Keoladeo Ghana National Park is one of the men made National park as well as the wetland of India that is being managed by men. This park helps in the protection of Bharatpur from regular floods and also provides the grazing grounds for the local village cattle. This park was used as the waterfowl hunting ground by the people. This forest reserve of about 29 km (18 mi) area is locally known as Ghana that is the assortment of dry grasslands, woodland swamps, woodland and wetlands. This park provides the These sundry habitat for about 366 species of birds, about 379 species of flora, 13 species of snakes, about 50 species of fishes, 7 species of amphibians, 5 species of lizards, 7 species of turtle and many species of other invertebrates. For the purpose of winter breeding etc this park is being visited by thousands of migratory waterfowl every year. This Sanctuary is being considered as one of the affluent habitat for the birds breeding in the world. This park is famous for not only its nesting birds but also the other migrating birds that also include the water birds too. This park is also being visited by the rare Siberian cranes but the population of these cranes has got extinct now. In view of Sir Peter Scott this sanctuary is the best area in the world for the birds.

General Information

History

The sanctuary was developed about 250 years ago that was being named due to the presence of famous Keoladeo (Shiva) temple situated on the boundaries of this sanctuary. In the beginning this park was developed as the natural depression that was flooded after the construction of the Ajan Bund by Maharaja Suraj Mal who was the ruler of the significant state of Bharatpur during the period 1726–1763. This bund was constructed at the convergence of two main rivers namely the Gambhir and Banganga. Traditionally this park acts as the hunting ground for the rulers of Bharatpur back to 1850. In the honor of the British Viceroys the duck shoot was organized every year. In 1938 the Governor General of India named as Lord Linlithgow use to kill about 4,273 birds like mallards and teals.

On 10th March 1982 this park was developed as the national park. On the bases of the private shooting of the duck by the rulers of Bharatpur during 1850’s this park was designed as the bird Sanctuary on 13th March 197 and as the Ramsar site in October 1981 as the WetlandConvention. In 1964 the last big shoot was held, however the maharajas of Bharatpur retained this right till 1972. In 1985 under the world Heritage Convention this park was declared as the World Heritage Site. This forest has been declared as the reserve forest under the provisions of the Rajasthan Forest Act, 1953 and hence it is the property of the State Government ofRajasthan of the India. Due to the day to day clashes of the local farmers and the Government in 1982 the cattle grazing was banned by the Government in the park.

Best Time To Visit- Detailed Information

Best time to visit this park is in the months of November to March

Distance From - National Park

Jaipur airport is the only nearest airport that is available from this park. Many flights forMumbai, Varanasi, Lucknow and Delhi can be taken from this airport. The other second nearest airport is the Delhi airport. Bharatpur junction is the nearest railway station that is about 5 km from this park. There are many good roads that connect Bharatpur from other parts of India. Visitors can also use their own vehicles for traveling. Bus services are also available from various big cities like Delhi (184 km), Jaipur (176 km), Mathura (39 km), Alwar (117 km) and other surrounding areas. Bharatpur is the stoppage for many long route trains like from New Delhi (New Delhi – Mumbai and Agra – Jaipur route). Bharatpur is easily reached by train or bus, although private taxis from New Delhi or Agra can be employed. The Park gate is close to the bus stand and railway station

How To Get There

Bharatpur of Rajasthan is situated in the south west side of New Delhi on NH- 11. Bharatpur is being connected by the road to Agra (60km), New Delhi(175 km via Fatehpur Sikri and Agra) and Jaipur (180 km). There are many express trains that start from New Delhi (N Delhi - Mumbai and Agra - Jaipur route) have their stoppage at Bharatpur. One can reach Bharatpur very easily by boarding the train or bus. The private taxis are also available from New Delhi and Agra. The main gate of this park is very close to the railway station as well as the bus stand of Bharatpur.

Things To Do In - National Park

The best time for the visitors to visit this park is between months of October to February when the visitors can see a variety of the migratory birds. During the period other than above it can also be visited after poor monsoon. However at this time this park is dry and bird-free.

Due to the popularity of this park as the habitat of various species of the nesting as well as the migratory birds in the world, near about 100,000 visitors visits this every year. The visitors include the outside visitors, Ornithologists and the students of the school and colleges as well. Out of the total visitors the number of the foreign tourists is about 45,000 per year. The number of visitors is also too much as the people who come here for visiting Agra, Fatehpur Sikri and Jaipur also use to stop here in Bharatpur for visiting this park. The park remains open whole year round from morning to evening. For the foreign the ticket is for Rs.200 and for the Indian Visitors the ticket is Rs.25. Visitors can also take their vehicles up to the Shanti Kutir that is about 1.7 kilometers inside the park by paying Rs. 50 per vehicle. After Shanti Kutir you can move further by walk, bicycle or by cycle rickshaw, Tonga. Boats can also be used if the water level is high. There are the cycle rickshaw wallah’s having the yellow plates on their rikshaws shows that they are the authorized one and also the guides having binoculars. There is also the provision of the packed lunch by the hotels. There is also the canteen on the second gate of the park where one can take a bite and also at the Forest Lodge.

Location Map

Accommodation

Hotel Sunbird

Near Bird Sanctuary Entrance Gate,
BHARATPUR -
Rajasthan - INDIA (PIN-321001)

Tele :  +91-5644-225701, 221533, 222228

The Birder's Inn

Bird Sanctuary Road
Bharatpur-321001
Rajasthan

Ph : 05644 227346, 222830
Cell : 91 9414023340
E-Mail : bookings@birdersinn.com
Web : www.birdersinn.com

Pelican Hotel,Bharatpur

Near Keoladeo National Park
Bharatpur
Rajasthan - 321001
India

Ph : 05644-24221

Tariff: Rs. 400 - 600

Includes: Double Room Only

Weather

During 1988, the average maximum temperature ranged up to 20.9° Celsius (C) in the month of January to 47.8°C in the month of May. However the average temperature ranged up to 6.8°C in the month of December to 26.5°C in the month of June. The diurnal temperature varies from 5°C in January to 50°C in the month of May. The average percentage of the humidity ranges from 62% in the month of March to 83.3% in the month of December. The average yearly precipitation of this area is about 662 millimeters (mm). The average rainfall is for about 36 days in the whole year. During 1988 their were only 32 wet days recorded experiencing only 395mm of rain.

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