Keoladeo Ghana National Park

Only 56 kilometres from Agra, this quite accessible bird sanctuary is best visited during winter when a large number of migratory birds congregate here. More than 350 species of birds have been identified and you can watch them real close. Founded by a ruler of Bharatpur, this was actually a royal shooting ground-- a semiarid land filled with water from a nearby irrigation canal where birds came to settle in large numbers. Shooting butts were laid out across small dykes that divided the waterbody into smaller portions. Today, visitors can walk along these dykes; a paved road cuts across the sanctuary. The trees lined by the waterside are full of mixed bird colonies. It is also the wintering ground of the rare Siberian Crane.

The bird sanctuary was made into a national park in 1981 and subsequently recognised as a UNESO World Heritage Site. The nearby town of Bharatpur has nothing much of interest except the Lohagarh Fort that houses a museum exhibiting sculptures, paintings, weapons and animal trophies.

BASICS

STD Code: 05644.

Airport: Agra. Then by road to Bharatpur.
Rail: Bharatpur railway station lies on the main route between Delhi and Mumbai.
Road: Major distances:
Agra-- 56 kilometres
Mathura-- 36 kilometres
Fatehpur Sikri-- 22 kilometres
Deeg-- 35 kilometres
There are regular bus services from Bharatpur to Jaipur, Agra, Fatehpur Sikri and Deeg.

Best time: November to March is the best time, the number of migratory birds can fluctuate but usually peaks around January.

Accommodation: Within the bird sanctuary there is only a forest bungalow and a top-end ITDC hotel. The rest of the hotels are along the approach road to the bird sanctuary.
ITDC Bharatpur Forest Lodge (22760), Rajasthan Tourism's Hotel Saras (Tel: 23700), Spoonbill Hotel & Restaurant (Tel: 23571), Falcon Guest House (Tel: 23815), Hotel Sangam (Tel: 25616), Hotel Sunbird (Tel: 25701).

Local Transport: Autorickshaws and cyclerickshaws will reach you to the gates of the national park. You can either hire an approved cyclerickshaw (identifiable by their yellow metal plate) or a bicycle. But the most convenient way is to walk.

Contact: Rajasthan Tourism's Tourist Reception Centre
C/o. Hotel Saras, Bharatpur.
Tel: (05664) 22542.