Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary Tour

Creation of the Sanctuary

Spread over an area of 29sqkm, Bharatpur bird sanctuary is a manmade wetland, shaped in 1890, by creating embankment and earthen dams. This turned the land into a marsh that attracted a whole lot of ducks and fowl which were hunted by the royals. The grounds hold a record of 4273 birds, shot in a single day, by a shooting party of 17. The area, an interesting combination of marshes, bogs, scrubs, grasslands, and a lake; was declared a national park in 1985, and has since been a birder’s paradise.

Inhabitants of Keoladeo Ghana National Park

The sanctuary is home to over 370 birds, including the most elusive Siberian Crane and the tall & majestic Sarus cranes that are every visitor’s delight. Various species of cranes, pelicans, storks, geese, ducks, eagles, hawks, shanks, stints, wagtails, warblers, wheatears, flycatchers, buntings, larks and pipits migrate to the bogs of Bharatpur. Local birds like Indian darter, species of ducks, egrets, herons, storks, cormorants and peacock make Bharatpur their home.

Mammals & Other Species

Bharatpur is not only the realm of the birds but also home to some mammals like sambar, chital, fox, striped hyena, golden jackal, blackbucks, jungle cat, nilgai, and wild boar that inhabit the deeper jungles.

Avian Safari in Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary

Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary offers you various ways to take a bird safari in the park. Rent a bicycle to ride along the marked path, go for a horse cart, or cycle rickshaw safari where the driver doubles as a tour guide and points out various birds to you. You may also take a boat safari in the lake to watch the waterfowls much closer.

Best Time to Visit

The best time to sight the resident birds starts after the monsoons, from August onwards, when the lake & the bogs fill with water and attract the birds. Migratory birds visit here from the end of October to February, and therefore it is peak season for tourists and birdwatchers to visit.

How to Reach

By Air- Agra Airport, around 50kms from Bharatpur, is connected to all major cities in India.
By Rail- A well-developed network of trains connect Bharatpur to all major Indian cities.

By Road- Bharatpur is well-connected to all major cities in the country with a well-maintained network of highways & expressways.