Lakshmibai National Park (Parichha)

The area around Parichha Dam, about 20 kilometres from Jhansi on the Betwa River, offers a break from the city's monuments. The reservoir and its fringes attract waterbirds, and the rocky scrubland upstream of the dam holds raptors and dry-country species typical of the Bundelkhand plateau. It is not a formal wildlife reserve in the national-park sense, but birders treat it as one of the better sites in the region.

The drive out passes through the Bundelkhand landscape — boulder-strewn hills, thorn scrub, and the occasional Bundela-era fortification on a ridge. The dam itself is a modest piece of early colonial engineering worth a look. Come in the early morning for birds. Local guides who know the birding spots can be arranged through Jhansi hotels.

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Parichha Dam on the Betwa River was built in the 1920s and created a substantial reservoir. The reservoir and surrounding scrub are home to a population of vultures — including long-billed and white-rumped species — that are increasingly rare in the Gangetic plain. Jhansi is one of the few places in north India where you can still reliably see large vulture gatherings.

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