Location:
RajasthanDistance: Approximately 185 km
Total Area: 29 sq km
Best Time to Visit: August to November (resident birds)
October to February (migratory birds)
Main Attractions: Birds, Sambar, Hyena, Nilgai, etc
Bharatpur, the pride of Rajasthan, is the perfect place to go if you love to watch exotic birds frolicking away in their natural habitat. The sanctuary boasts of the title of a World Heritage Site that was awarded to it way back in the year 1985, three years after it was declared as a national park. Not only is the Bharatpur Wildlife Sanctuary one of the most popular sanctuaries in India, it is also the only sanctuary that has not been made by nature. In the other words, it is the only sanctuary in the country that was created artificially.
The credit was the establishment of the Bharatpur National Park, also known as Keoladeo Ghana National Park, goes to Maharaja of Bharatpur, who took the initiative to build an artificial lake and dam. The area around the dam gradually developed into an ecosystem and started supporting a wide variety of plant as well as animal life. There is a Lord Shiva temple situated inside the premises of the national park, after which it was named as Keoladeo. The best time for visit is August to November (resident birds) & October to February (migratory birds).
Flora
As far as the landscape of the Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary is concerned, we can find the vegetation comprising mainly of scrubland and grassland, along with marshes. Apart from that, one can also see large-scale cultivation of acacias - the result of an afforestation program carried sometime back.
Birds
As many as 300 species of birds, including resident and migratory birds, have made Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary their natural abode. Infact, you fill find so many Siberian Cranes here in winters that it will look as if the birds have made it their second home. Birds from Central Asia as well as other parts of the world are seen visiting the Keoladeo Ghana National Park on an yearly basis. These include Ducks, Larks, Wagtails, Eagles, Cranes, Flycatchers, Hawks, Geese, Wheatears, Shanks, Pipits, Pelicans, Stints, Buntings, Warblers, Ducks, etc.
Animals
Bharatpur Wildlife Sanctuary serves as abode not only to birds, but also a number of wild animals. Amongst the animals found roaming within the premises of the sanctuary, the most popular ones are Sambar, Chital, Jackal, Nilgai, Hyena, Fishing Cat, Jungle Cat, Wild Boar, Blackbuck, etc.
Accommodation
There is no dearth of accommodation options in one of the most popular bird sanctuaries of India. Be it luxury hotels, heritage hotels or budget hotels, Bharatpur has it all. Hotel Laxmi Vilas Palace and Chandra Mahal Haveli are amongst the popular heritage hotels of the place. If you want to stay in the proper lodges, Bharatpur Forest Lodge is not far away.