Oktatabyebye

India is rich in birds, with over 13% of the world’s birds being found here. Blessed with the cool snows of the Himalayas, the dry heat of the Thar, the humid green of the South and the swamps and sea of our coastlines, India is home to some of the most sought after birds in the world. Watching birds in India is not just incredibly rewarding; it’s a step closer to truly understanding the Indian wild.

Well known for its sizeable population of flamingos, Sambhar Salt Lake is a wonderful place for an exciting birding holiday. Situated some 120 km from Jaipur, Sambhar Salt Lake, is a place where horizons stretch to infinity, where water and sky merge in a shimmer of gauzy blue. The lake spreads over an area of 190 sq km and is the largest saline lake in the country. This vast body of glacial saline is on average just 0.6 cm deep and never more than 3 m even just after the monsoon. It stretches in length for 22.5 km, its width varying between 3 and 11 km. Several seasonal freshwater streams, two of the major ones being the rivers Mendha and Rupangarh, feed it. Though not a protected area, the lake was designated a Ramsar Site in 1990.

The lake is divided by a 5-km long dam on the eastern side. To the east of the dam are salt evaporation ponds which have been used from centuries, to make salt and a railroad that provides access from the Sambhar Lake City to the salt works.

The lake has a mythological connection  and is believed to have been gifted by the Goddess Shakambari to the local people some 2500 years ago. A small white temple in her honor stands under a rocky outcrop jutting into the lake.

The Sambhar Salt Lake remains dry most of the year. After the mon­soons, a thin film of water covers the west­ern reservoir, attracting thousands of local migrants like the greater and lesser flamingoes, spot-billed pelicans and painted storks. Birds congre­gate in huge numbers in the centre of the reservoir, shim­mering in the haze that plays on the waters. By October the water recedes to a few small pools leaving behind wet sand that is ideal ter­rain for waders such as pied avocets, Kent­ish plovers and black-winged stilts. It’s also the time when the flamingoes breed, building their circular, one-foot high nests in areas near Ratan Talao.

Sambhar is also name of the city, which lies on the south-eastern bank of the lake. The lake extends right up to the town, and you can often find flocks of flamin­goes feeding in the rich, stagnant waters near the railway station. Salt production is the main occupation in Sam­bhar.

Places Nearby

Makrana, 90 km away is an interesting place to visit. Well known as a marble town, you’ll find everything you get in the shops here is made of marble that comes from the huge marble mines located near the town. You can reach Makrana from Sambhar via Nawa, Mithri and Kuchaman. Places to stay in Sambhar salt lake Decent hotel accommodation is available at Sambhar Salt Lake City, from where jeeps can also be hired. There are some lake resorts also available and they provide good accommodation options. Hotels in Sambhar Salt Lake

About Sambhar Salt Lake: Sambhar Salt Lake Information & Fact File

Altitude 360 meters Temp Summer 46 (Max) & 28 (Min) Degrees Celsius Winter 28 (Max) & 6 (Min) Degrees Celsius Best time to Go November - March Monsoon July – August Summer April - June Winter December - February Clothes Cottons in summer and light-woolens in winter Nearest Airport Jaipur, 118 km Nearest Railway Station Sambhar Lake Station – Direct trains from Jaipur Bus Station Sambhar – Direct buses from Jaipur Hospital & Doctor Jaipur (118km) has several state and private hospitals with emergency services  Places to see Makrana …