What you need to know about Ardastra Gardens & Wildlife Conservation Center.

Is there a zoo in Nassau, the Bahamas

Yes there is a zoo located on the island of New Providence aka Nassau called Ardastra Gardens and Zoo.

For the Nature lovers on a vacation on the island of New Providence in the city of Nassau but don’t have lots of time to go hiking to view the local fauna. The Ardastra Gardens and Zoo may be a good place to visit.

This location has been around for a long time in the Bahamas, I remember taking primary school trips here and even being taken my my mother to see the animals. The Ardastra Gardens and Zoo not only houses animals from the Bahamas but from around the world, there is much to see and enjoy at this location.

How to get there

You can catch a public bus nearby the zoo or a taxi cab that will take you directly to the zoo. Either way its not very difficult to find.

Located just south of the Fish Fry Arawak Cay, past the Botanical Gardens lies the Ardastra Gardens and Zoo. With many of the zoos I have visited it is often the smell that you sense first but with The Ardastra Gardens and Zoo its actually the sounds.

If you visit during the mating season of the peacock then no worries as these loud birds will guide you directly to the entrance. The Zoo is filled with all types of exotic birds through out the area so I suggest you get the map and decide on the best way to navigate the entire zoo.

What to expect?

Besides all of the various birds on the property The Ardastra Gardens and Zoo also have many mammals on the property. There is a petting zoo for the children and adults with the heart of children to enjoy. This is the best way to take your children out to learn more about different animals and their behavior. The staff is very helpful and are willing to assist in any way they can.

One of the things that I found interesting to shoot was actually the turtles that live in many of the pond areas of the The Ardastra Gardens and Zoo. During the afternoon they slowly come to the surface and for some reason tend to line up in rows of four or five, there were even seen sharing logs together catching a bit of sun.

Flamingos at Ardastra Gardens and Zoo

The one thing the The Ardastra Gardens and Zoo is actually known for the most are the Marching Flamingos. The flamingos put on a show twice or sometimes three times a day for the public so you may want to schedule your visit near one of their display times.

When they are not marching around the arena they are either in their habitat and others are allowed to roam the ground freely but they tend to stay in the same area. This is the best place to photograph the flamingos but even better later in the evening after feeding they tend to stay still and most often doze off to sleep.

The Bahamas is also the home of one of the largest nesting flamingo colonies on the Island of Inagua.

Besides animals the The Ardastra Gardens and Zoo is home to a variety of plant life, I guess that’s where the gardens part of Ardastra Gardens comes in to play.

The Ardastra Gardens and Zoo is a nature photographers dream haven in Nassau once you know how to manually focus your lens to avoid the fence and focus on you subject you will have no problems enjoying yourself. I suggest this location for anyone that love animals and would like to add a few exotic animals to their travel images and at the same time learn about local plants and animals of the Bahamas.

How much does it cost to visit the zoo in the Bahamas?

VISITOR	COST
Resident Adults:	$16 (inclusive of VAT)
Non-Resident Adults:	$20 (inclusive of VAT)
Resident Children:	$9 (inclusive of VAT)
Non-Resident Children:	$12 (inclusive of VAT)
Children Age 3 & Under:	FREE
Members:	FREE