Keoladeo National Park

Keoladeo National Park, formerly known as Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site located in Rajasthan, India. This former royal duck-hunting reserve of the Maharajas is now one of the world's most important bird breeding and feeding grounds. The park hosts over 370 species of birds, including thousands of migratory aquatic birds from Afghanistan, Turkmenistan, China, and Siberia during winter. It features well-maintained wetlands and walking trails for visitors to explore.

Visitors can expect to explore a vast wetland sanctuary through well-defined walking, cycling, and rickshaw trails. The park offers exceptional birdwatching opportunities with trained rickshaw pullers serving as knowledgeable ornithological guides. Visitors can observe diverse avian species in their natural habitat, along with terrestrial wildlife such as spotted deer, nilgai, jackals, and Indian rock pythons. The flat terrain allows easy exploration on foot, by bicycle, or by cycle rickshaw.

Originally developed as a royal duck-hunting reserve by the Maharajas of Bharatpur in the 1850s, the area was declared a wildlife sanctuary in 1956. It was established as Keoladeo National Park on March 10, 1982, and designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1985.

The park represents an important example of traditional wetland management practices initiated by the Maharajas of Bharatpur. It serves as a crucial stopover for migratory birds along the Central Asian Flyway and holds international significance for wetland conservation.