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One of the most popular wildlife
sanctuaries at Ranthambhore that makes
up for an elating experience especially
if you are lucky enough to sight the Big
Cat, Tiger. Ranthambore was among one of
the very first sanctuaries to come under
the protection of the Project Tiger.
This national park is situated near the
Ranthambore fort in a rich forest area
littered with ruins that date back to
the 10th century. The areas in and
around the Park offer beautiful lakes
frequented by a wide range of wildlife.
Here you can enjoy the rolling
grasslands, rushing streams, open
scrubs, heavily wooded valleys and
through deep ravines walled on either
side with steep cliffs.
The deciduous forests of Ranthambore
were once part of the magnificent
jungles of Central India. The terrain is
rugged and there are rocky ridges, hills
and open valleys with lakes and pools.
The Ranthambore national park is set
between the Aravalli and Vindhya ranges,
the total area of the national park
stands at 1,334 sq km. The Ranthambhore
Park is a great place for adventurous
jungle safaris.
On your way to the Ranthambore sanctuary
you can see the green wheat fields and
the mustard fields of Rajasthan with the
ruins of old forts set atop hillocks
surrounded by the yellow haze of
mustard. A ride on the Tonga would add
more fun to your journey.
The easiest way to spot a tiger is to
follow the pugmarks with proper
guidance. You can find plenty of spotted
chitals in the golden grass, a huge
barasingha with a pair of magnificent
antlers in the shadows. Other than
tigers you can see antelopes like,
Nilgai, Sambhar and Chital, which are
easy to spot. Those who are lucky enough
get to see the Sloth Bear, Wild Boar,
Chinkara, Porcupines and Jackals,
Leopard, Jungle Cat and Marsh Crocodile.
The lakes and water holes in the
Ranthambore national park are the best
places to sight the animals.
The main attraction of the national park
is the old Ranthambore Fort, which sits
on a rocky outcrop in the heart of the
Park. The fort dates back to the 10th
century and is probably the oldest
existing fort in Rajasthan, was a vital
citadel for control of Central India and
particularly the Malwa plateau.
The entry point to the Ranthambore
National Park goes straight to the foot
of the fort and the forest rest house,
Jogi Mahal. The latter boasts of the
second-largest Banyan tree in India fort
of Ranthambhore set on a hill and
brooking over the sanctuary. It was the
massive stronghold of the Rajput King
Hamir who was defeated by Allauddin
Khilji's army in 1301 AD. A glorious era
in the history of Ranthambhore was, when
Emperor Akbar invested it in 1569. In
1955 Ranthambhore became a sanctuary and
was one of the very first protected
areas.
Fact File:
Getting There: Jaipur at 145-kms
is the nearest airport from Ranthambore
wildlife sanctuary. Ranthambore National
Park is around 11-kms away from Sawai
Madhopur railway station that lies on
the Delhi to Bombay trunk route. A good
network of buses connect Sawai Madhopur,
the nearest town from Ranthambore to all
the major cities within the state of
Rajasthan.
Accommodation: There are many
accommodation options available at
Ranthambore. There are many wildlife
resorts near Ranthambore, which offer
accommodation ranging from comfortable
rooms to luxury tents.
Climate: The best time to visit
the Ranthambore national park is during
the months of October - March and April
to June. |
