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The Keoladeo Ghana National Park
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, the
Maharaja of Bharatpur diverted water from a nearby irrigation canal and, within a few years, birds began to settle in vast numbers. The
Maharaja was compelled not by conservationist motives, but by the desire to have a ready supply of waterfowl, affording fine shooting (and dining) possibilities.
The best time to visit the sanctuary is from October to late February when many migratory birds can be seen, including the highly endangered Siberian crane.
The park is open 6 am to 6 pm daily.
Entry is Rs 20/100
for Indians/foreigners, which entitles you to enter the park as many times as you wish in one day.
A still camera is free, but there's a whopping Rs 200 video charge.
There's also an entry fee for bicycles (Rs 3) and cycle-rickshaws (Rs
5).
A horse-drawn tonga costs Rs 60 per hour (maximum six people).
Motorised vehicles are prohibited beyond the checkpoint, so the only way of getting around is by foot, bicycle or cycle-rickshaw.
Click
here
for a picture gallery
Getting inside and around the park
Only those cycle-rickshaws authorised by the government (recognisable by the yellow plate bolted onto the front) are allowed inside the park - beware of anyone who tells you otherwise! Although you don't pay entry fees for the drivers of these cycle-rickshaws, you'll be
paying up for Rs 30 per hour if you take one and they'll expect a tip on top of that. Some of the drivers actually know a lot about the birds you'll see.
An experienced ornithologist guide will cost around Rs 35 per hour (maximum five people), Rs 75 (more than five people).
Guides can be hired at the park entrance.
Bicycles
An excellent way to see the park is to hire a bicycle. There are bikes for hire at the park entrance for Rs 20 per day. Some hotels rent bicycles as well. This allows you to easily avoid the bottlenecks which inevitably occur at the nesting sites of the larger birds. It's just about the only way you'll be able to watch the numerous king fishers at close quarters - noise or human activity frightens them away. A bicycle also enables you to avoid clocking up a large bill with a rickshaw driver. If you plan to visit the sanctuary at dawn (one of the best times to see the birds), you should hire your bicycle the day before. The southern reaches of the park are virtually devoid of tourists, and so are much better than the northern part for serious bird watching.
Boats
Boats can be hired for Rs 80 per hour (maximum four people). They are a very good way of getting close to the wild life.
Some Trivia:
Keoladeo continued to supply the Maharajas' tables until as late as 1965. An inscription on a pillar near the small temple in the park bears testimony to the
Maharajas' penchant for hunting. It reveals that on one day alone, over 5000 ducks were shot!
A small display of photos, stuffed birds, nests and aquatic species found in the park's lakes is at the main entrance to the park (free entry).
According to recent reports, around 354 species of birds have been identified at the beautiful Keoladeo sanctuary.
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