Things to Do in Agra

Keoladeo National Park (AKA Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary) is a former royal duck-hunting spot that today hosts some 350-odd of species of migratory birds throughout the year. This UNESCO World Heritage Site is lush and expansive; depending on when you visit, you may spot everything from pelicans to osprey to elusive Siberian cranes.

 

Keoladeo is a wide, flat expanse with multiple ponds and marshes and lots of thick deciduous plant life. While the park can be explored on foot, many visitors opt to hire a bicycle rickshaw to take them on a ride through the park; the drivers, who are quite adept at spotting birds, often act as de facto guides. Many Golden Triangle tours also stop here, and going with a guide can be particularly useful if you aren't an experienced birdwatcher yourself.

 

 

The park is located in the Rajasthani city of Bharatpur, right off the main strip where many of the area’s mid-range hotels are located. Getting to the Taj Mahal city of Agra takes an hour to 90 minutes, while Delhi is around 3.5 hours by train or four hours by road. Jaipur is a 2.5-hour drive away.

 

The park is open throughout the year, and the best time to visit depends on what type of birds you want to see. Local species tend to hang around the park in August and September, while migratory bird season starts in October and continues through March. Note that May and June can get very hot—for people and birds alike. 

 

No matter when you visit the park, you're likely to see birds: lots of them, from hornbills to warblers to eagles and cranes. However, there are also plenty of other non-avian species that call the park home. There are all sorts of turtles here along with frogs, lizards, bats, and porcupines. Like most natural areas in Rajasthan, there are also plenty of monkeys, along with civets, mongooses, deer of various varieties, hyenas, and even leopards.

Visitors to Agra who want to experience the culture, color, traditions and diversity of real India, not just the iconic Taj Mahal, will find all of this and more in Korai Village. 

Travelers can escape the tourist route and venture into old world India as they wander the dirt roads of this picturesque village. Learn about local life, interact with villagers, and gain an insider’s look at the rituals of daily life for dozens of families living here. 

Varanasi’s ghats (Banaras Ghats) descend from the city down the banks and into the waters of the holy River Ganges. There are almost 100 individual ghats lining the river’s edge in this region, their steep steps making access to the river possible during both the wet and dry seasons. The oldest and most famous ghats in the area are Dashashwamedh, Manikarnika, and Harishchandra. Others include Assi Ghat, Scindia Ghat, Lalita Ghat, and Kedar Ghat.

As the religious capital of India among Hindus, Varanasi sees pilgrims and other visitors drawn to the Banaras Ghats in their droves. Visitors can absorb the atmosphere by taking a sunrise boat-ride along the river, while marveling at the colorful temples and religious activities lining the water’s edge.

Devout Hindus aim to travel to the Banaras Ghats at least once in their lifetimes, and most hope to die and be cremated within the city in order that their ashes be swept away by the Ganges. The cremation fires here burn all day every day, with the main cremation ghat being Manikarnika. Some ghats are simply used for prayers and bathing.

This grandeur was short-lived, however, as in 1585, Akbar moved the capital to Lahore in his campaign against Afghan tribes. By 1619, the city had been completely abandoned and would remain so until archaeologists began exploring it in 1892.

Today, Fatehpur Sikri is a ghost town of beautiful sandstone arches, buildings and courtyards exhibiting Persian, Hindu and Jain design elements. Since Akbar was the only emperor to reside in the city for a significant amount of time, it’s considered one of the purist examples of the great emperor’s design aesthetic. Most visit the city on a day trip from Agra, but spending a night in nearby Fatehpur allows you to visit the city at dawn or dusk, when it is at its most peaceful and beautiful.