India has many tourist attractions which make it a big hit with visitors, who come here from all over the world. Apart from natural beauty, beaches, hill stations, India is a home to several wildlife sanctuaries and national parks. Periyar National Park, Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary, Ranthambore National Park, Sariska Tiger Reserve and Kumarakom National Park are famous names in the list. If you talk about wildlife tour in India, the land comes up with several wonderful options. One of them I visited which I would like to share with you.

I was taken aback when my boss offered me to come along with him to Ranthambore. With a group of four colleagues, I looked forward to an exciting trip. Ranthambore National Park is one of the most famous national parks and wildlife sanctuaries in Northern India. Located in the Sawai Madhopur district of southeastern Rajasthan, it was the former hunting ground of the Maharajas of Jaipur.

After a long tiring journey by Jodhpur Express, we reached Jaipur. Jaipur is around 132 km from Ranthambore. There we stayed over at a good hotel already booked for us. While enjoying our dinner at hotel we shared knowledge about this park and slept peacefully.

The next morning, we started our jeep safari to the Ranthambore National Park. This five-hour ride took us through the entire park and we had the best glimpses of the flora and fauna. As we reached the park we saw a board which said that the park was open from October, November till end January and then from April to mid and then from May to end of June. So we can say that the best time to visit the park is from 1st October to 30th June.

The early morning jeep ride was very chilly but as we covered ourselves with sweatshirt, gloves and muffler, we were enjoying being in dense forests. Graylag Goose, Padam Talao, Indian Hornbill, Great Crested Grebe, Snipes, Flamingos, Shrikes and Sparrows were some of the birds in our list we could see during our visit to park.

As we moved ahead, I was expecting to see a tiger. But we got to see some Nilgai, Chinkara, Jungle Cats, the Mole Rat, Indian Fox and Porcupines. We all were excited to see the animals freely roaming around. We also saw Mongoose, the five striped palm Squirrels and the Vampires. It was a real fun to see some water bodies like frog and toad in the jeep safari.

The next morning my boss decided to set out to spot tigers. Two of my colleagues relaxed in the hotel. I accompanied my boss and we left early morning. We reached the rock and found some tigress. Some other tourists were also excited to see the tigress and their excitement created an atmosphere of commotion.

The tour guide told us that we could not make noise so all the commotion settled and we waited to catch the best glimpses of tiger and finally we did it. I captured a few good shots there. While making our way back, we also saw some monkeys hanging from the branches. Finally, we moved towards our hotel.

I was glad to visit the best wildlife tourist spot, Ranthambore National Park.

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Chirping of birds on rooftop always captivated my attention and often leads me to follow it hopping. Since my childhood days, birds the colorful flying creatures always remained close to my heart. For me birds are among the best creations of nature. They are small, colorful with melodious tune of expression.

In order to have the best glimpses of this mystic creature I visited the Keoladeo National Park or Keoladeo Ghana National Park formerly known as the Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary in Rajasthan. It is one of the world’s best wetland eco-systems that supports over 350 species of birds out of which every third one is a migrant. This rich collection of bird species makes this place a paradise for birds lover, research ground for Ornithologists and perfect place for birds photographers.

I booked a room in the Bharatpur Forest Lodge in order to enjoy this mystic place at its best. The lodge is located in the middle of the bird sanctuary which provides mystic views of the surroundings. Next morning after having my breakfast I took my camera and went deep into the woods.

No vehicles are allowed here so this place can be visited by the approved cycle-rickshaws that ply inside the park or by electric van. But for me the best way to explore is on foot following jungle trail. Amidst jungle the calmness of nature is shattered through bird’s cacophony. It is really tough to identify any particular bird’s sound among these.

I wandered here and there following one bird but soon it was out of my vision and I started following another. I enjoyed this colorful and lively hide and seek game with birds. Every time I tried to concentrate on a particular bird species, soon the consistency was broken by another colorful bird which flies overhead making a peculiar sound.

The Bharatpur National Park houses wide varieties of birds. Some of them are Pelicans, Spoonbills, Wheatears, Flycatchers, Larks, Buntings, Ibis, Cranes, Hawks, Eagles, Pipits, Hawks, Larks, Shanks, Grey Herons, Warblers and many more.

Amidst this National Park there is a pond which is among the main attractions because it is the center stage of bird activities. This was the most fascinating place I had ever visited in my life. Here one can see several bird species involved in different activities like playing, eating, singing and dancing. Until the day drew to a close I stayed back at the pond so that I could enjoy birds roosting. It is the time when birds return to their nests in evening and in groups they make loud noise. It is the perfect time to watch several species of birds at a time.

After enjoying my long cherished dream I returned to the forest lodge from where I checked out and left for Delhi. During my return journey I continuously scrolled images in my camera which I had captured during this enchanting trip.

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There are people who value their gardens more for being full of birds than of cherries. I am one among those. I love to give them fruits for their songs. Sometimes I consider them the inspiration of my poetry. I declared myself a bird lover when I saved one going to be killed by a cat. I was in 7th standard when this incident happened. Since then I am in love with these colourful and pretty creatures. Surprisingly, I got a chance to visit Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary in Rajasthan with my colleagues.

While driving to the National Park, Munna – my driver – told me that over 300 species of birds have made this sanctuary their home. August to November is the period for resident breeding birds while October to February is for migrant birds. Munna also told me that the sanctuary was created 250 years ago and is named after a Keoladeo temple (dedicated to Lord Shiva) within its boundaries.

As I arrived my hotel, I found a guide book on Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary at the reception. I asked the manager if I could take that along with me in my room, to which he agreed happily. The guide book said that the entire reserved park was once a hunting ground for the Maharajas of Bharatpur. Stretching up to 29 sq km, this ‘Ornithologist’s Paradise‘ is the only man made wildlife sanctuary in India. Also known as Keoladeo Ghana National Park, Bharatpur was declared a national park on 10 March 1982, and accepted as a World Heritage Site in December 1985. I spent the entire day in leisure savoring the authentic cuisine of Rajasthan .

Next morning, I headed towards the park with Munna. The very first attraction we came across were nesting indigenous water birds. Facilities for a bicycle or rickshaw are also available for the tourists inside the park, but Munna asked me to cover the forest trails on foot. It was a nice way to have a closer look at the attractions of the park. Unfortunately I could not spot any of the migratory birds like Cranes, Pelicans, Shanks, Stints, Wagtails, Warblers, Wheatears, Flycatchers, Buntings, Larks and Pipits etc. that were mentioned in Bharatpur Travel Guide. In the afternoon I spotted a few Geese, Ducks, Eagles and Hawks near the small waterway.

What made my day was a closer view of wildcats, Sambar, Chital, Chinkara, Blackbuck, Nilgai and wild boar in the dense greens. I captured them all in my camera. Munna insisted me to pay short visits to Bharatpur Govenment Museum, Bharatpur Palace and Lohagarh Fort but I, being very tired, scheduled other attractions for the next day. I returned back to the hotel with a question: If God loved birds and made trees for them, why the hell we designed cages for them?

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