Bhigwan Bird Sanctuary Guide: When to See Flamingos, Boat Rides, How to Reach From Pune and Where to Stay

Last updated: 14 November 2026 · 6 min read · By Prashant Chaudhari

Bhigwan, a small town about 100 km from Pune on the Pune-Solapur highway, is one of the most popular winter birding trips from the city. Its draw is the backwater of the Ujani dam on the Bhima river, where greater flamingos, ducks and waders gather in shallow water from late autumn to spring.

Quick answer: go between December and March for the most birds, start from Pune by 5 am to reach the water at sunrise, and hire a local boat at Kumbhargaon or Diksal. This season the flamingos came early: more than 300 had reached the backwaters by the first week of November, Pune Pulse reported on 10 November.

Is Bhigwan an official bird sanctuary?

Not in the legal sense. “Bhigwan bird sanctuary” is the popular name for the wetland that formed when the Ujani reservoir filled the Bhima valley. Bhigwan is in Indapur taluka of Pune district, close to where Pune, Solapur and Ahilyanagar districts meet.

The birding happens around villages on the water’s edge rather than inside a fenced park. The best known are Kumbhargaon and Diksal, each within about 10 km of Bhigwan town. Palsadev and Kalewadi on the same backwater also see flocks in some years.

Because there is no ticket counter or forest gate, you deal directly with local guides and boatmen. Many of them are fishermen who added birding trips to their work over the last two decades.

When do flamingos come to Bhigwan?

The backwater around Kumbhargaon usually turns pink from November to April, according to the Pune Pulse report. The peak for migratory birds in general is December to March, when water levels have dropped and the shallow mudflats flamingos need are exposed.

Arrival changes every year, and this is the most important thing to check before you go:

• 2026-27 season: small flocks appeared in the last week of September and more than 300 greater flamingos were counted by early November, Pune Pulse reported. Kumbhargaon guide Nitin Dole told the paper that water released from the full dam had lowered the backwater and created shallow patches.
• 2025-26 season: the birds were late. On 24 February 2026, Punekar News reported that no flamingos had been sighted at Ujani yet. The dam had filled completely by July and stayed high, and bird expert Dr Arvind Kumbhar pointed to water quality and food supply as concerns.
• Last season, guides counted only about 200 to 250 flamingos, in small groups that stayed two or three days at a time.

So call a guide a day or two before you leave and ask where the birds were seen that morning. Flocks shift between villages with the water level.

Which birds can you see besides flamingos?

Even in a year with few flamingos, the backwater is rarely empty. Winter visitors include bar-headed geese, northern shovelers and other ducks. Raptors such as the osprey, western marsh harrier and peregrine falcon hunt over the water.

Resident birds are easier to find through the year. Look for painted storks, Eurasian spoonbills, pheasant-tailed jacanas and river terns near the shore. The dry grassland and farms around Bhigwan hold Indian coursers and sandgrouse, which most visitors miss because they stay on the boat.

How does the Bhigwan boat ride work?

Boats leave from the jetties and homestays at Kumbhargaon and Diksal. They are small wooden fishing boats that seat about six people plus the guide who rows or steers, according to a RoundGlass Sustain guide to the area.

Most trips last one to three hours. Rates are charged per boat, not per person, and vary with the season and the length of the ride. Agree on the route, duration and price before you board, and ask whether a life jacket is provided.

Guides know where the flocks are feeding and will cut the engine or row the last stretch so the birds are not disturbed. Ask them not to drive straight at a flock; a good guide will keep a distance and let you use binoculars.

What time of day is best?

Sunrise is the best time. Birds are active, the light is soft and the water is calm. Late afternoon to sunset is the second choice, with warm light behind the flocks.

Avoid the middle of the day. Even in winter the light is harsh and many birds rest far from the boat. If you are driving from Pune for sunrise, leave by 4.30 or 5 am; early morning traffic on the Solapur highway is light.

How to reach Bhigwan from Pune

By car or bike

Take the Pune-Solapur highway east through Hadapsar, Loni Kalbhor, Uruli Kanchan and Yavat. Bhigwan town is about 100 km from Pune, roughly a two-hour drive in normal traffic. Kumbhargaon and Diksal are short drives from the town on village roads; your guide can share a map pin.

Fuel up before you leave the highway. Village roads near the water can be narrow and rough after rain.

By train

Bhigwan has a railway station on the Pune-Daund-Solapur line, and several long-distance trains stop there. Train times change, so check the National Train Enquiry System or the IRCTC app. From the station, you will need an auto-rickshaw or a pickup arranged by your homestay.

By bus

MSRTC buses towards Solapur, Indapur and Akluj pass through Bhigwan. Book on the MSRTC app or board at Swargate. Read our guide to booking MSRTC tickets online for concessions and routes.

Where to stay near Bhigwan

Basic homestays and tent stays run by local families sit right on the water at Kumbhargaon. They are simple, with shared or attached bathrooms, and most can arrange the boat ride and a home-cooked Maharashtrian meal. Budget hotels along the highway near Bhigwan suit people with their own vehicle.

An overnight stay is the easiest way to be on the water at sunrise without a 4.30 am start from Pune. Book ahead for weekends between December and February.

What to carry and how to behave around the birds

• Binoculars, or a camera with a zoom or telephoto lens.
• A cap, sunglasses and water; there is no shade on the boat.
• Light, dull-coloured clothing and comfortable shoes for muddy banks.
• Mosquito repellent for evenings and homestays.
• Cash, as card or UPI may not work in every homestay.

Do not feed the birds, play loud music or ask the boatman to chase a flock into flight for a photo. Repeated disturbance makes birds leave feeding grounds, and experts have already warned that sewage and farm runoff are affecting this wetland. Take your plastic back with you.

Can you combine Bhigwan with other places?

Bhigwan works as a half-day trip, so many Punekars pair it with a drive back through the Daund side or with another outing on the Solapur highway. For more ideas within two hours of the city, see our list of winter getaways near Pune. Check what the weather will be like with our guide to Pune weather in December, and if you do not drive, PMPML’s Rs 500 weekend tourism buses cover other day-trip routes.

We will update this guide as the season develops and new counts come in.

Frequently asked questions