Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary, also known as the Keoladeo Ghana National Park, lies at the town of Bharatpur in the state of Rajasthan with its border touching Uttar Pradesh. The total area of 29 sq km of the sanctuary is surrounded mainly with kadam trees and grasslands and also has several lakes within its premises. Maharaja of Bharatpur founded it as a shooting reserve in the 19th century AD by redirecting the water from the irrigation canal. It was given the status of the Bird Sanctuary in 1956 while it was upgraded to the status of a National Park in 1982.
Due to its invaluable importance in preserving the natural habitat of the wildlife particularly the birds, Keoladeo Ghana National Park is received the status of the World Heritage Site. The rare birds found in the Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary include cormorants, cranes, ducks ,egrets, geese, ibises, pelicans and painted stork. The most famous among the migratory birds are the Siberian Cranes that can be spotted during the winter season. Besides the birds, Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary provide shelter to several mammals and reptiles such as blackbuck, blue bulls, deer, fishing cat, jackal and otter.
To enter the Keoladeo Ghana National Park, all the visitors have to acquire an entry permit from the Warden or the Ranger at the entrance of the gate. The entry fees for the foreigners is INR 200 while for the Indians, it is INR 25. There I extra charges for the cameras and photographic equipments.
The tourists can visit Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary all through the year but the best time to spot the birds especially the Siberian Cranes is during the winters. The tourists can plan their visit between the months of October and February.
The accommodation facilities for the tourists are good at Bharatpur. There are number of hotels, wildlife resorts, forest lodges and guest houses where the guests can stay in comfort and luxury during the period of their stay. The accommodation facilities also include heritage properties.
You can check out the following wildlife resorts at Bharatpur:
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