One of the very popular National Park in India for Royal Bengal Tiger sighting in India is the Ranthambore National Park in Rajasthan. It forms a part of the Ranthambore Project Tiger Reserve that lies amidst the Aravali Hills located in Eastern Rajasthan in the Sawai Madhopur district. The Ranthambore National Park covers a total area of around 392 sq. km. The Mansingh and Kaila Devi Sanctuaries surround the area of the Ranthambore Tiger Reserve, taking the total area to around 1700 sq. km. In addition, the Vindhyas mountain ranges are also seen at the backdrop of the mountain ranges of the Ranthambore. Ranthambore National Park is the best spot in India to sight the Royal Bengal Tigers in their natural habitat. While other National Parks have Tiger population, Ranthambore National Park is where visitors get a guaranteed option of Tiger sighting to be seen even during the daytime busy with their hunting expeditions.
In addition to being home to a healthy population of the Royal Bengal Tigers, Ranthambore National Park also boasts of a sizeable population of Leopards, Fishing Cats, Jungle Cats, Jackals, Crocodiles, Striped Hyenas, Pythons, Spotted Deers, Sambars, Blue Bulls, Indian Gazelle, etc. So if you are a wildlife lover then Ranthambore National Park is a must visit wildlife destination in India.
Jungle Safari Options at Ranthambore National Park ~
In order to cover the vast area of the forest reserves of the Ranthambore National Park, the park authorities conduct regular Jungle Safaris into the interiors of the Park to sight the majestic wild cat species here. At the Ranthambore National Park, there are two Jungle Safari modes available for tourists:
(1) Open Roof Jeep Safari into Ranthambore National Park
(2) Open Roof Canter Safari into Ranthambore National Park
While both the above Safari options are very good options to be transferred into the interiors of the National Park allowing visitors to sight and explore the various varieties of animal species residing inside the Ranthambore National Park. Both these Safari modules are open roof top vehicles and have been redesigned and refitted for the comfortable viewing experience of wildlife. While the Jeep Safari can accomodate 6 visitors, the Canter Safari can accomodate 20 visitors. Each of these safari rides into the Ranthambore National Park lasts for about 3 1/2 hours across the 10 different Safari zones within the Ranthambore National Park. As per rules and regulations of the park authority of Ranthambore National Park, only 20 Jeeps (06 Seater) and 20 Canters (20 Seaters) are allowed into the park interiors at a point in time. These Jeeps and Canters are run by the local people living near the vicinity of the National Park. As the Ranthambore National Park remains closed for viewing from the months of July through September for the monsoon season the park reopens in October and the season extends till the month of June. There are two slots available for Jungle Safari inside the Ranthambore National Park, one in the morning and the second in the afternoon. The morning Safari ride starts at 6 AM in the morning and extends upto 10.30 AM while the afternoon Safari ride into Ranthambore National Park starts at 2 PM and extends upto 6 PM.
The various Safari zones of Ranthambore National Park where the Jeep and Canter Safaris are permitted are as follows ~
- Zone 1: The important route points on Safari Zone 1 of Ranthambore National Park are Singhdwar, Amreshwar, Sultanpur, Gola Dub, Peela Pani and exit feom Singhdwar. T39 along with her cubs or T24 can be seen there.
- Zone 2: Jogi Mahal, Jhalra, Kamaldhar, Amrai Phoota Bandha, Pandudeh, Guda, Gandharia, Polkya, exit from Jogi Mahal. T19 and T39 with their cubs and T22, T24, T28 & T57 can be seen there.
- Zone 3: Jogi Mahal, Padam Talab, Raj Bagh, Mandook, High Point, exit from Jogi Mahal. T19 with her cubs, T25 and T28 can be spotted there.
- Zone 4: Singhdwar, Tamakhan, Malik Talab, Lakarda, Berda, Semli, Adidaant, Lambi, exit from Singhdwar. Tigers spotted in this route include T6, T19 with her cubs, T25, T28, T41, T74 and T75.
- Zone 5: Singhdwar, Jokha, Kachida, Dhakda, Baghda, Bakola, Anatpura, exit from Singhdwar. Tigers spotted in this zone are T6, t16, T25, T28, T41, T73, T74 & T75.
- Zone 6: (Kundal): Rajbagh Naka, Palli Darwaza, Kundal Area, Patwa Baori, Sonkach, Kala Pani, exit from Rajbagh Naka. Tigers to be spotted are like T8 with cubs, T24, T34 and T39 along with sloth beer & Leopard.
- Zone 7: (Chidikho): Rajbagh Naka, Chidikho, Jamoda, Kushalipura, exit from Rajbagh Naka. Tigers spotted are T34 & T8 with cubs.
- Zone 8: (Balas): Balas, Neemli Dang, Kali Bhat, Kherai, Mahakho, exit from Balas
- Zone 9: ( Kuwalji) Approx 45 kms. Tigers spotted are T58 & T61.
- Zone 10: Kushalipura , Bodal , Halonda ,Banskhori , Aantri , exit from Devpura. Home to T13 and her cubs, T42 (Fateh) and T43. Birds can also be spotted at this point in winters.
History and Milestones of the Ranthambore National Park ~
The Forest Reserves of Ranthambore National Park was earlier used as hunting grounds by the Maharaja of Jaipur who continued to hunt here until hunting was completely banned by the Government of India in 1970. Even Queen Elizabeth II and Duke of Edinburgh visited in 1960 as Royal guests on a hunting expedition with the Maharaja of Jaipur. But due to alarming decrease in the number of tigers at Ranthambore National Park, it was decided to put a complete ban on hunting here. Project Tiger was introduced here in 1973 and efficient methods of rehabilitation of villagers from within the area of the forest reserves started as a measure to reduce human-animal conflicts at Ranthambore National Park.
Some of the major Milestones of Ranthambore are ~
- Ranthambore was established as the Sawai Madhopur Wildlife Sanctuary in 1955
- Ranthambore Wildlife Sanctuary was declared as a Project Tiger Reserve in 1973
- Ranthambore Wildlife Sanctuary was established as the Ranthambore National Park in 1981
Over several years after relentless conservation efforts by the Park authorities and staff with the help of the local villagers, they have been able to protect the tiger population of the Ranthambore National Park. At times, after being declared as a National Park, poaching of tigers for its skin and bones became rampant inside the Ranthambore National Park especially between the years from 1985 to 1990. But since then Ranthambore National Park has come a long way in protecting its tiger population and now boasts of a healthy population of its numbers.
Ranthambore Fort ~
Located in the heart of the Ranthambore National Park is the Ranthambore Fort. Locals often say that Ranthambore National Park gets its name from this Fort. The name Ranthambore is derived from the nearby hills – ‘Ran’ which is a hill nearby and ‘Thambor’ which is the hill on which the fort is situated. This fort has a unique location which made it one of the most unconquerable fort in India and even after many attempts, the Mughals couldn’t conquer this fort. It was only in 1528 that Mughals were finally able to conquer the fort. This fort gained a name of being a notorious prison fort where prisoners were executed by throwing them down onto the hard rocks below the fort after lacing their milk glass with opium so that they would become insensible during the fall. It was only in the 19th century that the Mughals transferred control of the Ranthambore fort to the Maharaja of Jaipur where the Royal Family used to stay during their hunting expeditions in the forest reserves of Ranthambore.
The Ranthambore Fort at Ranthambore National Park today is an important pilgrimage destination as there are many sacred Hindu Temple inside the fort premises. This is a huge fort with an area of around 4.55 sq. km. and the walls measuring a circumference of approximately 7 km. Located atop a hill at a height of 700 feet, there is no proper road leading to the fort top only a flight of stairs that takes 30 minutes to climb to reach the hilltop.
Location and How to reach Ranthambore National Park ~
The Ranthambore National Park is located in the State of Rajasthan in the western part of India. The district in which Ranthambore National Park lies is the Sawai Madhopur district which is located at a distance of 158 km from the State capital of Jaipur and 381 km from the National capital of New Delhi. The Ranthambore National Park is easily accessible from the major cities in India by an efficient connectivity of Air, Rail and Roadways.
Distances to Ranthambore National Park from some of the major cities in India are ~
- Delhi to Ranthambore – 381 km (Approx. 6 hours by road)
- Jaipur to Ranthambore – 180 km (Approx. 3 hours by road)
- Agra to Ranthambore – 239 km (Approx. 5 hours by road)
- Udaipur to Ranthambore – 388 km (Approx. 6 hours by road)
- Ahmedabad to Ranthambore – 640 km (Approx. 10 hours by road)
- Mumbai to Ranthambore – 1031 km (Approx. 17 hours by road)
By Air: The Sangara Airport at Jaipur is the nearest Airport to the Ranthambore National Park that has several International and Domestic flights from across various cities in India
By Railway: The nearest Railway Station to the Ranthambore National Park is the Sawai Madhopur Railway Station which is located only 11 km away from the Park. Many National trains have a short halt at this station. Even the luxury trains in India like the Palace on Wheels, Royal Rajasthan on Wheels, Maharaja Express and the Indian Maharaja make a stop here.
By Road: The Sawai Madhopur district is well connected with the rest of the country via a means of efficient roadways.
Climate of Ranthambore National Park ~
Ranthambore National Park is characterized with dry-subtropical and arid climate as is prevalent in the desert regions of Rajasthan and western India. There are three major season in a year at Ranthambore National Park which are summers, monsoon and winters.
The summer season in Ranthambore National Park starts in the end of March and extends upto the month of June. Summers here are characterized with a very hot and dry climate. During the summer season the maximum day temperature reaches to around 46 degree celsius and the night temperature remains around 30 degree celsius. During summers humidity remains the lowest and often dry winds blow around the area of the National Park.
The monsoon season in Ranthambore National Park starts in the month of July extending upto the month of September characterized with long spells of rain. At this time, Ranthambore National Park becomes warm and moist with aridity. The entire forest at Ranthambore National Park comes to life during monsoon and greenery can be seen around with the herbivores concentrating on the leaves of the trees and the carnivores concentrating on the herbivores of Ranthambore.
The winter season at Ranthambore National Park sets in the month of November and extends through February. While the day temperatures hover at around 20 degree celsius and during the night times it gets quite cold with temperatures below 10 degree celsius. At times the night temperature falls below 2 degrees celsius. During winters sometimes rainfall is witnessed inside the Ranthambore National Park.
Tigers of Ranthambore National Park ~
Ranthambore National Park has come a long way today from being the erstwhile hunting grounds of the Maharaja of Jaipur. People from all across the World visit Ranthambore National Park to catch a glimpse of the the park’s prize – the Royal Bengal Tigers. A beast that prowls around freely in the forest reserves of Ranthambore National Park and makes their sighting in the natural habitat a true possibility to all its visitors. The abundance of tigers in the Ranthambore National Park makes it a preferred tourist destination in India and every tiger here has a story to narrate so that visitors to Ranthambore National Park take home a happy story about the tiger they sight here. Each of the tigers of Ranthambore are marked with a name and identity. Some of the famous tigers of Ranthambore both past and present are Machali or T16, Romeo or T6, Laila or T-41, T-9, T-13, T-16 and many more.
Below is a list of Tigers of Ranthambore (both past and present) ~
| Tiger ID | Sex | Name by Forest Dept | Tiger ID | Sex | Name by Forest Dept |
| T3 | M | Bahadur | T25 | M | Zalim |
| T6 | M | Remo | T26 | F | Sharmili |
| T8 | F | Ladali | T28 | M | Star Male |
| T9 | F | Malika | T30 | F | Husnaaraa |
| T11 | F | Chiroli female | T31 | F | Indu |
| T13 | F | Old Sultanpur female | T33 | M | Hamir |
| T16 | F | Machhali | T34 | M | Kumbha |
| T17 | F | Sundari | T37 | F | Meera |
| T19 | F | Kirshna | T39 | F | Noor |
| T20 | M | Jhumaru | T41 | F | Laila |
| T22 | F | Gayatri | T42 | M | Fateh |
| T23 | M | Bhola | T43 | M | Surzan |
| T24 | M | Ustad | T47 | M | Mr.Bond |
Geography of Ranthambore National Park ~
The area around the Ranthambore National Park is a vast area of Dry-deciduous forest filled with rich biodiversity that is surrounded by vast areas of farmland and grazing pastures. This area makes it home to over 300 species of plants, 40 species of animal, 35 species of reptiles and over 320 species of birds. The flagship species of the Ranthambore National Park is the Royal Bengal Tigers or the ‘Panthera Tigris’ and the only place in Rajasthan where this species if found. Ranthambore National Park has a mega biodiversity and is a protected area that acts as a crucial corridor between the protected areas of Dholpur district in the Northeast to the Kota district in South West of Rajasthan. The area of Ranthambore National Park in an important water source for the surrounding areas that have low rainfall. With many reservoirs around the area and two major rivers mainly the Chambal and Gambhir flowing across, the areas serves as a good means of recharging the groundwater reserves.
The geographical terrain of Ranthambore National Park is mostly hilly and rugged. The hills on one side have steep cliffs while valleys on the other side of the Aravalli ranges. These valleys are important sources of wildlife in the region. Most of Ranthambore National Park’s tigers are found in these valleys. The highest peak is that of Gazella which is located 507 m above MSL. Many streams are a part of this valley that flows directly in River Chambal. The south west area of the park is bounded by the Vindhya ranges which has a vast area of sandstone beds. The sandstone beds often form flat table topped lands that ride abruptly and lead to narrow gorges that retain moisture during summer seasons too.
Flora, Fauna and Avifauna of Ranthambore National Park
Though the Ranthambore National Park is famous for the healthy habitat of the Royal Bengal Tigers in the wild there are various other fauna species as well inhabit the forest reserves of the Ranthambore National Park that attracts visitors from across the World to this place. Some of the other animals that inhabit the forests of Ranthambore National Park are leopards, fishing cats, jungle cats, leopard cat, sloth beer, jackals, mongoose, pythons, spotted deers, sambar deers, Indian Gazelle, desert fox, blue bull, etc. So when you are at Ranthambore National Park then along with the positive chance of spotting the Royal Bengal Tigers of this place you can also get to sight several of these other animals as well and some of these are on the endangered list as well. One unique thing about the tigers of Ranthambore National Park is that although the tigers are generally known to be nocturnal animals, the tigers of Ranthambore National Park are known to be diurnal in nature and so they can be spotted in the day time as well. So you can sight the alertness of the tigers, the galloping of the deers, the relaxing crocodiles by the river banks or even the blue bull roaming across the forest reserves of Ranthambore National Park on your visit.
The forest reserves of Ranthambore National Park are filled with varied flora and a simple tour of this place among these vibrant forests is a relaxing and rejuvenating experience away from the bustling city life. The area of Ranthambore National Park is in the lines of the Thar Desert and because of this the rainfall in the area is not very high that allows the growth of dry deciduous plants in the forest reserves of Ranthambore National Park. This is coupled with the occasional dense green region and around 300 species of vegetation are to be found inside the Ranthambore National Park. One of the popular trees that you will find across the forest reserves of Ranthambore National Park is the Anogeissus Pendula that is locally called as the Dhok and this particular tree comprises of almost around 3/4th of the flora of Ranthambore National Park. This ‘Dhok’ tree species grows up to a height of almost 15 meters and the fruits of this tree is a source of food for the various herbivores of Ranthambore National Park like antelopes, nilgai, deer, etc. What facilitates the growth of the Dhok tree in the forest reserves of Ranthambore National Park is that this tree can grow in a shallow soil and it doesn’t need too much rainfall to survive making it an ideal flora here at Ranthambore National Park.
In addition to the ‘Dhok’ tree species that is almost around 3/4th the vegetation of the forest reserves of Ranthambore National Park once can also find the Neem, Peepal and Banyan trees inside the forest reserves of Ranthambore National Park and these trees have been known to have medicinal values from the times of Ayurveda in India. The trees that bear fruit and are of prime importance to the herbivores of Ranthambore National Park are tamarind, mango, blackberry, etc. In addition to these above flora species you will also find Khajur, Malwa, Babul, Kadam, Karel, Kuri, etc. flora inside the forest reserves of Ranthambore National Park. As the Ranthambore National Park is located on the edge of the plains of the Chambal and Banas rivers the forest area of Ranthambore National Park has many swamps, valleys, steep hills and small streams as well that gives rise to tropical dry forest along with grassy meadows. These water bodies inside of the Ranthambore National Park allow the growth of lotus and various water lilies that happen to be the prime aquatic floral life of Ranthambore National Park and the water bodies have their banks covered with the Khus grass as well inside Ranthambore National Park.
Though we have seen that Ranthambore National Park is home to varied flora and fauna and the Royal Bengal Tigers being the flagship species of Ranthambore National Park, this place is also attracting various wildlife enthusiasts who come here for birding tours especially. What more can any wildlife enthusiast ask once they sight the Royal Bengal Tigers in the wild and along with it they get a chance to witness some of the very rare and endangered birds of the wild here at Ranthambore National Park as well. Ranthambore National Park is home to around 320 species of birds both resident and migratory and though this is smaller in number that another famed UNESCO World Heritage Site of Kaziranga National Park in Assam (around 495 species) yet the species of birds to be found at Ranthambore National Park is much varied and diverse. When you are here ensure to hire the services of a birding guide to help you spot and identify the various bird species. Once you spot the tigers of Ranthambore National Park and then you can go to the designated spots that are present inside the forest reserves of Ranthambore National Park like Ranthambore fort, Jhalra area, Kachida valley, Malik Talao, Padam Talao that are perfect sites inside Ranthambore National Park to witness the birds of the place.
Ranthambore National Park has the presence of numerous water bodies inside the park that have water around the year so this allows the birds to find a source of food regularly and hence Ranthambore National Park has a very good population of both resident and migratory birds inside the protected forest reserve. Some of the bird species to be found inside the forest reserves of Ranthambore National Park are Indian grey Hornbills, Herons, Cormorants, Woodpeckers, Common Kingfishers, Cuckoos, Asian Palm Swift, Parakeets, Owl, Nightjars, Pigeon, Snipes, Dove, Sandpipers, Eagles, Gulls, Terns, Darters, Bitterns, Egrets, Pelicans, Storks, Pittas, Flamingos, Shrikes, Orioles, Cuckoo-Shrikes, Treepies, Crows, Flycatchers, Ioras, Minivets, Drongos, Sparrows, Finches, Wood Shrikes, Pipits, Bayas, Wagtails, Munias, Mynas, Falcons, Bulbul, etc. Birding in Ranthambore National Park is a very rewarding experience and due to the presence of dry deciduous forest it is easier to spot the birds of Ranthambore National Park than in Kaziranga National Park in Assam (it takes time to look atop the tall evergreen trees here). Ranthambore National Park holds a very special place when it comes to wildlife tourism in India and this National park is blessed with diverse flora, fauna and avifauna. The numerous lakes and water bodies inside the Ranthambore National Park offers various food sources to the fauna and avifauna of the park and the forest cover of the ‘Dhok’ trees provide food in the form of fruits to the herbivores of Ranthambore National Park. You can be rest assured that your wildlife experience at Ranthambore National Park is adventure filled and your rendezvous with the Royal Bengal Tigers of Ranthambore National Park is a sure chance here.
The beautiful forest reserves of Ranthambore National Park spread across an area of around 392 sq. km. with a core area comprising of 282 sq. km. and the remaining is the buffer area so that the Royal Bengal Tigers and the other animals inside the core area of Ranthambore National Park do not wander outside of the protected area towards area of human settlement and prevent human-animal conflicts is always remained a challenge for no0t only the forest officials of Ranthambore National Park but across most of the protected National Parks, Wildlife Sanctuaries and the Forest Reserves across India. Hence these buffer zones allow the authorities to look out for the wandering animals in case they move out of the core area of Ranthambore National Park and provide sufficient time to the authorities of Ranthambore National Park to rescue them and bring them back to the core area of Ranthambore National Park. As per the geographical records of Ranthambore National Park, the tiger reserve was initially setup in 1973 comprised of an area of 334 sq. km. and this number was extended in 1991 to induct the adjacent Sawai Man Singh Sanctuary and Kaladevi Sanctuary to be around 1334 sq. km. as a Tiger Reserve. Also as per records, in the year 1955, this forest was constituted as the Sawai Madhopur Game Sanctuary that was also declared as a Wildlife Sanctuary and as a Project Tiger as well. The Ranthambore National Park was declared as a National Park in 1980.
The area also houses the Ranthambore Fort that speaks of an amalgamation of the times of the Kings of Rajasthan to the modern world and once you climb the Ranthambore fort area inside Ranthambore National Park you get an aerial view of the forest reserves and the flora of Ranthambore National Park. Not only the Ranthambore fort but various other ruins of significant archaeological importance can also be found inside the forest reserves of Ranthambore National Park. When you are here at Ranthambore National Park you can be rest assured that in addition to the sighting of the Royal Bengal Tigers of Ranthambore National Park you will also get to witness a blend of history, culture and nature as well. The Ranthambore National Park is a wild haven for nature lovers, bird watchers, photographers alike and this is a very popular wildlife destination in India as this place remains open for almost 9 out of the 12 months in a year and the area is close to the National Capital of New Delhi.
New Delhi has excellent communications via airways and so visitors from across India and abroad can come to New Delhi that is a place that offers various relics from the times of the Mughal era of India and the various top tourist attractions like Red Fort, Qutab Minar, Jama masjid, Humayun’s tomb, India Gate, etc. offers visitors a sneak peek into India’s glorious past and after spending your time at New Delhi you can catch an onward flight to Jaipur airport to visit the Ranthambore National Park. And once you are at Ranthambore National Park you can board your pre booked safari rides here to travel inside the forest reserves to spot the varied flora, fauna and avifauna of Ranthambore National Park. The tigers of Ranthambore National Park are diurnal as mentioned earlier and they roam across the forest during the day time as well that makes their sighting much easier inside the forests of Ranthambore National Park. One interesting thing is that the tigers of Ranthambore National Park do not get scared by the presence of the movement of jeeps and canters across them and so your sighting is rest assured while at Kaziranga National Park in Assam where even though the forest reserves have a decent population of the tigers but sighting them becomes tough because of presence of the tall expanse of elephant grass inside the forest.
Ranthambore National Park is in line with the dry weather of the Thar Desert and so it doesn’t have thick and tall vegetation inside the forest reserves. The patch of tall green vegetation can be found mostly near the water bodies of Ranthambore National Park and most of the area has open visibility that makes it ideal to spot the Royal Bengal Tigers of Ranthambore National Park. There is also the presence of 10 tourist racks inside the forest reserves of Ranthambore National Park that makes it ideal for wildlife viewing especially the tigers and you can go for a thrilling jeep and canter safari ride inside the forest reserves of Ranthambore National Park and even get to sight the flagship species of Ranthambore National Park – the Royal Bengal Tigers. It is always better to carry a pair of binoculars to spot the varied fauna and avifauna of Ranthambore National Park and this will make you to get a good opportunity to sight the tigers and in case you get lucky you may also sight a tiger going about its hunting process as well – a visual that you might have only seen on Animal Planet channel on cable. The Royal Bengal Tigers do not fear the presence of moving jeeps and canters inside the forest reserves of Ranthambore National Park and they simply remain seated or pass through these moving vehicles allowing visitors the time to clearly sight these majestic animals.
Your chances of tiger sighting inside the forest reserves of Ranthambore National Park is almost sure but again sometimes it a matter of luck as well and you might even need to return without having the luck to sight the tigers of Ranthambore National Park. One thing that is an added advantage of your tiger sighting at Ranthambore National Park is that the local safari drivers and guides who have known these forests of Ranthambore National Park since their childhood and they have completed enough hours of safari ride inside the forests of Ranthambore National Park that they are aware of where the tigers can be found at any point of time during the day in a particular safari zone and they ensure that you do not miss out the opportunity of sighting the tigers in the wild at Ranthambore National Park by taking you close to the locations these diurnal tigers of Ranthambore National Park can be found. The safari ride tracks are always preferred by the tigers of Ranthambore National Park to make their movements inside the forest reserves as these tracks are covered with sand and soft soil and are devoid of rocks and thorns that makes it easier for the tigers to move upon and not create any noise so that their prey do not hear them approaching and this allows them to pounce of their prey and complete the hunt cycle.
This is an added advantage to tourists visiting Ranthambore National Park as they are able to sight the tigers on these tracks that are used by the jeep and canter vehicles that allow the tourists at Ranthambore National Park to witness the tigers either sitting by the tracks, walking across the vehicles or even the tigers of Ranthambore National Park pounce on their prey as well. To brief a plan for your visit to Ranthambore National Park, you can arrive at first to the closest town of Sawai Madhopur and there is a railway station here as well and so regular trains can be found to Sawai Madhopur and you can find a taxi to Ranthambore National Park. In case you are going to arrive by air then chose to come to the Jaipur airport that is about a 3 hour drive to Ranthambore National Park. In case you are planning to visit Ranthambore National Park after your visit to New Delhi and Agra you can chose to travel to Ranthambore National Park from Agra via road itself as the distance is around 280 km from Agra and the drive would take about 4 – 5 hours only as the roads are excellent. Ensure that you do not plan your visit to Ranthambore National Park during the months of July to September as this time the park remains closed due to monsoon season and also the heat is not favourable for safari rides and so the place remains closed for tourists. Always ensure to plan your visit to Ranthambore National Park during the months of November through April as the weather during the day time remains favorable but the night time gets chilly.
But mind you, although the weather during the day time remains favourable in the winter season, the nights and early mornings are very chilly as this is a desert climate and so warm clothing is a must to be carried during your visit to Ranthambore National Park from November to March. Ensure to carry sweaters, mufflers, hand gloves, head scarfs, caps, etc. to keep yourselves warm during the safari ride inside the forest reserves of Ranthambore National Park. The same is opposite for the months from April to June once the winter ends and the summer approaches the weather gets hot and so you will need to carry opposite clothing during your visit to Ranthambore National Park and ensure to cover your head with a cap or scarf and also ensure to wear sunscreen lotion to avoid you skin getting burnt. During the summer months, the mosquitoes also start appearing and so you are advised to carry a mosquito repellent as well to keep these creatures at bay inside the forest reserves of Ranthambore National Park. Once you are here at Ranthambore National Park and you have pre-booked your jeep or canter rides inside the forest reserves here you will be allowed ot go into one of the ten designated safari zones inside the forest reserves of Ranthambore National Park and this will be allocated by the forest officials of Ranthambore National Park and you do not get to choose the safari range you want to visit.
But you can be rest assured that all of these safari zones are great places inside the forest reserves of Ranthambore National Park to sight the tigers and the jeep drivers ensure to put in their best efforts to make your tiger sighting inside the forest reserves of Ranthambore National Park a guaranteed opportunity. And if you are in a dilemma to choose the jeep safari or the canter safari inside the forest reserves of Ranthambore National Park then once simple choice will be to look at the size of your group and that can help determine your choice. In case you are a group of 6 or less then you can chose to pre-book a jeep ride to travel inside the forest reserves of Ranthambore National Park and in case you are a larger group than 6 members and you want the opportunity to witness the forest reserves of Ranthambore National Park together in a group then you can select the canter safari option as well. Also in case you are a backpacker then you can choose the canter safari because it will turn out to be cheaper for you as individual members are clubbed to form a group to travel on a canter safari inside the forest reserves of Ranthambore National Park.
Both of these vehicles have been modified and are opened roofed so that you can get the best sighting experience inside the forest reserves of Ranthambore National Park and both of these travel on the same tracks made inside the forest reserves of Ranthambore National Park. But one thing noteworthy to be mentioned is that the jeep safari ride inside Ranthambore National Park offer a close viewing experience than the canter safari rides as the vehicle is smaller and can penetrate better inside the tracks of the forest reserves of Ranthambore National Park. And when it comes to the safari timings inside the forest reserves of Ranthambore National Park it keeps varying with the time of the sunrise and sunset as per the months of the season and the safari timing is scheduled that it start 30 minutes after sunrise and ends 30 minutes before sundown. So it is generally starts from (6 AM to 7 AM) in the morning time and (2.30 PM to 3.30 PM0 in the afternoon time. And it can also be said that the safari in the morning time is better in summers and safari in the afternoon is better in the winters to spot the flagship species of Ranthambore National Park – the Royal Bengal Tigers.
So it is nothing that you need to book a jeep safari itself to explore the forest reserves of Ranthambore National Park but you can also try the canter safari option as well as this serves as an economical safari option inside the forest reserves of Ranthambore National Park. Although many of the National Parks in India allow the option of elephant safari rides inside the forest reserves of the park but at Ranthambore National Park there are only two options of having your safari ride inside the park viz. the jeep safari or the canter safari rides that are organized by the forest authorities of Ranthambore National Park and these two safari options are sufficient for visitors to explore the vast forest reserves of Ranthambore National Park sighting the tigers and the other fauna and avifauna species that fascinate any wildlife enthusiast or photographers inside the forest reserves of Ranthambore National Park. The jeep safari options allows six persons to be seated on the jeep safari ride and as the jeep us a smaller vehicle as compared to the 20 seater canters it can go into more place within the safari tracks of Ranthambore National Park and thus it allows more of sighting of animals inside the park. In case you are interested in wildlife photography inside the forest reserves of Ranthambore National Park then this is the best way to explore the forest reserves of Ranthambore National Park as you get close view of animals from your jeep safari ride inside Ranthambore National Park.
Also prefer to book this jeep safari ride option inside Ranthambore National Park in case you are a small group of friends or family and you would want to explore the forest reserves and wildlife of Ranthambore National Park within your small group. The jeep safari rides at Ranthambore National Park are organized in two shifts in a day in the morning and the afternoon and at each shift around 17 jeeps are allowed inside the forest reserves of Ranthambore National Park. On the other hand the canter safari ride is a big 20 seater mini bus that is again open on all sides so that visitors can get the best safari viewing experience inside the forest reserves of Ranthambore National Park. This safari option is a more economical way of exploring the forest reserves of Ranthambore National Park as the cost is reduced due to more number of people on a single bus and you can chose this option in case you are travelling alone to Ranthambore National Park and you will be clubbed with other visitors on your safari ride inside the forest reserves here. The Jeep safari rides are often pre-booked much priorly to the scheduled safari rides of the guests as hundreds of visitors come to Ranthambore National Park during the peak season and so for your last minute booking here you can chose to go for the canter safari ride inside the forest reserves of Ranthambore National Park.
However for you confirmed safari booking it is always advisable to pre book your jeep or canter safari rides inside Ranthambore National Park to avoid last minute hassles. The canter safari just like the jeep safari is operated across two slots inside the forest reserves of Ranthambore National Park in the morning and in the afternoon. To reiterate there are 10 safari zones inside the forest reserves of Ranthambore National Park and the zones for safari are randomly assigned to the jeep and canters by an automated system and each vehicle can at one time explore only one zone of Ranthambore National Park within the designated safari tracks and it would be noteworthy to mention that as most of the water bodies inside the Ranthambore National Park are across safari zones 1 – 6 it would be better to chance your sighting of tigers and other cat species of Ranthambore National Park at these six safari zones. But not to worry even in case you do not get your safari at each of the above zones because all the safari zones are good and sighting of the tigers of Ranthambore National Park is only based on luck and with the able drivers and guides they will serve you their best to sight the tigers of Ranthambore National Park on your safari rides.
After your day of safari inside the forest reserves of Ranthambore National Park there are still lots of places to explore around the place and you can start by your visit to the Ranthambore Fort that is a historic fort inside the Ranthambore National Park that speaks highly of the era of the Kings of Rajasthan. Rajasthan is known as the land of palaces and forts in India and many tourists from across the World come to Rajasthan not with the sole purpose of a visit to Ranthambore National Park but also to explore the various palaces and forts of Rajasthan as well. Many of these palaces have now been converted into hotels and the Royal family descendants live here in the palaces as well so when you visit Rajasthan you can not only see these palaces but also get an opportunity to live in one of these palace hotels and experience the life of the Kings of Rajasthan as well. And while at Ranthambore National Park visit the Ranthambore fort to catch a glimpse of the enchanting valleys, lakes and fauna of Ranthambore National Park. Continuing further on our exploration inside the forest of Ranthambore National Park continue on your jeep ride to the Kachida valley that is a spot renowned for the presence of black panthers and wild bears of Ranthambore National Park. This place is located on one side of Ranthambore National Park and contains beautiful lakes and lush greenery.
Take your jeep to explore the area and in case you are lucky you may get to sight the panthers and wild bears of Ranthambore National Park at the Kachida valley area. Next up you can travel to visit the largest lake inside the forest reserves of Ranthambore National Park at the Padam Talao. This water body serves as a watering hole for the various animals of Ranthambore National Park and this is a perfect place to sight the tigers of Ranthambore National Park and also the various resident and migratory birds of Ranthambore National Park as they come in search of food at his lake. The place has thick greenery around and so you can witness a serene ambiance in this area. Mostly surrounded by the beautiful water lilies and the greens, hence this lake is called as the Padam Talo. Located close to the Padam Talao lake is the Jogi Mahal that used to be the resting place for the various kings of Rajasthan who used to come for hunting in these forest reserves and used this place to rest after they were tired. Today this Jogi Mahal has been turned into a forest guest house and also a reserve park for tourists to Ranthambore National Park. This place is managed by the forest authorities of Ranthambore National Park and it overlooks the beautiful Padam Talao lake.
The presence of a huge Banyan tree near this Jogi Mahal is what makes the place unique and this the second largest banyan tree in India. Move further on your jeep ride to the Raj Bagh ruins located between the Padam Talao lake and the Raj Bagh lake and this place contains various ruins of historical monuments that are of very ancient period including the pre-historic era of Rajasthan. These pre-historic ruins are significant interest to tourists who are interested in history and also these ruins enhance the beauty of the forest reserves of Ranthambore National Park as well. Two of the other huge lakes inside Ranthambore National Park are the Malik Talao and the Raj Bagh Talao that also serve as watering holes for the animals of Ranthambore National Park and also the majestic bird species as well. The Raj Bagh Talao is known for a special grass that grows along the banks of the lake and this is a favourite food of the Sambhar deers and they come to feed here thereby attracting the predators of Ranthambore National Park as well to this lake.
During your jeep safari inside the forest reserves of Ranthambore National Park one place you should visit in Bakula that is renowned to be famous tiger spotting point inside Ranthambore National Park. Bakula is a densely forested region inside Ranthambore National Park that also has scattered water pool that serve as watering holes for the various herbivores of Ranthambore National Park and hence the predators come here as well to pounce on their prey. This place is good for sighting of tigress and cubs inside Ranthambore National Park along with other animals and they come here to quench their thirst. The water reserves and the vegetation across the area makes it a place that retains moisture and hence it is relatively cooler area in Ranthambore National Park and so when you visit here during April – June you can spot the animals seeking refuge inside the vegetation to keep themselves cool during the heat of the summer months at Ranthambore National Park. Continue further on your jeep ride to the Lakarda and Anantpura region inside Ranthambore National Park that are the north western and northern region of Ranthambore National Park that are inhabited by sloths of the place. These sloths are attracted to the various ant hills that are present in this landscape and so you will have a good chance to sight the sloths using a pair of good binoculars from your safari. Along with the sloths this place inside Ranthambore National Park is also home to Indian Stripped Hyenas and in case you are very lucky you can spot these animals as well because they are les in number and are visible very rarely.
Once you have completed exploring the various places of tourist interest inside the forest reserves of Ranthambore National Park then you can spend your day in relaxation at your hotel or resort and later go out to explore the places of interest around Ranthambore National Park. You can start your visit by exploring the Ramsinghpura village that is located around nine kilometres from Sawai Madhopur and this village contains the Rajiv Gandhi regional museum of natural history. This is a one of a kind museum across the place and the museum illustrates the various biodiversity of the Western region of India with various exhibits in the form of plants, animals and geology of the region. The place contains models and replicas of various wild animals that are present across the western region of India like tigers, lions, leopards, wild boars, etc. The Rajiv Gandhi regional museum of natural history near Ranthambore National Park aims to educate the people about the rich floral and avifaunal wealth of the region of India and hence provide them to learn about the conservation of these species. After visiting this place you can travel to one of the very beautiful places around Ranthambore National Park called as Dastkar Ranthambore.
When the forest reserves of Ranthambore National Park were created as a protected National Park there were still many families living inside these forest reserves and so they would get displaced with this order and these were the indigenous people who have been staying here since very long and so the local authorities had to ensure that they were properly rehabilitated and so an NGO initiative was formed called as the Dastkar Ranthambore that took up the task to re-settle these indigenous communities and provide them a source of income as they had to lose their farming lands inside the forest reserves of Ranthambore National Park including their source of food and timber as well. Ranthambore foundation in association with Dastkar allowed the women an opportunity to harness their skills of handicrafts and handloom like making hand bags, cushion covers, table cloths, etc. from locally available resources that were eco-friendly at budget rates and these products became a hit in the National and International markets thereby allowing the women to earn decent profits and run a livelihood. These items are all handmade and are available in vibrant colours that depict the wildlife of Ranthambore National Park and people love their artwork and buy them during their visit to Ranthambore National Park and also these have been made available worldwide courtesy of Dastkar via various International Exhibitions and ecommerce.
Another place to visit around Ranthambore National Park is the Ranthambore School of art that aims to spread the awareness to conserve wildlife and biodiversity of the Ranthambore National Park to keep a balance of nature. This is a must visit place for art lovers and various paintings are to be found here at the Ranthambore School of art that depicts the wildlife of Ranthambore National Park. Continue your explorations around Ranthambore National Park by visiting the Trinetra Ganesha temple that is a very old temple shrine of Rajasthan dedicated to Lord Ganesha. It is believed that this is one of the rare temple shrines in India where Lord Ganesha can be seen with his entire family. At the Trinetra Ganesha temple near Ranthambore National Park devotional aarti happens around five times a day and so you can take part in the rituals on your visit to Ranthambore National Park.
Once you are done with your visit to Ranthambore National Park take the opportunity to witness the historic capital of Rajasthan at Jaipur. A UNESCO World Heritage Site, Jaipur is the first planned city in India and the distinctness in the architecture of the capital city of Rajasthan can be seen once you travel across the heritage city. The various markets, shops and residences are places in a unique way and so are the long public squares called as Choupas. When you are at Jaipur your sighting should include the City Palace, Amber Palace, the Hawa Mahal and the Jantar Mantar alogn with other historic monuments of Jaipur. Jaipur is renowned not only in India but across the World for its unique handicrafts and handlooms and once you visit the local market in the Pink city you will find various crafts like bags, statues made of marbles, hand bags, table cloths, bags, etc. that are beautifully made with hands and all eco-friendly materials that are vibrantly coloured. You should plan your visit to Jaipur during the prominent festivals of Kite, Teej, Dhulandi, etc. and this is the time when you get to witness the vibrant colours of the pink city.
The historic city of Jaipur never fails to enthral any visitor as this place is like exploring a never ending museum with history to be witnessed all around. The arts and crafts of Jaipur like the emerald products, precious stones of pearls and turquoise and the lacquer bangles are things to be witnessed as a once in a lifetime opportunity. The Sawai Madhopur area that acts as a gateway to Ranthambore National Park is another place of historic importance to be witnessed. Sawai Madhopur has been the throne of the various dynasties from the Chauhans of Rajasthan to the Mughals. Named after Maharaja Sawai Madhao Singh Ji, Sawai Madhopur was connected to Jaipur via railway during the times of the British that provided the place easy accessibility since long back. The Sawai Madhopur Utsav is a prominent festival celebrated here along with Ganesh Chaturthi, Dusshera, Chauth Mata Mela, etc.
Once you finish exploring Sawai Madhopur head to another UNESCO World Heritage Site of Rajasthan at the Keoladeo National Park that was earlier called as the Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary, Bharatpur is located in the Brij region and in the Eastern part of Rajasthan and the Keoladeo National Park is a prime tourist attraction of this city. The Keoladeo National Park is renowned for its resident and migratory birds and the presence of Palaearctic migratory waterfowl. Priorly Bharatpur was known as Lohagarh that is a famous fort that is present here and it was established in 1733 by Maharaja Suraj Mal. Bharatpur is famed for its vibrant Brij festival that is celebrated after the festival of colours – Holi. This place is also known for its various traditional handicrafts especially the cowries that have handles made up of ivory, silver or sandalwood. After exploring the Keoladeo National Park at Bharatpur, ensure to explore the Bharatpur Palace, Government Museum and Lohagarh fort. After making your visit to Bharatpur and winding up your safari rides at Ranthambore National Park, make sure to visit the Blue city of eastern Rajasthan called as Bundi.
Bundi is located at around 36 km from the land of coaching in Rajasthan at Kota – that trains varisou students from across India for the entrance examinations to the IITs, NITs and the Medical colleges across the country. This town of Bundi is set amidst the beautiful Aravalli hills of Rajasthan. This town of Bundi near Ranthambore National Park was once the capital of the Hadrali kingdom and the principal inhabitants of this place were the Miner and Bhil tribes. Once you tour the town of Bundi after your visit to Ranthambore National Park, ensure that you visit the Taragarh fort and Garh Palace that are both perched atop a hill and are adorned with the beautiful wall art of Rajasthan. Also you can visit the Jait Sagar lake that is a huge 4 km long lake and is a pop[ular tourist destination for birding. The Sukh Niwas that is a palace converted to a museum is also a prime place to visit. Next up travel to Chittorgarh, a town named after the famous Chittorgarh fort that is the largest fort complex in India with an area spread across 700 acres of land.
Chittorgarh town near Ranthambore National Park is located by the banks of the Banas River and it was once the capital of the Rajputs of Mewar. The Chittorgarh fort that is a prime tourist attraction here was built by the Mauryas in the 7th century and later ruled over by the Rajputs and Mughals. The best time to visit Chittorgarh fort is when the festival of Jauhar Mela is held here and this is an annual festival that hosts the ceremony of the Jauhar (self-immolation of women during the three invasions at the Chittorgarh Fort) and the prime aim of this festival is to celebrate the bravery of the Rajput ancestors and the legacy of the Rajputs of Rajasthan. During the time of the Jauhar Mela festival at the Chittorgarh fort near Ranthambore National Park, the royal family descendants hold a special procession to celebrate this festival.
One place that you cannot miss out to explore either prior to your visit or after your visit to Ranthambore National Park is the city of Agra. Known for being home to the ‘Taj Mahal’ – An epitome of love, Agra attracts thousands of tourists every day from India and abroad who come to admire the grandeur of this majestic monument built by the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan for his wife Mumtaz. Agra is no doubt the most visited tourist destination in the country. The city of Agra is located by the banks of the river Yamuna and it is not only the Taj Mahal but there are numerous other historic monuments in Agra dating back to the Mughal era and you muse plan a visit here after your tiger sighting experience at Ranthambore National Park. The fortified city of Fatehpur Sikri near Agra is a must visit to learn about the grandeur of the Mughal Architecture that is considered to be one of the finest in the World. Agra is said to be a city that is a combination of culture, history and the modern world with a part of the city speedily developing to become a modern city with high rise malls and apartments and one side of the city is reflecting the age old Mughal architecture.
At Agra after Ranthambore National Park, you can plan an entire vacation on its own and once you are here and you have admired the grandeur of the Taj Mahal then you can explore the Itinad-ud-Daulah (smaller Taj), Mariam’s tomb, Sikandra tomb, Chini ka Rauza and the Agra fort as well. Agra is also known to host many festivals that are celebrated with great pomp and vigour and in case you are able to be a part of these festivities here it is an experience of a lifetime just like sighting a tiger inside the forest reserves of Ranthambore National Park. Some of the prominent festival celebrated in Agra is Taj Mahotsav, Raan Bharat, Kailash Fair, Taj Literary festival, etc. Agra is also known as the place that is rich in handicrafts and handlooms and also shoe making that is a very important business of Agra. Once you go out shopping in Agra, you can get to discover many traditional items like jewellery, leathers, carpets, structures made up of marble and you can visit the Sardar bazar, Kinari Bazar, Subhash Enterprise and many more places to pick up souvenirs. When it comes to food, Agra is a delight to all non-vegetarian lovers as the influence of Mughal cuisine is present here.
Undoubtedly the Royal Bengal Tigers of Ranthambore National Park are the flagship species and hence there are numerous stories related to these tigers as each tiger is important to Ranthambore National Park when it comes to the tourists wanting to see them. The Ranthambore National Park served as the main hunting grounds of the Kings of Jaipur and so the legends associated with the tigers of Ranthambore National Park are numerous. In fact tigers favour the climate and environment of Ranthambore National Park so much that they breed successfully here and Ranthambore National Park has always seen an increasing trend when it comes to the population of the tigers and many a times the authorities here had to relocate the tigers from Ranthambore National Park to the nearby tiger reserve at Sariska so that there is enough hunting grounds for all the tigers. The Tigers of Ranthambore National Park are named with a prefix ‘T’ followed by the numbers and the various tigers are like T-16, T-41, T-6, T-17, T-19, etc. Visitors to Ranthambore National Park love to catch the sight of T-16 (Machali) that is a tigress who likes to spend time with her cubs inside the forest reserves of Ranthambore National Park. The other popular ones are T-6 (Romeo) and T-41 (Laila) and is said that T-6 is in love with T-41 and he keeps trying many possible moves to gain her attention.
In addition to the full grown tigers of Ranthambore National Park there are also various cubs of the tigers and these young cubs are soon going to grow into adult males and females that will be a boon to Ranthambore National Park. Few of these cubs of Ranthambore National Park are 2 cubs of T-5, 2 cubs of T-8, 2 cubs of T-31, 3 cubs of T-30, etc. So in due course of time, the authorities of Ranthambore National Park need to be able to relocate these tigers so that these animals do not get confined to one area and instead they have sufficient hunting grounds at other protected area near Ranthambore National Park in Rajasthan. Out of all the Royal Bengal Tigers of Ranthambore National Park, one tigress who always held a popular place among the tourists to Ranthambore National Park was ‘Machali (T-16)’ – the Queen of Ranthambore National Park. She was named as Machali because of the unique fish mark on her face. Machali was a royal tigress of Ranthambore National Park who passed away in 2016 and she was declared the most photographed tiger in the World in the wild. Machali was known to dominate the forest reserves of Ranthambore National Park at zones 2,3,4 and 5 and she even had hold over her territory across the water bodies, fort and palaces of Ranthambore National Park.
She was also declared as the ‘lady of the lake’ and her dominance spread across 350 sq. km. of area of the forest reserves of Ranthambore National Park. The territory of Ranthambore National Park is home to 62 tigers and Machali was indeed a queen among these and she was a smart tigress who started hunting from 2 years old and separated from her mother very young as compared to any other tiger. It can be said that even though Machali was a tigress she has a dominating aura and she ruled the forest reserves of Ranthambore National Park powerfully head to head with the male tigers. Machali was born with a killer instinct and various encounters of Machali with other wild animals of Ranthambore National Park have been documented and the most popular was her encounter with a huge crocodile that went on to be the most historic encounters of Ranthambore National Park. She was documented widely and it helped the government earn handsome revenue from Ranthambore National Park and several achievement awards were conferred upon Machali for attracting tourists to Ranthambore National Park. Machali passed away in 2016 at age 20 and she was said to be the oldest surviving tigers in the wild and she was buried as per protocols and her legend continues to attract visitors to Ranthambore National Park.
Another one of the renowned tigers of Ranthambore National Park is the T-106 and her tales of love and romance is known to all visitors here at Ranthambore National Park. It is said that when T-106 was relocated to Mukudra Hills tiger reserve, Tiger T-98 undertook an epic 150 km long journey across three districts of Rajasthan to find her. Even though T-106 died a few years ago she is remembered by visitors to Ranthambore National Park as the one tiger for her tales of chivalry, bravery and love and she was a tiger who first gave birth to cubs at the Mukudra Tiger reserve. It is said that when T-106 was shifted to the Mukudra Tiger Reserve, T-98 who used to share the territory with the tigress and hunted together got very fierce and hostile inside Ranthambore National Park. The tiger T-98 wanted to get back together with T-106 and so he took the long 150 km walk to find her. But once he found her it was too late as T-106 had already mated with MT-1 and gave birth to 2 cubs that left T-98 helpless and he started developing health problems at only 4 years as he was left heart broken and soon died. Interestingly even T-106 died after this incident leaving every one baffled with the story.
If Machali of Ranthambore National Park is known to be the most photographed tiger of Ranthambore National Park, then T-98 would be said to be a tiger that was known to hold in for his love towards his mate MT-2. As mentioned a little earlier, T-98 was the same tiger who undertook the long 150 km journey to meet up with his female companion when MT-2 was shifted to the Mukundra Tiger Reserve. It is said that when MT-2 was shifted from Ranthambore National Park to Mukundra Tiger Reserve, T-98 became very furious and restless as he lost his companion and both of them were often noticed inside the forest reserves of Ranthambore National Park staying together and hunting together as well but when MT-2 was taken away, T-98 revealed a very fierce side of himself and he even attached human beings who used to go inside the forest reserves of Ranthambore National Park to collect firewood that shocked the people because generally these conflicts never happened inside Ranthambore National Park. This was very much due to the separation of the tiger T-98 from MT-2 and as he was unable to bear the pain of separation he undertook the long walk of 150 km across three districts of Rajasthan to travel from Ranthambore National Park to Mukundra Tiger Reserve and this started the legend of T-98 as the tiger who accomplished a feat the was never heard of earlier where a male tiger relinquishes his territory and goes out to seek his companion to a completely new territory itself.
Though T-98 was successful in finding MT-2 at Mukundra Tiger Reserve he was too late because MT-2 has already mated with MT-1 and she gave birth to two cubs as well. Upon knowing this T-98 was left utterly heart broken and his love story did not have a happy ending. Once it relocated to Mukundra Tiger Reserve, T-98 was renamed as MT-3 and in a few days the forest authorities noticed it limping as he had injured his foot and the authorities took him under the care of the vet of the Mukundra Tiger Reserve but his foot was not healing. The authorities planned to transfer him to a better care hospital but in the time the authorities got to things in place, T-98 or MT-3 had already passed away and upon autopsy it was revealed that the tiger died of severe lung infection that had occurred because of large amounts of fat deposited in this body thereby blocking his heart chamber and though no one could know the actual reason of how this happened to a tiger who once walked over 150 km it is a general belief that his heart broken condition and his inability to acclimatize to the new territory was the reason behind his untimely death.
T-98 passed away at age 4 and even though it has been long since his body left the forest reserves of Ranthambore National Park, the tales of romance of T-98 and MT-2 continue to be mentioned by tourists who come to Ranthambore National Park. Another tiger story noteworthy to be mentioned of Ranthambore National Park is that of T-17 (Sundari) who was the daughter of the ‘Queen of Ranthambore’ – Machali. Sundari is named because she had a very beautiful face and it was obvious as she was the daughter of the Queen of Ranthambore National Park and so it was bound that she would have a beautiful face and Sundari (T-17) was first spotted in the wild of Ranthambore National Park in 2006. Machali had given birth to three cubs and once among these was Sundari but Sundari separated from her mother at a very early age and she was on her own since here first year and she became a dominant hunter. Sundari found a territory for herself at 2 years at the bottom of the fort and after constant territory battles with her mother, Sundari (T-17) was able to find here territory at the proximity of the lake. Sundari was spotted across zone 2, 3, 4 and 5 inside the forest reserves of Ranthambore National Park and she was in the tendency of roaming about in the territory of the make tigers of T-25, T-28 and T-24.
Another popular tigress of Ranthambore National Park was T-41 and she is about 19 years old reaching the age of Machali and she is referred to as Junglee who was born to T-4 (female) and was spotted across the forest reserves of Ranthambore National Park since 1997. Her brother T-40 along with her was very popular among the local guides and drives at Ranthambore National Park and they were often seen hunting together. Their mother died when they were only a year old and since then both T-40 and T-41 of Ranthambore National Park took upon the task of surviving on their own and soon Junglee became famous in her hunting areas because of her rigid determination to survive and stay with her brother, T-40 ruled over the Beruda, Sewli and Bhakola valleys of Ranthambore National Park. Over the years an old male tiger of Ranthambore National Park (T-^) started to invade their territory and there were constant fight between T-40 and T-6 and soon T-40 had to leave the area and Junglee had to make peace with T-6 and she had to mate with T-6 and later she gave birth to two cubs. Today Junglee (T-41) likes to lead a family life with her cubs and the protective father looks about fort them. Similarly there are numerous other famous tiger stories of Ranthambore National Park and the tales of the above tigers are very famous to be noted. There are some more tiger stories that are explained later on this page about T-24, T-19, T-22, etc.
Hotels and Resorts at Ranthambore National Park
When you are at the Ranthambore National Park it is obvious that you have come on a planned holiday and because of this you would like to stay in very comfortable and deluxe Hotels and Resorts with your family or friends while you also explore the forest reserves of Ranthambore National Park and get the opportunity to sight the famous tigers and other fauna and avifauna of Ranthambore National Park. There are various range of Hotels and Resorts around the forest reserves of Ranthambore National Park ranging from Budget, Standard, Deluxe, Luxury and High End and Star Hotels that cater to the requirements of various guests here at Ranthambore National Park who come for a once in a lifetime opportunity to sight the majestic Royal Bengal Tigers of Ranthambore National Park in the wild. Four of the budget hotels around the forest reserves of Ranthambore National Park are Hotel Jungle retreat, Hotel Green View, Hotel Ranthambore Paradise, Hotel Ananta palace, etc. Though these are termed as budget hotels but you have access to various amenities that you would need on your visit to Ranthambore National Park.
Let us say for example the Hotel Jungle retreat at Ranthambore National Park, this hotel is located in a very scenic surrounding and even though it is a budget hotel, the place offers around 15 deluxe rooms for their guests that are all air-conditioned and also include a fully functional restaurant that serves Rajasthani, Indian, Continental and Chinese cuisine along with an outdoor pool and a small bar as well. The place can be easily accessed from the forest entrance of Ranthambore National Park and the place has free Wi-Fi, Power Backup, Parking, travel guide, etc. and a host of other facilities as well. The Standard Hotels at Ranthambore National Park are Raj Palace Resort, Vatika Resort, Om Rudrapriya Holiday Resort, Hotel Rajputana Heritage, etc. The Deluxe Hotels at Ranthambore National Park are Heritage Haveli Ranthambore National Park, Tiger Den Resort, Tiger Moon Resort, Welcome Heritage Mount Valley Resort, etc. The luxury Hotels at Ranthambore National Park are Purata Oila, Jungle Vihar, The Tigress resort Ranthambore National Park, etc. The High End Hotels at Ranthambore National Park are Sher Bagh, Aman-I-Khas, Oberoi Vanya Villa and all these hotels and resorts are to be found around Ranthambore National Park. Along with these you will also find Guest Houses, Homestays, Camps and Dormitories as well.
