Keoladeo National Park: A Birding Paradise in India

Let me begin with a photograph and a quote:

Endearing Sight of Sunrise in Keoladeo National Park

“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines, sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.” – Mark Twain

Have you ever got the feeling that what you are feeling at a particular moment is indescribable in words? That’s how I felt when I made my trip to Keoladeo Ghana National Park. Poets use sublime to describe such phenomena but you see I am not really a poet :-) Keoladeo Ghana Bird Sanctuary, a recognized UNESCO World Heritage Site located in Bharatpur, Rajasthan elicited same reaction.

You will be – as I was – amazed to see the variety of avian species in the Sanctuary. Ghana, as it is known locally due to its rich vegetation, is a mosaic of dry grasslands, woodlands, woodland swamps, and wetlands. Established as a National Park on 10^th of March 1982, these diverse habitats are home to 366 bird species, 379 floral species, 50 species of fish, 13 species of snakes, 5 species of lizards, 7 amphibian species,7 turtle species, and a variety of other invertebrates – details courtesy WIKI which fortunately I have written so no plagiarism you see :-)

Map-of-Keoladeo-National-Park

Black Headed Ibis

Common Parakeet

Frolicking Painted Storks in the Bird Sanctuary

A startling fact about the creation of this bird sanctuary is that it was first meant to be shooting preserve and none less than Lord Curzon himself inaugurated the first duck shoot in Keoladeo National Park. Awkward though it may sound but if not for the incentive of bird shooting this bird sanctuary would never have created. The plaque inside the park mentions that on that one single day of inauguration over 540 birds were killed by 17 shooters.

Riding bicycle really got me excited and such was the excitement – it was years since I last rode one – that for initial few moments I was immersed in riding around the serene and verdant landscape of the park. But then I spotted a group of Painted Stork and Eureka! I was brought back to reality that I was on a birding tour.

According to the books and facts there are as many as 350 bird species which you can spot at Keoladeo Ghana National Park. But I guess this number is total number of species visiting the sanctuary over the period of one year. There were more than 40 species which I could spot in the park and my visit lasted around 5 hours. I shot over 30 species of bird – don’t be alarmed I used my camera to shoot them :P

Great Egret and Terge Taerg – Reflections

Grey-Heron

Mammals of Keoladeo – Posse of Sambhar

As I mentioned earlier words fall short to describe what I actually felt at the moment. Vast stretches of wetlands, pervading calm, eclectic mélange of avifauna, mesmerizing environs, friendly visitors – I must mention the Swedish lady because of whom I was able to capture the picture of Kingfisher – and the bicycle ride in the park was an unforgettable experience.

Our Transportation – Rs 40 for Each Bicycle

We – my friends and I – arrived before sunrise and not surprisingly there were a number of visitors arriving even as we parked our vehicle and almost all of them were from foreign countries – an advantage I guess of being the UNESCO World Heritage Site. Most of the visitors took to bicycles and you will find out shortly that taking the bicycle is the best option to explore the riches of this sanctuary. The park is quite big and it’s almost impossible to cover the whole park on foot. Bicycle not only saves your time considerably, but allows you to stop and shoot – from your camera – as (and when) you like it.

Breathtaking Panorama Early Morning in Park

Wetland Panorama – Charming Landscapes of Sanctuary

Kingfisher Spotted in Bird Sanctuary

As a recent traveler to this bird sanctuary I’ll definitely leave you with a few things to expect at the park. Do take a bicycle or rickshaw at the entry gate. Whereas the old model of cycle costs INR 20, the trendier cycles will cost you INR 40. This time of the season, don’t expect boating. We were told that currently boating option is unavailable. The park is quite big but to have best chances of spotting various birds you should arrive well before dawn. A trip to this national park is a must to do thing if you are a traveler and have interest in birding. From this park we went ahead to visit Fatehpur Sikri and Sikandra. An accounting of these two breathtaking destinations will be due :-)

An Abandoned Thatched Cottage inside the Keoladeo National Park

Point of Views – Mammals, Birds and Misty Wetland in Keoladeo

Now for the facts:

Tickets: Rs 200 per foreign visitor and Rs 25 for Indian visitor.

Bicycle charges: Rs 20 for old model hero cycles and Rs 40 for more suave new-gen cycles :-)

Open from: Sunrise till sunset

Mode of transportation inside the park: You can choose to walk, bicycle, or go by cycle rickshaw, Tonga or boat when the water level is high.

Accommodation inside the park: Bharatpur Forest Lodge (16 rooms) and lesser expensive Shanti Kutir

Getting there: The nearest airport is in Agra. Daily flights to Delhi, Mumbai, Varanasi and Lucknow are available from Agra. The nearest railway station is Agra (55 kms). Bharatpur is connected with other parts of the nation by roads. There are regular bus services from Delhi (184 kms), Mathura (39 kms), Jaipur (176 kms), Alwar (117 kms) and adjoining areas. Many trains from New Delhi (New Delhi – Mumbai and Agra – Jaipur route) stop at Bharatpur. 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.