Keoladeo National Park National Park

Address: Keoladeo National Park (Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary), Bharatpur, Rajasthan, India

Website: https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/337

Keoladeo National Park (commonly called Keoladeo or Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary) is a managed wetland and bird reserve in Rajasthan, India, renowned for its migratory waterfowl. It was designated a national park in 1982 and inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1985.

The park supports a rich avifauna and is famous for wintering populations of migratory ducks, geese and waders; more than 350 bird species have been recorded there. Visitors use a network of tracks, hides and small boats to view large congregations of waterbirds, especially during the October-March migration season.

Originally developed as a royal duck-hunting ground in the 19th century, the wetlands were later managed as a bird sanctuary and then upgraded to national park status to protect the habitat and its migratory birds. Long-term water-management and habitat restoration have been central to the park’s conservation history.

Keoladeo lies adjacent to the city of Bharatpur in Rajasthan in north-central India, on flat alluvial plains that historically supported seasonal marshes and artificial tanks.

• Area and best season: The park covers about 29 square kilometres and is best visited between October and March when migratory waterfowl numbers are highest.

Keoladeo National Park (Bharatpur) is immediately adjacent to Bharatpur town. The park entrance is about 2 km from Bharatpur Railway Station and a short cycle-rickshaw/auto-rickshaw ride (5-10 minutes) from the station and city centre. By road it is an easy drive from Agra (approximately 55-60 km via the Agra-Bharatpur road/NH21) and from Jaipur by regular buses; local buses and taxis link Bharatpur city centre to the park gates.

• Visit at dawn during the winter migration window (roughly October-March) when migrant waterbirds are at their fullest and bring a local park guide from the entrance to locate species efficiently.
• Cover ground by hiring a bicycle or local guide at the main gate rather than walking only - that lets you reach distant wetlands and hides where many rarer birds are found before midday heat and visitor traffic increase.