Bharatpur, an erstwhile princely state of the Jat rulers, was founded by the great Maharaja Suraj Mal, who also once conquered Delhi. Maharaja Suraj Mal built the fort at Bharatpur as also the beautiful palaces and gardens at Deeg.
The marshes of Keoladeo (area 29 sq km, established in 1956 as a bird sanctuary, 1981 as a National Park), were the private hunting reserves of the Maharajas, and was developed in the late 19th century by creating small dams to collect rain water and by feeding it with an irrigation canal. Over the years, the lakes attracted great numbers of waterfowl and the Maharajas held grand shoots with family, friends and visiting dignitaries.
The Park has over 400 resident and migrant bird species, including the Common, Demoiselle and the rare Siberian Cranes. As well as mammals like Striped Hyena, Fishing Cat, Golden Jackal, Jungle Cat, Nilgai, Sambar, Blackbuck, wild Boar and Indian Python.
The Park is open through the year. Best months are August-March
The marshes of Keoladeo (area 29 sq km, established in 1956 as a bird sanctuary, 1981 as a National Park), were the private hunting reserves of the Maharajas, and was developed in the late 19th century by creating small dams to collect rain water and by feeding it with an irrigation canal. Over the years, the lakes attracted great numbers of waterfowl and the Maharajas held grand shoots with family, friends and visiting dignitaries.
The Park has over 400 resident and migrant bird species, including the Common, Demoiselle and the rare Siberian Cranes. As well as mammals like Striped Hyena, Fishing Cat, Golden Jackal, Jungle Cat, Nilgai, Sambar, Blackbuck, wild Boar and Indian Python.
The Park is open through the year. Best months are August-March
Other Travel Attractions |
 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 invincible Lohagarh Fort, which remained unconquered despite several attacks by the British regime.  Deeg Palace : Situated just 32-kms away from Bharatpur is the Deeg Palace. A strong and massive fortress, Deeg Palace was the summer resort of the rulers of Bharatpur and houses numerous beautiful palaces and gardens. |
Best Time to Visit Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary |
Bharatpur Wildlife Sanctuary is open throughout the year, still the ideal visiting months are from August-November for resident breeding birds and October- February for migrant birds. |
Trips within Bharatpur |
 There are well-defined forest trails, which can easily be covered on foot or on a cycle or you can also hire a rickshaw that are available on hire. Rickshaw pullers have been trained by the park management in bird watching and are quite knowledgeable. Boats are also available on hire. A early morning boat trip or a late evening one is quite a rewarding experience to check out the hidden surprises of Bharatpur. |
How to Get there |
Air : The nearest airport is situated at Agra, which is 56-kms from Bharatpur. |
Rail: Regular rail services connect Bharatpur with all the major cities of India such as Delhi, Mumbai, Jaipur and Agra. The Bharatpur railway station is 6-kms from the park |
Road : An excellent network of roadway services connects Bharatpur to all the major cities of the Rajasthan and its neighbouring states like Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana. Bharatpur is well connected by road from Agra (56-kms, 5 hours), Delhi (176-kms, 5 hours) and Jaipur (176-kms, 6 hours), all of which have airport facilities too. |
General Info / Tips |
Note : Do not forget to carry a binoculars for watching the birds. bird watching depend greatly on season, timing, and patience, so its better to visit the sanctuary during the visiting period. |
