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Ranthambore National Park
Ranthambore National Park About
Ranthambore National Park
One of the most popular parks with tiger sightings
at its best, a photographers’ dream come true, dotted with lakes and ponds around
which the wildlife abounds. Welcome to Ranthambore where predators and prey enact
their day to day drama. Hailed as one of India's finest wildlife locales, it is
located near Sawai Madhopur township about 100 km south east of Ajmer in Rajasthan.
It was established as a sanctuary in 1959 and included in the very first phase
of Project Tiger in 1972. In 1981 Ranthambore was awarded National Park status.
The park derives its name from the fort of Ranthambore which sits on a rocky outcrop
in the forest. The fort dates back to the 11th century when it was a vital citadel
for the control of central India.
Ranthambore Wildlife Sanctuary is
open for visitors between October and June. Summers are not the right season for
heading to Ranthambore. 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 some hardcore wildlife-watching. March and April,
especially, are the months when tiger-spotting is common.
Wildlife
Attraction in Ranthambore National Park
Tiger
The tiger reigns supreme in Ranthambore. It is among
the few places in the world where this super-predator, symbol of power, strength
and magnificence, can be observed at close quarters. There are about 25 tigers
and 40 leopards in the reserve. These are supported by a large population of healthy
herbivores. On can never have enough of tigers. You may have seen a tiger a hundred
times, yet each sighting is greeted with the same high-pitched intensity.
Tigers can be spotted quite often in their natural habitat even during daytime.
They have been frequently seen at the edges of three lakes-Padam Talab, Raj Bagh
Talab and Milak Talab. The park also has panthers in sizeable numbers, though
they have been spotted generally at the outskirts of the park perhaps due to the
inevitable conflict with the tiger population, which command the ‘superior’ position
amidst the predatory cats. For spotting panthers, Kachida Valley is regarded as
the ideal place.
Avian
Population
Jacanas, painted stork, black stork, and white necked stork
are seen along the water bodies. Peafowl are found in abundance and other birds
include Bonelli's eagle, crested serpent eagle, the great Indian horned owl, quail,
partridge, spur fowl and the paradise flycatcher.
Besides, Ranthambore
has large numbers of sambar, chital and nilgai. Sounders of boar and an occasional
gazelle and the chinkara can also be seen, as also the Indian hare, mongoose and
monitor lizards. The lakes and pools at the park are the places where deers congregate
and it is easiest to see these animals. Among other local fauna are the leopard,
hyena. jackal, jungle cats, sloth bear and marsh crocodile.
Safaris
The adventure begins at daybreak. Open gypsys take you into the depths of Ranthambore
forest. An incredible variety of wildlife abounds in these forests, the magnificent
king of the forest - the Tiger, often appears before your astonished eyes. The
morning mists slowly unfolds the mysteries of nature, the naturalist guides you
through these moments with his expertise. At regular intervals, the jungle erupts
with alarm calls of the forest denizens. The cats are on the prowl in search of
prey, wildlife sightings are at their best, This is the most exciting hour in
the Indian jungle. Safari Timings are 6:30 to 10:00 Am & 1:30 to 5:30 PM.
Other Attractions
Ranthambore Fort
The majestic Ranthambore Fort is situated on
top of a hill inside the park. A short walk, the only means to get to the fort,
takes you to the invincible structure which has been a major landmark in the area
for centuries. A breathtaking view of the surroundings awaits you and if you are
lucky, you may see a wild cat prowling around.
Padam Talao
It is the largest lake inside the park. The impressive
Jogi Mahal is situated on the banks of the lake. It is an ideal spot for animal
sighting and if luck is on your side, a rare Chinkara sighting is not a distant
possibility.
How to get there
By
Air: Jaipur (165 km) is the nearest airport which is conveniently connected
by Indian Airlines flights from Delhi (6:05, daily), Mumbai (15:30, daily) and
Kolkata (15:45, daily). Jet Airways also connect Mumbai and Delhi to Jaipur through
daily flights.
By Rail: The Park is around 12 km from Sawai Madhopur
railway station, on the Delhi-Bombay trunk route. Daily trains which connect the
place to Delhi include Intercity Exp. (22:15), Golden Temple Mail (7:15), Paschim
Exp. (16:55), Mewar Exp. (19:00), Dehradun Exp. (21:45) and FZR BCT Janta (13:30).
Trains from Mumbai include Golden Temple Mail (21:25), Paschim Exp. (11:35), BCT
JP Exp. (18:50), Dehradun Exp. (22:25) and FZR Janata Exp. (7:25). Other trains
are from Bangalore the Jaipur Exp. (11:15, Thu, Sat) and from Chennai, Jaipur
Exp. (17:30, Tue, Fri, Sun).
By Road:A good network of buses connect
Sawai Madhopur with quite a few areas around. To reach by road from Jaipur, take
the NH12 to Tonk via Sanganer and state highway to Ranthambore via Uniara and
Sawai Madhopur. It will be better to go by train, since private vehicles are not
allowed inside the park
Distances from Major Cities
Agra :
294 km
Delhi : 434 km (SW)
Mumbai :
851 km
Jaipur : 176 km (SE)
Bangalore
: 1453 km
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