Ovalekar Wadi Butterfly Garden is an open butterfly garden where you can find different species of butterflies. In this place, specific trees and plants have been grown which attract and breed butterflies. Plants with colourful flowers attract the flying insect.
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| Eating and Seating Area at Ovalekarwadi Butterfly Garden |
Butterflies, Flowers and more
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| Caterpillar Breeding in a Leaf |
Many species of butterflies are found here including Blue Mormon, Common Mormon, Glassy Blue Bottle, Striped Tiger Butterfly. Blue Mormon is the second largest butterfly in India. We could spot 2 to 3 Blue Mormons flying around. But unfortunately we could not click pictures of them. The tour guide explains the different stages of the butterfly growth from Eggs to Caterpillar to Pupa. He showed leaves with caterpillar breeding. He also showed tiny eggs of butterflies on some leaves. There were trees with wild bananas on them. But those bananas could not be eaten by humans. They are liked by monkeys as they have bigger seeds than the normal bananas we have. There were rabbits placed inside cages.The tour guide feeded them with grass.
Timings and Cost for Ovalekar Wadi Butterfly Garden
The place is located close to Ghodbunder Road of Thane near Mumbai. It is open from 8.30 am to 12.30 pm on Sundays only. On other days, the place is not open for visitors. At the time of this article, the cost for entry was Rs. 100 for adults and for kids (below 10 years of age), entry fee was Rs. 50. The place serves morning breakfast if you arrive before 10.30am. We were given 2 options for breakfast: Idli with sambar, chutney and Maharashtrian Poha along with tea. Snacks costed Rs. 30 per plate and tea Rs. 10. It takes around 45 minutes to take tour of the entire Ovalekar Butterfly Garden.
Makers and Owners of Ovalekar Butterfly Garden
This place is handled and managed by the Ovalekar family. Rajendra Ovalekar was the tour guide who took us for a tour of the place. He answers every query of the visitors. His enthusiasm to explain everything about butterflies and plants is commendable. They are also available on the phone for any queries about timings and the park.
Photography Destination
Populated with greenery and colourful flowers and butterflies, this tourist destination in Thane is ideal for photography. Mobile and professional photographers try their hands at this amazing place. For clicking pictures of butterflies, you do not need to run behind the butterflies. There are literally so many of them and in different colours and species that you can easily click pictures of at least a dozen of them within minutes. If you own a DSLR camera, do not forget to take it along with you.
Play Area at the Butterfly Park
The play area has slide and see saw, But they are not well maintained. They are a little towards the isolated area of the place and is not recommended for the kids.
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| Parking Area in Ovalekarwadi Butterfly Garden |
Things to take along with you to the Ovalekar wadi Butterfly Garden
Food is provided at this picnic destination if you arrive on time. However, taking some snacks along with you is recommended. It will take upto an hour to complete tour of the entire place along with photography. So considering the travelling time to reach the place along with the tour, you might need to hog onto some eatables. There is an area with table and chairs where you can eat. Washroom is also available for the visitors. If you are visiting the place during monsoon, then umbrella/raincoats should be taken. It is an open air garden and you cannot wait for long hours for the rain to stop considering the limited time to visit the place. For sunny days, sunglasses would be required. Parking is available for cars, bus and two-wheeler. Do not forget to take your version of protection from mosquitoes. Odomos, Mosquito patches, Dots whatever is available must be taken as this place along with butterflies, breeds mosquitoes as well.
Other Nearby Places
There is another Butterfly garden very close to Ovalekar wadi garden named as Elvis Butterfly Garden. Also on the Ghodbunder road is the Suraj Water Park. Another destination to visit along with kids is the Sanjay Gandhi National Park.
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