Bharatpur Holidays

The walled town of Bharatpur in Rajasthan is just a stone’s throw from the border with Uttar Pradesh state. Boasting the massive Lohagarh Fort (built in 1732) plus traditional markets and mosque’s, it’s a good place to relax and explore. However, the real reason to come to Bharatpur is to visit Keoladeo Ghana National Park.

A UNESCO World Heritage Site, Keoladeo Ghana is rated as one of the finest bird reserves in the world. Keoladeo’s 29 sq.km of swamps and lakes constitute one of the most important breeding and migratory areas in the world, where from October - March the some 200 plus local species are joined by a further 130 species from as far afield as the Russian Steppes and Central Asia.

The sanctuary was formerly a vast semi-arid region, filling with water during the monsoon season only to rapidly dry up afterwards. To prevent this predictable cycle, the maharaja of Bharatpur diverted water from a nearby irrigation canal and, within a few years, birds began to settle in vast numbers! Back then, the maharaja wasn’t motivated by conversation, but by a desire to have plenty of waterfowl to shoot. Today, conservation reigns.

The park can be toured on foot or by bicycle rickshaw, where during a visit you may be fortunate to spot the majestic crane, spoonbills, pink flamingos, white ibis, grey pelicans, birds of prey including vultures, harriers, peregrine falcons and ospreys.