Ranthambhore National Park

Covered In This Section : Introduction, Park Facts, Features, Wildlife, Ranthabhore Fort, Activities, Transportation, Accommodation, Tour Packages.

Facts about the Park
District : Sawai Madhopur town
Location : 145 kms South East of Jaipur
Area : 392 sq kms
Park Attractions : Wild animal species including Tigers, landscapes, fort
Best Time To Visit : October to March
Entry Fee : Indian Citizens - 25 Rs; Foreign Tourists 200 Rs; Students

Introduction to Ranthambhore National Park
Ranthambhore National Park is one of the frequently visited wildlife sanctuaries in Rajasthan. The sanctuary lies on the junction of Aravali and Vindhyas mountain ranges. The park extended over an area of about 400 sq kms is short for nothing. The undulating terrains, with steep and gentle slopes, flat hill tops, small valleys, dense vegetation, lakes, meadows and rich wildlife are some features that make it a tourist hot spot. Although small in number, Indian Tiger continues to be the celebrity at Ranthambore. The favorite game resort of the erstwhile Maharajas amuse people, but now as protected lands, especially for Indian Tigers.
Ranthambhore National Park Features
Ranthambore National Park, located amidst the Aravali and Vindhya ranges, has more than you can expect of. Ranthambore National Park lies stretched over a great area. With adjacent sanctuaries of Kaladevi and Mansingh, the park area goes over 1000 sq kms. However, only 300 sq kms forms the core park area. The picturesque landscapes sets an aura of life in the barren territorial plains of Rajasthan. The distant hills with decidous vegetation and encompassing diverse topography makes it one exciting place to explore.

The northern and southern frontiers are bound by the rivers - Chambal and Banas. The steep rocky hills give rise to small valleys in the region. Located within the park territory are several lakes including three major ones - Padam Talab, Malik Talab and Raj Bagh. The water fronts see a lot of species and aquatic life depending on them. In the covers of the jungles roam some of the feared wild predators.

Wildlife at Ranthambhore
The diurnal tigers are the prized attraction at the park. Ranthambhore National Park is one of the several sanctuaries that comes under the Tiger Project reserves. Besides these Indian Tigers other species include leopards, hyena, jackal, sloth bear, wild boars, gazelles, sambar, nilgai and various species of Indian monkey.

Great many species of marsh animals are also found at large in the park. These include snub nosed crocodiles, lizards, tortoise, cobras, kraits, turtles, Indian python, rat snakes and Indian chameleon.

Ranthambhore National Park supports as many 270 species of birds. Many of these species are migratory who reach here after travelling a long distance. The birds commonly found are Indian horned owl, spoonbills, patridges, kingfishers, storks, ducks and the much sighted peacocks.

Ranthambhore Fort
Grounded within the park premises is an ancient fort called Ranthambhore Fort. This fort was built by the Chauhans in the 10th century. The fort bears some historical importance. The fort is known for a practice called Johar. Johar stands for a suicide by immolation so as to escape humiliation. During the siege by Ala-ud-din Khilji, in the early 14th century, the Rajput women, as is popularly believed, carried out these acts. The fort also houses a temple and water reservoirs.

Activities You Can Take Part In
Jeep Safari in Ranthambore National Park : Jeep Safari is an ideal way of exploring the Ranthambore National Park. The Jeep Safaris are made available by the park authorities for an in depth exploration of the sanctuary. In fact, the highlight of your Ranthambore experiences is the 3.5 hr Jeep Safari for Tiger Spotting. Remember, that private vehicles are not permitted inside the park, so book a tourist jeep safari well in advance.

Camping in Ranthambore : If you wish for camping in Ranthambore, the resorts near the Ranthambore National Park offer you exciting camping opportunities. Sher Bagh Resort, adjacent to the Ranthambore National Park provides camping in its 12 luxury tents. Tiger Moon Resort is another resort near the park which offer camping option in its 8 Swiss-cottage-tents. By staying in these resorts you can enjoy camping alongwith a pleasant stay. Besides, the sounds of wild animals, chirping of birds reaching your ears, rejuvenate your sense.

Places Where You Can Stay
Accommodation at Ranthambhore are provided by several hotels and resorts. Some popular ones are given below:
Hotel Ranthambhore Regency (Three Star), Hotel Castle Jhoomar Baori (Heritage Hotel run by RTDC), Sawai Madhopur Lodge (Deluxe Lodge), Hotel Vinayak (Budget Hotel), Hotel Ganesh Ranthambhore (Budget Hotel), Ankur Resort, Tiger Den Resort, Hammir Resort.

Transportation Services for Ranthambhore
Air : The nearest airport to Ranthambhore is the one at Jaipur. The airport is about 148 kms from Ranthambhore.

Train : The railway station at Sawai Madhopur is the nearest railhead. It is about 12 kms from the national park.

Bus : There are regular bus services for Sawai Madhopur town from Agra, Bharatpur, Delhi, Kota and Jaipur.

Wildife Holiday Packages In India (15 Days) Features : Spend two days and two nights at Ranthambhore National Park. This package makes arrangements for Jeep Safari at the said place. Besides Ranthambhore you will also get to see the famous Sariska Wildlife Sanctuary and Keoladeo Ghana National Park. Your tour will start from Delhi and will proceed as Sariska, Jaipur, Ranthambore, Bharatpur, Agra, Corbett National Park and back to Delhi.

	Call Of The Wild (13 Days) Features : The tour package includes exciting trips to the wildlife sanctuaries of Rajasthan, including the famous Ranthambhore National Park. Out of 13 days you will get to spend two full days at Ranthambhore. There are provisions for Jungle Safari. Plus, trips to the popular attractions in Agra and Delhi city. The tour will begin from Jaipur and conclude at Delhi.

	Land Of The Tiger (16 Days) Features : The tour takes you to the famous wildlife reserves of Rajasthan - Ranthambhore and Bharatpur. Besides them, you will also get to see some of the best monuments of India, including the marvelous Taj Mahal. All you need is to cycle some distance and it is worth. The tour starts from and concludes at Delhi.

Indian Tiger Tour (16 Days) Features : An extensive tour package - Indian Tiger Tour gives you prime wildlife sanctuaries where Indian Tigers roam. One such place is Ranthambhore. So get ready to track down the celebrity of Indian wildlife reserves. Other places you will be visiting are nonetheless un important and include Keoladeo Ghana National Park, Bhandavgarh National Park and Kanha National Park. Arrival and departure is from Delhi city.