Birding Tour

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Duration : 04 Nights / 05 Days
Places Covered : Delhi - Chambal - Agra - Bharatpur

Day 01: Arrival at Delhi

On your arrival at Delhi airport / railway station on the first day of your birding tour, you will be received by the staff of India Tourism Travel and will be moved into your pre-booked hotel. We will see the following attractions of Delhi during the day:

India Gate - It is an All India War Memorial which was built in the year 1931. The monument has 90,000 names of Indian soldiers inscribed on its walls who lost their lives during the World War I. Beneath the arch is burning a "The flame of immortal soldier" or the "Amar Jawan Jyoti" in the memory of the soldiers who fought bravely and lost their lives during the Indo-Pak war of 1971. The lawns near the India Gate are always crowded with international and domestic tourists who love this place as an ideal picnic spot.

Lotus Temple - This spectacular temple is a Bahai House of Worship which is open for the people of every religion. The beautiful white marble structure of the temple, which looks like a lotus flower is one of the most sought after tourist destinations in Delhi. The construction of this magnificent temple was completed in the year 1986. Timings for visitors are 10.30 AM to 4 PM and there is no entrance fee.

Qutub Minar - It is one of the most visited sites in Delhi and is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The construction of the minaret which is built with sandstones and marble was commenced by Qutb-ud-din Aibak in 1193. It is built in Indo-Islamic architectural style.

Raj Ghat, Red Fort, Laxminarayan Temple, Delhi Haat, Rastrapati Bhawan, Humayun's Tomb, Shanti Vana are some more places that we will visit on the day before retiring to our hotel. Dinner and overnight stay will be at the hotel.

Day 02: Delhi – National Chambal Sanctuary (275kms/6hrs)
Next destination of our birding tour after Delhi will be National Chambal Sanctuary.

National Chambal Sanctuary - It is also known as National Chambal Gharial Wildlife Sanctuary. Spread over an area of 5400 km2, the sanctuary is a protected area for critically endangered Gharial, Red Crowned Roof Turtles and endangered Ganges River Dolphins which is protected under Indian Wildlife Protection Act of 1972. Some other inhabitants of the place are Muggar Crocodile, Smooth-coated Otter, Striped Hyaena, Indian Wolf, 8 rare Turtle species, Rhesus Macaque, Hanuman Langur, Golden Jackal, Bengal Fox, Common Palm Civet, Indian Small Mongoose, Indian Grey Mongoose, Jungle Cat, Wild Boar, Sambar, Nilgai, Blackbuck, Indian Gazelle (Chinkara), Northern Palm Squirrel, Porcupine, Indian Hare, Indian Flying Fox and Hedgehog etc. National Chambal Sanctuary is equally rich in flora as well.

National Chambal Sanctuary is listed as important bird watching area of India. It is home to 320 species of local and migratory birds. Apart from local birds, you can also see Siberian Cranes and winter visitors like Black-bellied Terns, Red-crested Pochard, Ferruginous Pochard and Bar-headed Goose in the sanctuary.

Day 03 : National Chambal Sanctuary – Agra – Bharatpur (130kms/2.5hrs)
On third day of our birding tour, we will start for Bharatpur and also halt at Agra en-route for quick sightseeing of the city's attractions.

Taj Mahal - Taj Mahal is the jewel of Mughal arhitecture in India. The beautiful monument is one of the seven new wonders of the world and is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It was built by Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan in the loving memory of his wife MumtaZ Mahal. Its construction was started in year 1632 and was completed in 1653. Ustad Ahmad Lahauri was the lead architect of Taj Mahal and it was built in Mughal architectural style with a slight fusion of Persian, Indian and Turkish architecture and art. The beautiful mausoleum is open for visitors from 6 AM to 7.30 PM every day except Fridays. Entrance fee of Indians and foreigners is different and it is bit expensive for sunset and sunrise visits.

Agra Fort - The construction of Agra fort was commissioned by Mughal Emperor Akbar in 1565 AD and additions were made in it till the rule of his grandson Emperor Shah Jahan. The fort consists of many imperial buildings like Moti Masjid, Diwan-e-Am, Diwan-e-Khaas, Jahangir's Palace, Khaas Mahal, Shish Mahal and Musamman Burj. Musamman Burj, also known as Samman Burj is the place where Shah Jahan was held captive in 1666 AD during the last eight years of his life by his own son Aurangzeb.

Radha Swami Samadhi - This place is under construction for almost 100 years. It is a very revered spot for the followers of Radhaswami sect as here ashes of the founder of Radha Swami Sect are preserved. Radha Swami Samadhi is open for visitors from morning till evening.

We will reach our resort at Bharatpur in night. Dinner and overnight stay will be at the resort.

Day 04 : Bharatpur
After having our breakfast in the resort early in the morning we will go for the bird watching in Bharatpur as it is the best time for the same.

Keoladeo Ghana National Park - Formerly known as Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary, Keoladeo Ghana National Park is one of the most visited bird sanctuaries in India. The 250 years old park is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a protected area for birds. It is home to about 230 species of birds, and migratory birds like Siberian Cranes also visit the sanctuary during winters. Many rare Himalayan birds are also spotted here during the season. Altogether around 366 species of birds are spotted in Keoladeo Ghana National Park and that makes it a paradise for bird watchers. 379 floral species, 50 species of fish, 13 species of snakes, 5 species of lizards, 7 amphibian species and 7 species of turtles are also part of Keoladeo Ghana National Park.

If time permits we will also visit few more places near the park like Ganga Mandir, Laxman Mandir and Lohagarh Fort. At night, we will be back to our resort for dinner and overnight stay.

Day 05: Bharatpur – Delhi / 250 km – 06 hrs drive
This will be the last day of our birding tour and we will drive back to Delhi from where you will board flight to your next destination to home.

Birding Tour ENDS!!

Tags : Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary, Bird Sanctuaries In India, National Chambal Sanctuary