Bharatpur, Jaipur

	Bharatpur, Jaipur
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The walled town of Bharatpur is just a stone's throw from the border with Uttar Pradesh, 150km east of Jaipur, and a mere 18km from Fatehpur Sikri, Akbar's deserted capital.

Though it may not hold any especially distinguished attractions, it's fun to explore by bike or on foot, with traditional markets, mosques, temples and a massive fort encircled by a wide and murky moat.

However, the real reason to come here is to visit India's most famous bird sanctuary, the Keoladeo National Park, just a short way south of the town.

Even if you're not particularly interested in ornithology, this extraordinary site deserves at least a night or two.

Few places in the world, let alone ones so easily accessible, boast such a profusion of wildlife in so confined an area.

During the winter months, hundreds of thousands of indigenous and migratory birds congregate on land flooded in the late nineteenth century by the local maharaja to create a giant hunting reserve.

Cycling around the sanctuary's quiet, shady paths, you're almost certain to glimpse several species of large mammals such as black buck and deer, as well as lizards and pythons, and some of the most startlingly exotic birds you'll ever see - a perfect antidote to the fumes and frenzy of the nearby cities.