Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary Guide

The Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary is one of the best and famous wildlife sanctuaries in India. It is the only wildlife sanctuary in India that is artificially made by a Maharaja.

One of the finest bird parks in the world, Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary (Keoladeo Ghana National Park) is a reserve that offers protection to faunal species as well. Nesting indigenous water- birds as well as migratory water birds and waterside birds, this sanctuary is also inhabited by Sambar, Chital, Nilgai and Boar.

More than 300 species of birds are found in this small wildlife park of 29-sq-kms of which 11-sq-kms are marshes and the rest scrubland and grassland. Keoladeo, the name derives from an ancient Hindu temple, devoted to Lord Shiva, which stands at the centre of the park. 'Ghana' means dense, referring to the thick forest, which used to cover the area.

Bharatpur Wildlife Sanctuary/ National Park is open throughout the year but the ideal visiting months are from August-November for resident birds and October- February for migratory bird.Bharatpur is located on the fringes of the Thar desert. This marshy land has very warm climate. Summers are invariably hot and winters are not very cold. Carry light cottons during summers and woollens during winters. Rainfall is less but sufficient.

Places to see around Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary

Bharatpur Govenment Museum
One of the major attention grabber after the Bharatpur sanctuary is Government Museum of Bharatpur, which provides a glimpse of the past royal splendour of Bharatpur.

Bharatpur Palace
Not far from the museum is the Bharatpur Palace, an marvellous structural blend of Mughal and Rajput architecture.

Lohagarh Fort
The Lohagarh Fort in the Bharatpur National Park has survived several attacks by the British regime.

Deeg Palace
The beautiful Deeg Palace is situated 32-kms away from Bharatpur. The strong and massive fortress was once the summer resort and boasts of numerous beautiful palaces and gardens.

ACCESSIBILITY

Air : The nearest airport is situated at Agra, which is 56-kms from Bharatpur. Delhi is 184 Kms from Bharatpur.

Rail : The Bharatpur railway station is only at 6 Km from the park and is well connected by rail services to major cities of India including Delhi, Jaipur, Mumbai and Agra.

Road : An excellent road network connects Bharatpur to all the major towns of the Rajasthan like Agra, Jaipur, Delhi and its neighbouring states like Uttar Pradesh and Haryana.