| The Ranthambhore
National Park stretches across
an area of 1,334 sq km on the eastern edge of the Thar
Desert. Once the hunting grounds of the erstwhile ruling
family of Jaipur, today it is one of the last sanctuaries
of the big cat, the Royal Bengal Tiger. Ranthambhore actually
consist of not one, but three, wildlife preserves: the
Ranthambhore National Park itself, the Sawai Mansingh
Sanctuary and the Keladevi Sanctuary.
Ranthambhore is an
oasis of dense dry deciduous forests amidst a vast tract
of semi arid scrub and thorny desert vegetation surrounded
by the hills of the Vindhyas and the Aravalis.
An ancient fort lies within the
park boundaries of Ranthambore, adding to its charm. Ravines,
nallahs, water bodies and waterfalls add to its beauty
and offer many natural hideouts for tigers and the other
wildlife endemic to this park. Part
of Project Tiger (one of Asia's most important conservation
efforts), Ranthambhore is the favourite haunt of wildlife
buffs and professional wildlife photographers from around
the world who come to see tigers, panthers, wild cats,
hyena, jackal, marsh crocodile, wild boar, bears, many
species of deer and a rich birdlife of over 300 species,
including the great Indian horned owl. Ranthambhore
encompasses three lakes: Raj Bagh, Malik Talab and Padam
Talab, where aquatic birds can be seen.
Although latest reports show that the
tiger population of Ranthambhore is on the decline,
it’s still one of India’s best places
to see the great cat in all its glory.
Entry
Requirements
Entry to the Ranthambore National Park
is limited; all visitors must obtain a permit at the
entrance to Ranthambhore before they’re allowed to enter.
Foreigners pay an entrance fee of Rs 200; for Indians,
the fee is Rs 25, while Indian students pay Rs 5. Additional
charges are levied for cameras.
Access
The Ranthambore National Park is 145
km from Jaipur though the nearest railhead is at Sawai
Madhopur, 12 km away. Sawai Madhopur, which lies on
the main Delhi-Mumbai railway route, is connected by
train to a number of cities and towns across India,
including Delhi, Mumbai and Jaipur. The nearest airports
are at Kota and Jaipur, from where a bus or train can
be taken to Sawai Madhopur, where a taxi may be hired
to get to Ranthambhore; alternatively, you can take
the bus which goes to the park.
Within the park, hired vehicles- especially
jeeps- can be hired at the entrance to Ranthambhore.
The RTDC (Rajasthan Tourism Development Corporation)
organizes jeep and truck safaris for tourists, besides
which you may bring your own vehicle into the park.
Best
time to visit
Ranthambhore is open for visitors between
October and June. Summers are very hot in this part
of the country, and temperatures rise so high that you’ll
probably end up being utterly uncomfortable. However,
the summer heat attracts animals to the waterholes,
so there’s greater chance of seeing wildlife in May
or June.
The best time for a trip remains between
December and April, when the weather’s great and there’s
plenty of opportunity for doing some hardcore wildlife-watching.
March and April, especially, are months when tiger-spotting
is more common. |
