Keoladeo National Park 2024 | Keoladeo Ghana Bird Sanctuary | Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary | Keoladeo National Park Complete Travel Guide 2024 | National Parks of India | Best Time To Visit | Things to do in Keoladeo National Park 2024 | Ticket | Jungle Safari | Timing | History
Rajasthan is one such state in India, the more you try to learn about geographical features, the more this place surprises you. This state is so geographically rich that there is not only ice and seas in this state.
For every tourist coming to Rajasthan, there is a desert here, high mountains (Mount Abu), 12 months flowing rivers, dense forests, wildlife sanctuaries (Kumbhalgarh Wildlife Sanctuary), old palaces and forts (Kumbhalgarh / Ranthambore) and the glorious history of Rajasthan.
Apart from this, there is also such a place, due to which the tourists visiting Rajasthan change their thinking about this state. Situated in the Bharatpur district of Rajasthan, this national park is known as Keoladeo National Park or Keoladeo Ghana Bird Sanctuary, this national park is one of the most famous bird sanctuaries in India, in winter this sanctuary is in thousands.
Migratory birds come to migrate, this national park is home to about 370 species of birds, and during the winter season, The park is home to migratory birds. And for this reason, this national park is one of the favourite places of birdwatchers, wildlife photographers and tourists.
History of Keoladeo National Park
Keoladeo National Park is a man-made garden, Maharaja Suraj Mal of Bharatpur built this bird sanctuary 250 years ago. There is a temple of Lord Shiva in the centre of this garden which is known as Keoladeo here, hence the name of this garden was named Keoladeo.
There is a natural slope at this place, and due to this, at that time flood situation was created at this place during the rainy season, to avoid this, Maharaja Surajmal constructed the “Ajan Bund” here in the middle of 1726-1763. The dam was constructed at the site of two rivers “Gambhiri and Banganga Sangam” flowing here.
From 1850 onwards, the kings of Bharatpur started using this place as a hunting ground. Along with this, the king started organizing annual bird hunting in this zoo to keep the British Viceroy happy. In 1938, the then British Viceroy of India, Lord Linlithgow, along with his colleague Victor Hope, hunted over 4,273 birds a day, with the largest number of birds such as “Mallards and Teals” being hunted on that day.
Under the Rajasthan Forest Act 1953, this Bird Sanctuary has been included in the category of a reserved forest, the last hunting in this Bird Sanctuary was organized in 1964, and the former Maharaja of Bharatpur reserved the rights to hunt here till 1972. On 13 March 1976, the area was given the status of a Bird Sanctuary, and in October 1981, under the Wetland Convention, the place was given the status of a Ramsar site.
This Bird Sanctuary got the status of a National Park on 10 March 1982, since then the name of the Bird Sanctuary has become Keoladeo Ghana Bird Sanctuary. At the World Heritage Convention held in 1985, this National Park was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
After being declared a national park, in 1982, the government banned farming protecting domesticated cattle and taking fodder within the protected forest, leading to many violent clashes between residents and the government over the region, eventually In 2004, the government had to accept the demands of the farmers, after which the government drastically cut the water being sent to this zoo.
The water supply to this park was reduced from 15,000,000 cubic feet earlier to just 510,000 cubic feet. Since this decision of the government, there has been a huge change in the natural environment of this garden which was very terrible, after the water cut, most of the marshy land here has become pleasantly useless, resulting in those who come here for breeding.
Most migratory birds now fly away to Garhmukteshwari in Uttar Pradesh, located near the river Ganges, 90 km from this place.
Geography of Keoladeo National Park
Keoladeo National Park located in Bharatpur district of Rajasthan is a famous bird sanctuary of India as well as a famous tourist destination for wildlife lovers, this bird sanctuary attracts thousands of migratory birds throughout the year.
The number of migratory birds that come here during the winter season almost doubles. Keoladeo National Park is a man-made bird sanctuary. This national park is spread over an area of about 29 square kilometres, unlike other national parks in India, this bird sanctuary has no buffer zone.
The main reason for this is that the density of the human population is very high around this bird sanctuary, the distance of this national park from the main city of Bharatpur is only 2 kilometres and the boundaries of around 15 villages of this national park are found due to which the expansion of this national park the government can’t do.
One-third of this bird sanctuary is submerged, trees, mounds, dikes, and marshes grown with submerged plants are found in this bird sanctuary, which creates a favourable environment for the breeding of migratory birds.
Flora of Keoladeo National Park
Keoladeo National Park is also known as Keoladeo Ghana Bird Sanctuary. This national park is a man-made forest area of semi-arid and dense vegetation of Rajasthan, despite being a man-made garden, the flora of this bird sanctuary is very rich, due to which this park is also called Ghana Bird Sanctuary. , “Ghana means thick or dense”.
This region is a tropical dry deciduous forest, due to lack of water, most of the area of this forest has dried up due to this, and now dry grasslands are seen in some places here. The remaining marsh area is managed by artificially watering it here. In most of the area of this bird sanctuary, you get medium-sized trees and shrubs, in the north and east parts of the forest, there are several trees like Kadam, Jamun, and Babool.
In open marshy areas, scrubland is dominated by vegetation like Kandi, Plum, and Kerr. Pilu, a wood plant found in salty soil, is also found inside this park, the aquatic vegetation of this bird sanctuary is also very rich, which benefits the waterfowl migrating here.
Fauna of Keoladeo National Park
Apart from being a famous bird sanctuary, the wildlife of this national park is very rich, although this park does not see any big predatory animals. This national park is full of diverse vegetation such as woodlands, woodland swamps, wetlands and dry grasslands.
Similar diversity is seen in the wildlife here, in this national park there are 370 bird species, 379 flower species, 50 species of fish, 13 species of snakes, 5 species of lizards, and 7 amphibian species. Of the 10 species of turtles found in India, 7 species are found in this national park.
Birds in Keoladeo National Park
Keoladeo Ghana Bird Sanctuary is one of the most migratory bird forest areas in the world. This zoo offers a breeding-friendly environment to birds such as herons, cranes, and cormorants, and is a favourite winter migration destination for large numbers of ducks.
In this park, you will usually find waterfowl with gadwall, shoveler, common teal, cotton teal, tufted duck, knob-billed duck, little cormorant, great cormorant, Indian shag, ruff, painted stork, white spoonbill, Asian open-billed stork, oriental ibis, darter, common sandpiper, wood sandpiper, and green sandpiper are available.
If you are in good luck, the sarus crane can be seen dancing with their pair. There are also some migratory birds that you can find all year round such as warblers, babblers, bee-eaters, bulbuls, buntings, chats, Painted francolins and quails, Indian grey hornbill and Marshall’s iora.
Raptors include osprey, peregrine falcon, Pallas’ sea eagle, short-toed eagle, tawny eagle, imperial eagle, spotted eagle, and crested serpent eagle. greater spotted eagles started breeding here just a short time ago, this is a new record of breeding in India by migratory birds.
Siberian cranes used to migrate in large quantities in this national park at one time during the winter season and this park was the biggest centre of attraction, but for some time this species has not been seen in this bird sanctuary. It is estimated that the migration journey of a Siberian crane is about 5000 miles.
Animals in Keoladeo National Park
There are 27 species of mammal species found in Keoladeo National Park. In this park, you can usually see Nilgai, and Chittal Deer very easily here, Sambhar is found in very small numbers. Wild boar and Indian porcupine are often seen in the fields of farmers outside the boundaries of this garden.
Two species of mongoose are found in this park, Small Indian mongoose and Indian Gray mongoose. In the cat species, the Jungle cat and fishing cat are seen. Asian palm civets and small Indian civets are also in this bird sanctuary, but perhaps some tourists may have seen them.
Among the small carnivores of this park, you can also find smooth-coated otters, golden jackals, striped hyenas, Bengal foxes and many species of rats, gerbils, and bats in the park. Primates include Rhesus Macaque and Hanuman Langur. Large predatory animals are not seen in this park.
Keoladeo National Park Complete travel guide
There are three types of safari for jungle safari in this national park – jeep safari, cycle rickshaw and bicycle. If you want to see and feel the natural environment and migratory birds up close, then you can also walk on foot in this national park, which in my view is the best and cheapest option to see this bird sanctuary.
Most tourists visiting the park like to see this bird sanctuary with the most bicycle rickshaws. If you want to go deep into the jungle, then jeep safari is also an option, but birds go away from the sound of the jeep, and due to this, your enjoyment of safari will be gritty.
Note: – In Keoladeo National Park, the Forest Department has also made arrangements for boating for tourists, but if the water level in the park decreases, then the Forest Department prohibits boating for a temporary period.
Keoladeo National Park timings
The entry time to this park is 6:30 in the winter season, and the park is open till 5:00 in the evening. Entry time to this park is 6:00 am in the summer season and the park is open until 6:00 in the evening.
Keoladeo National Park entry Fee
Indian Tourist: – Rs 50 per person
Foreign tourists: – 200 rupees per person
Mobile Camera Charge: – Nill
Video camera fee: – 200 rupees
Guide fee: – 200 rupees
Keoladeo National Park Safari Fee
Walking Safari: – Rs 50 per person (entry fee applicable only)
Bicycle rickshaw: – Rs 50 per hour
Jeep Safari: – (fees Depend on jeep safari operator) The entry fee of the vehicle in the garden is 50 rupees. (Not recommended)
Bicycles: – 50 rupees (tourist is required to submit their ID proof at the ticket counter for cycling safari)
Note:-
01 If you have come to visit this bird sanctuary by private vehicle, then you can take the vehicle to Shantivan Cottage, 2 km from the main gate of the park, the entrance fee of the train is 50 rupees.
02 There is a discount on the entry fees in the park for students.
03 Tourists must bring binoculars along to see birds from close quarters.
The best time to visit Keoladeo National Park
Keoladeo Ghana Bird Sanctuary is located in the Bharatpur district of Rajasthan. The climate of Rajasthan is very hot, from March to the onset of monsoon in July, the summer temperature in this state easily reaches 50 degrees.
This has a direct effect on the migratory birds of this sanctuary, due to which migratory birds move away from this place during the summer season and only a few species of local birds are seen in this park. The rains are very low in Rajasthan even during the monsoon season, after the water is flooded in the marshy ground of this garden, small islands are formed here which have created a favourable environment for breeding migratory birds.
Due to the marshy land here, the soil of this garden becomes very slippery during the monsoon season, which is not right for tourism. The monsoon departs after September and by October, the cold starts increasing here.
The cold season is the best time for breeding migratory birds, and during the winter season, thousands of migratory birds come to migrate to this bird sanctuary. If you are also planning to see this bird sanctuary, then the winter season will be the best for you.
Hotels in Keoladeo National Park
As Asia’s most famous bird sanctuary, Keoladeo is visited by more than 100,000 tourists every year, of which more than half are foreign tourists. The distance of this park from Bharatpur is just 2 kilometres. Due to being a famous wildlife sanctuary, the outer area of this park has many small restaurants and hotels for eating and drinking.
Apart from this, Bharatpur Forest Lodge and Shantivan Cottage run by ITDC are maintained in the garden which is good and inexpensive. The rest of the park has a lot of hotels and resorts around which you can easily book hotels on the online hotel booking website.
How to reach Keoladeo National Park
How to reach Keoladeo National Park By Flight
The distance from Keoladeo Ghana Bird Sanctuary to Agra Airport is just 57 kilometres, the distance of this park from Jaipur Airport is 185 kilometres and the distance of this National Park from Delhi Airport is 213 kilometres. From these three places, you will get a taxi or bus to Keoladeo National Park comfortably.
How To Reach Keoladeo National Park By Train
This park is located just 5 kilometres from the railway station of Bharatpur. The railway station of Bharatpur is very well connected to big cities like Jaipur, Agra, and Delhi.
How To Reach Keoladeo National Park By Road
To come to Keoladeo National Park, you will first have to come to Bharatpur, the distance of this park from the main city is only 2 kilometres. This park is situated on National Highway 21, due to which this park is very well connected by road, the distance of this park from Agra is only 55 kilometres, and the distance of this garden from Jaipur is 180 kilometres. To come here, you can easily come by cab or bus or your vehicle.
Near Places to Visit Keoladeo National Park
Ranthambore Fort, Ranthambore National Park, Ranthambore National Park Travel Guide, Kota, Pushkar, Amer Fort, Sariska Tiger Reserve, Jaipur Part-01, Jaipur Part – 02, Jaipur Part -03, Elephant Village, Govindev Ji Temple, Jhalana Leopard Reserve besides Uttar Pradesh is also a nearby state where Mathura, Vrindavan, and Agra can also be visited.
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