Hare Krishna Temple Watford - ISKCON Bhaktivedanta Manor
BEST FOR
Up to age 14
ENTRY
Free
SETTING
Outdoors
WHERE
Watford
What it’s like
Free entry, a playground, woodland and cows, with a free lunch at 1.15pm if you time it right.
Entry is free and so are the guided tours, which is a rare thing for a day out that can easily swallow two hours. Start at the Krishna Lila Playground if you've got smaller ones, then walk it off through the woodland and past the cow protection centre, where the cows and oxen are the bit children tend to talk about afterwards. There's a rose garden, an organic farm and the George Harrison Garden to wander through, plus the temple itself for deity darshan.
The timing trick is lunch. Free prasad is served at 1.15pm every day except Saturday, so aim to arrive around 11am and you'll finish the loop just as it's ready. The café in the gift shop sells vegetarian food too, and anything you bring has to be vegetarian as well: no meat, fish, eggs, onion or garlic anywhere on site, and no alcohol or caffeine either. That last one catches people out, so leave the flask of coffee in the car.
Everyone 14 and under needs an adult with them the whole time. Step-free access runs throughout via ramps and a lift, except upstairs in the Temple and Goshala buildings. Parking is free and there are disabled bays at the gate nearest the Manor, though you can't leave the car overnight. If you're coming by train, the £1 shuttle from Stanmore Station needs booking ahead, and the 602 bus stop is a half-hour walk with no footpath in places, which is grim with a buggy.
Watch the festival days, because several dates in 2026 are ticketed rather than free: Gaura Purnima and Holika Dahan on 1 March, Rama Navami on 29 March, Janmashtami on 4 and 6 September plus the ticketed festival day on Saturday 5 September, Dussehra on 25 October and Diwali on 8 November. The car park can work differently on those days too. On a normal day, the Sunday Love Feast with sacred music is the liveliest time to go.
Facilities
Need to know
- Best for
- Under-14s; the playground, woodland and cows land well with toddlers up to about 10
- Booking
- Tours free and bookable daily. Tickets needed on festival days
- Parking
- Free on site. Disabled bays at gate nearest Manor
- How long to allow
- At least 2 hours
- Food
- Gift shop café plus free prasad lunch at set times (not Saturdays)
- Pushchairs
- Step-free access throughout via ramps and lift
- Wheelchairs
- Ramp beside main building. Extra wheelchairs on loan, subject to availability
- Dogs
- Guide dogs only. No dogs on site
- Getting there by bus or train
- Shuttle £1 from Stanmore Station, book ahead
- Parties
- Group visits (10+) can be arranged, and incur a cost especially if a meal is required
- Worth knowing
- Free entry all year and free guided tours every day
- No caffeine or alcohol on site, so bring water rather than a flask of coffee
- Free prasad lunch is at 1.15pm and doesn't run on Saturdays
- Guide dogs only, no other dogs anywhere on site
- Group visits for 10 or more can be arranged and usually cost something if you want a meal included
- Sundays bring the Love Feast with sacred music, which is the busiest and liveliest time
Plan your visit
How much does it cost?
Nothing, entry and guided tours are both free all year. The only things you'd pay for are the £1 shuttle from Stanmore Station, café food, and tickets on festival days.
Do we need to book?
Tours are free but bookable daily, so it's worth sorting one. Festival days need tickets, and the shuttle has to be booked in advance.
How long should we allow?
At least two hours. A recommended tour runs about an hour, or 75 minutes if you've booked a tour ticket.
Can we bring our own food?
You can, as long as it's vegetarian. Non-vegetarian food, fish, eggs, onion and garlic are strictly banned on the premises, and so is alcohol or caffeine.
What's this free lunch we've heard about?
Prasad is served free at 1.15pm every day except Saturday. Arriving around 11am means you finish your walk in time for it.
Is there parking?
Free on site for visitors, with disabled bays at the gate nearest the Manor. No overnight parking.
Can we bring the dog?
Guide dogs only, no other dogs are allowed anywhere on site.
Is it pushchair friendly?
Step-free throughout via ramps and a lift. The exception is upstairs in the Temple and Goshala buildings.
Are there toilets and a café?
There are toilets including an accessible one, and a café in the gift shop selling vegetarian food.
What is there for children to actually do?
The Krishna Lila Playground, the woodland walk, and the cow protection centre with cows and oxen. There's also the rose garden, organic farm and George Harrison Garden.
Do children need supervising?
Anyone 14 or under has to be with a responsible adult at all times.
When are the ticketed days in 2026?
Gaura Purnima and Holika Dahan on 1 March, Rama Navami on 29 March, Janmashtami on 4 and 6 September and the festival day on Saturday 5 September, Dussehra on 25 October and Diwali on 8 November.
Featured in 1 Huddlepin list
See all Talks, Lectures & Author Events in Northwood · Things to do in Northwood
MAKE A DAY OF IT
