Say Bharatpur (also known as Keoladeo Ghana National Park) and one immediately conjures up an image of colourful birds feeding, nesting and chirping.If you are a bird lover you already know about Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary, if you are not one you must visit Bharatpur in Rajasthan, you will become one. It makes for a perfect weekend getaway around Delhi. It is also known as Keoladeo 'Ghana' Bird Sanctuary - A park that inspires migrants the world over.

Named after a Shiv temple situated in this natural park, this World heritage site is known for it's migratory bird population the world over. The low lying marshes is home for many birds all the year around, but it is special in the winter months when it is made a home by over 100 species of birds from as far as Siberia, Central Asia and China. Over 350 species of birds have been reported in Bharatpur and the residents vary between different months of the year. In Summer terrestrial birds like red wattled lapwing, grey partridge, black partridge, common quail, bush quail, pea fowl, jungle fowl, etc., nest on the ground along with the resident bird like the Sarus cranes.

The best time for bird watching is early morning when the birds are feeding their young ones or around sunset when the birds return from their trips to the surrounding fields etc. The park is open from 6am to 6pm. Vehicles are allowed only till Shanti Kutir in the park, after which only cycles and cycle rickshaws are allowed or one can go on foot. The best way to see the park is either on bicycle or rickshaw, opt for the bicycle if you are an avid birder or are planning to take along a guide. TIP Hire a rickshaw from outside the park or better still tell your hotel manager to arrange for one who picks you up from the hotel in the morning. Insist on a registered rickshaw puller, as they also serve as trained bird watching guides and will help you identify the various birds with their english names.TIP Carry a good binocular and you can hire one at the entrance. To help you identify the birds and make the whole thing more enjoyable a bird book like the one by the great ornithologist Salim Ali will be very useful. TIP Don't waste too much too much time before Shanti Kutir searching for birds as you will find most of them beyond that.

This spectacular bird sanctuary is historical in its own way. The Maharaja of Bharatpur is credited for its creation in 1890, though conservation was the last thing on his mind. He got a large area enclosed with embankments and further divided it with earthen dams called ’bunds’ creating a large number of marshes and lakes. Thus, Bharatpur is mainly an artificial creation. The government banned the indiscriminate shooting of birds in 1965. Conservation efforts originally started by Dr. Salim Ali received a further impetus when the area was deemed a national park in March 1982. In 1985, Bharatpur was accepted as a World Heritage Site. Bharatpur hosts a variety of bird species from across the globe. Close to 380 species of birds are found in this 29 sq km stretch, approximately 10 sq km of which comprises of marshes and bogs. Rest of the area comprises of scrublands, grasslands and more than 44,000 trees that are used for nesting by birds each year. This rather intriguing blend of marshes, woodland and flora found here represents and, at the same time, substantiates the density and diversity of the region’s forest cover.

Climate
Summer Max 45.0 degree C Min. 37.0 Degree C
Winter Max:31.7 degree C Min. 7.0 Degree C
Altitude : 100m
Rainfall : Low to moderate, 2003 has been a good year for the rains.



Where to Stay
Accomodation is available at theForest Lodge (ITDC), Saras Tourist Bungalow (RTDC), Shanti Kutir, Forest Rest House and private hotels near the park.

How to reach

• By Air
  The nearest airport is Agra which is about 55 km.
• By Rail
  Regular rail services connect Bharatpur with several cities on Delhi-Mumbai trunk route. Rail services also connects Bharatpur with Jaipur and Agra.
• By Road
  A network of bus services links Bharatpur with several cities within and outside Rajasthan.

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