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Bird Watching Vacations
Bird Watching Vacation Package
Bird Watching Holidays
Destination: Delhi-Agra-Ranthambhore-Bharatpur
Duration: 10 Nights/ 11 Days
DAY 01 DELHI
Arrive Delhi from your home country by midnight. Garland
welcome, assistance and transfer to hotel. O/n Hotel.
DAY 02 DELHI
Morning after breakfast we drive towards Okhla barrage,
here we can easily see 80 or more species of birds.
Afternoon leisurely visit to Baha'I Temple (Lotus Temple)
- architecturally it is a remarkably striking building,
constructed in 1980 - 81. It is built out of white marble
and in the characteristic Baha'I temple shape of a lotus
flower - 45 lotus petals form the walls - which internally
creates a feeling of light and space. Drive towards
south direction to visit Qutb Minar, which is 73 m high
and consists of five storeys. Lateron we drive to visit
India Gate - this war memorial is situated at the eastern
end of Rajpath. Designed by Lutyens, it commemorates
more than 70,000 Indian soldiers who died in the First
World War. Afterthat visit Rashtrapati Bhavan, once
the Viceroy's House, now is the official residence of
the President of India. Designed by Lutyens, it combines
western and eastern styles. Back to hotel to relax.
O/n Hotel.
DAY 03 DELHI TO SAWAI MADHOPUR
Morning free, afternoon transfer to Nizamuddin Railway
station to board express train to Sawai Madhopur at
13.15 - 17.50hrs. Upon arrival, transfer to resort located
on the outskirts of Ranthambore National Park. O/n Resort.
DAY 04 RANTHAMBORE
Ranthambhore National Park is an awesome reminder of
the great jungles that once clothed Central India; its
horizon marked by a thousand-year-old fort, which stands
in stoic silence, keeping eternal vigil over the magnificent
forests sprawled in its shadow. This fort was once the
centre of a Hindu kingdom and bears the scars of several
wars and military sieges.
The 400km2 Ranthambhore National Park famous for its
tigers was the hunting ground of the Kachhwaha rulers
of Jaipur and has a rich plant and animal life. Its
dry deciduous jungles were amongst the first nine National
Parks to be brought under Project Tiger in 1973. Some
450 species of plants provide sustenance to its herbivores
that are hunted for food by the carnivores, thus keeping
the circle of life in motion.
The 22 species of mammals listed here include the Leopard,
Sloth Bear, Hyena, Jungle Cat, Caracal, Sambar, Chital,
Nilgai, Indian Hare, Wild Boar and Mongoose besides
its prime attraction - the Royal Bengal Tiger.
Nearly 300 species of birds have been recorded here
and the Park's avifauna includes - Painted Stork, Black
Stork, White-necked Stork, Spoonbill, Bonelli's Eagle,
Crested Serpent Eagle, Grey Partridge, Painted Partridge,
Sandgrouse, Spurfowl, Common Peafowl, Pheasant-tailed
Jaçana, Great Indian Horned Owl, Indian Treepie,
Paradise Flycatcher, and Stork-billed Kingfisher among
others.
Prehistoric looking Marsh Crocodiles can be seen in
and around the lakes that dot the rugged countryside
of this extraordinary National Park and more than a
dozen varieties of reptiles are found in the forests
of Ranthambhore.
Morning and afternoon explore the park by jeep with
naturalist. O/n Resort.
DAY 05 RANTHAMBORE
Morning and afternoon jeep safari to view wildlife with
Naturalist. Rest of the day visit to the Fort or just
relax by the pool. O/n Resort.
DAY 06 RANTHAMBORE TO BHARATPUR
Early morning transfer to Sawai Madhopur railway station
to board express train to Bharatpur at 07.16 - 09.20hrs.
Upon arrival, transfer to our delightful heritage hotel
for overnight.
Punctuated by the incessant "chatter, whistle and
cheep" of innumerable species of birds, the wetlands
of Keoladeo present a scene of raucous calm. Once the
hunting preserve of the Bharatpur royalty, this exceptional
ecosystem is now one of the finest bird sanctuaries on
planet Earth, which has been declared a Ramsar Site, as
well as World Heritage Site by UNESCO. Keoladeo National
Park was previously known as Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary
and lies 174 km from Delhi and only 50 km from Agra. If
Taj Mahal is "rhapsody in marble" then definitely
Keoladeo is a "ballad of birds".
Located at the confluence of Gambhir and Banganga rivers
and spread over 29km2 of shallow lakes and woodlands,
Keoladeo National Park provides shelter to over 300 avian
species, particularly during winter when the resident
numbers multiply as a result of migrants. The freshwater
swamp with the picturesque Kadam trees, stands of Acacia
and profuse aquatic vegetation, is a habitat of various
living organisms, which serve as food for the different
species of animals.
Two-thirds of the birds listed in Keoladeo are land birds
while one-third of the species are water birds. Pintails,
teals, mallards, pochards, geese, coots, storks, curlews
and sandpipers can be seen in the lake; the heronry at
Keoladeo is indeed one of the finest in the world, with
14 species nesting and breeding in the Park. The woodlands
and pastures are alive with the gambolling of bulbuls,
babblers, sunbirds, sparrows, parakeets and orioles while
the skies are set on fire by the birds of prey like the
eagles, hawks, harriers, falcons, buzzards and vultures.
However the rarest bird, which visits Keoladeo National
Park from faraway Siberia is the globally threatened Siberian
Crane (Grus leucogeranus); in fact these wetlands are
the only wintering area of the western population of this
beautiful, endangered bird.
But all is not "feather and crow" in Keoladeo.
Non-feathered members of this largely feathered fraternity
are mammals such as the Wild Boar, Sambar, Nilgai, Chital,
Mongoose, Otter, three species of wild cats, Civets, Jackals
and also the gigantic Rock Pythons that live beyond the
Temple of Keoladeo in the heart of the Park.
Afternoon visit to the Park by Cycle Rickshaw with Naturalist.
O/n Hotel.
DAY 07 BHARATPUR
Morning and afternoon explore the bird sanctuary by Rikshaw
ride with naturlist. Rest of the day free to relax. O/n
Hotel.
DAY 08 BHARATPUR
Morning and afternoon explore the bird sanctuary by Rikshaw
ride with naturlist. Rest of the day free to relax. O/n
Hotel.
DAY 09 BHARATPUR TO AGRA
Morning after breakfast drive to Agra (about 60 kms/ 02
hrs), journey bringing us first to the Deserted Sand Stone
building of Akbar at Fatherpur Sikiri. After visiting
Fatehpur Sikri, continue to Agra to stay for overnight.
DAY 10 AGRA
Morning at sunrise, visit to India's most celebrated monument
the Taj Mahal, built as a monument of eternal love by
Shah Jahan to the bride Mumtaz, the Taj Mahal looks amazingly
graceful from almost any angle. It was built over a period
of 20 years by 20,000 laborers and craftsmen and displays
superb craftsmanship. The close up details of the Taj
Mahal is as exquisite as the overall architectural design,
with semi-precious stones and beautiful patterns covering
the marble surface.
After breakfast visit to Agra Fort, On the west end of
the Yamuna River, Akbar's magnificent fort dominates the
centre of the city. The outer walls, just over 20 m high
and faced with red sandstone, tower above the outer moat.
The fort is crescent-shaped with a long nearly straight
wall facing the river. Proceed to visit Baby Taj. Rest
of the day free to relax. O/n Hotel.
DAY 11 AGRA TO DELHI
Morning free for your own acitivies, afternoon drive to
Delhi (about 210kms/05hrs) int'l airport to board flight
to your home country by JL 472 at 19.25hrs.
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