APPU GHAR AMUSEMENT PARK

Appu Ghar, popularly known as “The Mini Disneyland”, is one of the best amusement parks in the state of Maharashtra. Situated at Nigdi in Pune at the foothills of the Shri Durga Devi Tekadi, it offers a plethora of opportunities for thrill and entertainment. Also known as Indira Gandhi Udyan, the main purpose of creating the park was to gift an eco-friendly atmosphere to people of all ages.

The construction of Appu Ghar Pune started in 1989 and continued till 1992. Since 2005, the maintenance of the park is entrusted with the Pushpak Amusements group. The name of the park was derived from the famous mascot of the 1982 Asian Games held in Delhi, Appu the elephant. Operating for more than 40 years now, the park is one of the favorite destinations for both Indians and international travelers.

The rides of Appu Ghar Pune have all been imported from Italy with high quality and safety standards. There are water pools too for both kids and adults to enjoy a cool soothing day out in the park. Along with the numerous fun and exciting rides, the park has a beautiful lake in its premises to sit and relax. You can also witness the stunning views of the hills adjacent to the park.

How To Reach

1. By Rail: The nearest railway stations are Akurdi and Chinchwad railway stations, located about 2.4 km and 6 km away from the park respectively. From the Akurdi railway station, it takes 7 mins by cab and 25 min by bus. From Chinchwad railway station you can reach the park in 14 mins by cab and 30 mins by bus.

2. By Road: The nearest bus stops are Appu Ghar bus stop and Bhakti Shakthi bus depot. Many buses ply between the two bus stations and the major cities of the state of Maharashtra.

3. By Air: The nearest airport is Pune International Airport, situated at an approximate distance of 25.8 km from the park. If you hire a cab then it will take almost 1 hour to reach the park. By bus, the approximate travelling time is more than 2 hours.

Best Time To Visit

The best time to visit Appu Ghar Pune is between October and February. The weather in Pune at this time of the year is pleasant and calm. The temperature in December and January drops to 6 degrees C at night but the day is comfortable with temperatures around 26 degrees C.

Monsoons must be avoided as the region experiences moderate rainfall and you will not be able to enjoy the rides. The rainy season is essentially from June till September with temperatures ranging from 22 degrees C to 28 degrees C.

Pune experiences a hot summer with high humidity and dusty winds. Summers are from March until June. It is advisable to avoid the summer because of the heat outside.

Other Essential Information

Attractions Pass Type at Appu Ghar

The entry fee at Appu Ghar is INR 50 per person for adults and INR 30 per person for children. A special discounted package is offered to avail of all the rides plus the entry fee. The charges are INR 400 per person for adults and INR 350 per person for children. Food and go-karting are not included in the package.

If you do not want to avail of all the rides then you can pay the entry fee and then purchase tickets separately for the rides you want to board. Children below the height of 3.5 feet do not need any entry fee or ticket for the park as well as the rides.

Places to Visit around Appu Ghar

1. Aga Khan Palace: Located at a distance of 2 km from Appu Ghar Pune, it is an attractive palace built in 1892 by Sultan Mohammad Shah Aga Khan. Memorials of Kasturba Gandhi, wife of Gandhiji and Mahadev Desai, a close associate of Gandhiji, are present at the palace premises. The architecture of the palace with Italian arches and spacious lawns attracts many tourists every year.

2. Durga Tekdi: Durga Tekdi is a lush green small hill in Pune, situated adjacent to Appu Ghar. The place has derived its name from the Goddess Durga temple present at the top of the hill. There are about 160,000 trees in the area, a beautiful waterfall, and a fountain.

3. Bird Valley Udyan: Situated at a distance of 5 km from Appu Ghar, Bird Valley Udyan is a beautiful park with green lawns, a landscaped garden, a lake with misty fountains. It hosts a replica of the famous Swarovski Kristallwelten or Crystal Worlds in Austria. There is a jogging track, kid’s playground, boating and skating rink inside the park.

4. Shree Moraya Gosavi Ganpati Mandir: The temple is present about 6.1 km away from the park and is dedicated to the saint Moraya Gosavi, an ardent devotee of Lord Ganesha. It is considered to be a very auspicious temple with thousands of devotees visiting the temple every year to offer their prayers. The monuments of the temple are built with black rocks depicting fine artistic sculptures. The temple is well preserved and maintained by the Government presenting a peaceful and serene ambiance.

Places to Eat around Appu Ghar

1. Avishkar restaurant: The restaurant is located opposite to Appu Ghar. It serves a wide variety of food ranging from Chinese, Sea Food, South Indian, Mughlai, and Tandoori.

2. Shree Baba Ramdev Dhaba: The Dhaba is famous among the locals due to its awesome food quality. It is a pure vegetarian restaurant with special vegan menus. The restaurant is at a 12 min walking distance from the park.

3. Krishna Veg: The restaurant is good for veg lovers. It offers a great buffet breakfast with delicious menus. The dinner on Saturdays and Sundays is especially good with veg and Chinese delicacies. It is at an 11 min walking distance from the park.

4. Sukshant Pure Veg restaurant: The restaurant serves both North Indian and Chinese starters and main course food items. All the items are pure veg with good taste, food quality, and ambiance.

5. Hotel Golden Palms: Located at the Parmar complex, 1.1 km away from the park, it is a family restaurant offering both veg and non-veg food options. Both Indian and Chinese food menus are available at the restaurant.

6. Saptagiri restaurant: The restaurant is present at the Prestige Plaza serving North Indian veg and non-veg food. It is located at a distance of 2.4 km from Appu Ghar Pune.

Medical Facilities near Appu Ghar

1. Dhanwantari Hospital: It is one of the best multi-specialty hospitals in Pune with departments for paediatrics, orthopaedics, Ophthalmology, gynaecology, gastroenterology, chemotherapy and many more. The hospital is 1.7 km away from the park.

2. Sterling Multi specialty Hospital: The hospital has the reputation of providing services from renowned doctors at affordable charges. It has several medical facilities across the departments of orthopaedics, cardiology, neurology, paediatrics, gynaecology, gastroenterology, etc. The hospital is 2km distance away from the park.

3. Unnarkar Hospital: Situated at a distance of 1.9 km from the park, the hospital is specially dedicated for women patients and treating women related ailments.

4. Mate Hospital: It is a maternity hospital offering superb services with a team of prominent gynaecologists. It is situated at a distance of approximately 3 km from the park.

5. Ordnance Factory Hospital: Situated at a distance of 6.2 km from Appu Ghar Pune, it is well equipped with modern medical facilities and specialized doctors.

Travelers' Tip before visiting Appu Ghar

There are certain things you must remember before planning for a trip to Appu Ghar:

1. Do not purchase the all ride pass if you are not eager to try all the rides

2. Decide beforehand the rides you want to board from the brochures or pamphlets available at the ticket counters.

3. Carry extra clothes as you may be interested to dip into the water pools at the park.

4. The park is crowded during the weekends hence you should be prepared for waiting in queues to board tickets and rides.

5. There are very few food and beverage stalls and shops inside the park. However, there are several eateries near the main entrance of the park to buy food.

6. Dustbins are available inside the park, hence do not throw garbage on the park ground.

7. Restrooms facilities are present inside the park.

8. Parking spaces are available near the park for own vehicles.