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When you are experiencing the grand royalty of Rajasthan don't forget to have a glimpse of royal tigers at Ranthabore National Park. The Ranthambore Tiger sanctuary is located near Sawai Madhopur in Rajasthan. The Ranthambore National Park extends over 392 Km of scrub jungle and vegetation. Situated not far from the Thar Desert and in the vicinity of the Aravalli mountain range, the Ranthambore National Park is one of the premier Project Tiger sanctuaries of India.

Trail of History

The Ranthambore forest was previously the private hunting reserve of the Maharaja of Jaipur. After the Government of India initiated the Project Tiger conservation scheme in 1973, Ranthambore National Park became a Project Tiger sanctuary in 1980. Within its ambit are included the Kaila Devi Sanctuary and the Mansingh Sanctuary. The forests in Ranthambore are of a semi-desert nature with arid jungle and dry land and desert vegetation.

The Ranthambore National Park has several ruins and monuments within it, where tigers can be seen in the day, resting in the shade of the ancient buildings and temples. The Chauhan rulers of this region constructed the Ranthambore Fort, seen here today, way back in the 12th century. The Jogi Mahal is now used as a forest guesthouse. The banyan tree in its courtyard is said to be one of the largest Banyan trees in India.

The Amazing Wildlife

When you travel to Ranthambore, the best place to see tigers is beside the three lakes in the Ranthambore National Park, where the tigers come to drink water. The Padam Talab near the Jogi Mahal, the Raj Bagh Talab and the Milak Talab are the three lakes where many animals can be seen slaking their thirst by its banks. Some of the animals you can see in Ranthambore National Park are tigers, sloth bear, leopards, wild boar, porcupines, foxes, jackals, mongoose, jungle cats, different kinds of deer, nilgai and antelope. Bird watchers will enjoy seeing eagles, peacocks, plovers and owls and many more desert-dwelling birds.

This sanctuary is a favorite destination of wildlife lovers. You can enjoy seeing the magnificent tiger and other rare animals at Ranthambore.

The Sanctuary sprawls over a varying and undulating landscape. The scenery changes dramatically from gentle and steep slopes of the Vindhyas and sharp and conical hills of the Aravali.

Great Diversity
A significant geological feature within the park is the 'Great Boundary Fault' where the Vindhaya plateau meets the Aravali range. The Rivers Chambal in the South and the Banas in the North bound the National Park. The rugged park terrain alternates between dry deciduous forest, open grassy meadow, dotted by several lakes and rivers that are only made passable by rough roads built and maintained by the Forest Service.
Ranthambore National Park is famous for its TIGERS and is a favorite with photographers. For a relatively small area, the park has a rich diversity of fauna and flora - species list includes 300 trees, 50 aquatic plants, 272 birds, 12 reptiles , the Marsh Crocodile & amphibians and 30 mammals. For the wildlife savvy, Ranthambore wildlife sanctuary today offers an intense diversity of flora and fauna

The tiger is not the only attraction at Ranthambhor; although it is the one park resident people come to see. There are several varieties of birds including these owlets peering through their burrow pictured here on the right and of course the ubiquitous langur monkey.
The main food source for the tiger is the swamp deer like Barasinsga and on occasion the wild buffalo and also wild boar etc. If you wish to stay near the park, the facilities on offer are superb. The park gates open a half hour before sunrise and close half hour after sunset. The timings are vigorously imposed and no exceptions are made to this rule.

Safari at Ranthambore

The most exciting aspect of a visit to this wildlife sanctuary is the safari into the jungles, of meeting the unexpected and completely missing the expected. Animals can be seen in a zoo also, but the dangerous thrill of actually encountering a wild beast in its natural habitat is a sure method of testing ones patience and bravado. Safaris into the Ranthambore National Park are conducted by the Forest Department in open truck style canters and need to be prebooked.