Ranthambore Wildlife Sanctuary

Location: Sawai Madhopur district in South-eastern Rajasthan
Area: 392 sq km
Famous For: Indian Tigers
Activities: Nature walks, Jeep Safari, Photography

Introduction:
One of the famous abode of Indian Tigers, Ranthambore National park is located in Sawai Madhopur district of south-eastern Rajasthan. This forested area is a paradise for both wildlife lovers and photographers. Ranthanbore National Park is a potpourri of nature, history and wildlife.

Ranthambore national park is sprawled across a vast area of 392 sq km. It is considered as one of the largest and well maintained national parks of India. Situated at the junction of Aravalli and Vindya ranges, Ranthambore was declared as a wildlife sanctuary in 1957 and it became a part of the “Tiger project” in the year 1973. It gained the National park status in 1981.

This park comprises a vast range of flora and fauna. More than 300 trees, 50 aquatic plants, and over a total of 100 grasses, climbers and seasonal plants and 30 various kinds of fauna namely , Leopard, Jackal, Sloth bear, Nilgai, Dhole, Wild boar, Sambar, Hyena, Chittal, Porcupine, Monkeys , Jungle cats and mongoose are available in this park. Ranthambore also provides shelter to White Throated kingfisher, Indian Greenpie, Green Treepie, Red Vented Bulbul, Plovers, Moor Hens, Herons, Storks etc. A dozen of reptiles, amphibians and great quantity of insect life also visible here.

In and Around:
Apart from wildlife, Ranthambore National Park is also dotted with historical monuments.

Ranthambore National Park: Famous as one of the best surviving relics of Rajputana dynasty, Ranthambore fort is located within the territory of the park.

The nearby excursions to Ranthambore National Park are :

Sawai Madhopur Village- This village near the national park is known for its historical monuments.

Karauli and Bundi: Karauli and Bundi are two other tourist place famous for its temples and architectural marvels.

Kota- Located at a distance of 100 km from Ranthambore National Park, this place has number of tourist places like the City Fort and Palace, Kota Barrage, the Kishore Sagar Tank, the Jagmandir Palace, the Brij Vilas Palace Museum etc.

Best Time to Visit:
Time period November to May is the ideal time to visit Ranthambore National Park. Due to the dry deciduous nature of forest, at this period of time Tigers can be easily visible.

Activities To Do:
Ranthambore National Park offers various activities to its visitors. Tourist can indulge themselves in the following activities within the territory of the park.

Nature Walks: Ranthambore is a best site for nature walks. While your nature walks, you can visit some historical monuments that are available in the park such as Ranthambore fort, Raj Bagh Ruins, Malik Talao, Padam Talao, Rajbagh Talao. These are some important sites from where Tigers can be seen very easily.

Jeep Safari: Jeep Safari is another exciting activity which is quite popular among the tourists. Visitors love to move around in the park in jeep because it will help them to view the magnificent big cats from very close.

Wildlife Photography: This activity will enable the tourists to capture the natural beauty of the place. This is very popular among the tourists. Both amateur and expert photographers loves to click snaps of the diverse flora and fauna of the park.

Hotels and Wildlife Resorts:
Rantahmbore has some fine and world class accommodation to suit the kitty of every tourists. Some of the famous hotels and wildlife resorts that are built nearby to Ranthambore National Park are Vanya Vilas, Taj Sawai Madhopur Lodge , Sher Bagh resort, Tiger Moon resort, Tiger Den resort, Ranthambore Forest Resort and many more. Along with well furnished modern amenities, these hotels arranges wildlife safari packages which will help you to spot the Indian tigers.

How to reach there:
By Road: Sawai Madhopur town is 180 km (111.85 miles) from Jaipur (via Tonk) and 480 km (298.25 miles) from Delhi (via Dausa). The entrance of the park is only 11km from the town. Regular buses ply from town to the gate of the park.

By Rail: The easiest way to reach Ranthambore is to take a train to Sawai Madhopur. It is well connected with trains to/from Jaipur, Bombay and Delhi.

By Air: The nearest airport to Ranthambore is at Jaipur and Kota.