhibits nearby.
- Time needed
- 1 to 1.5 hours
- Walking
- Easy
- Best time
- The 1 pm or 3 pm show, as a midday indoor break
- Tickets
- Entry has been reported as a low flat fee, around 25 rupees, though this may have changed; check at the counter. Show timings are reported as 1, 3 and 5 pm. Confirm the language and schedule on the day.
Close enough to combine