Ranthambore

Located near Sawai Madhopur in eastern Rajasthan, the region of Ranthambore lies midway between Bharatpur and Kota. Ranthambore claim to fame and the reason that it attracts tourists in droves is the fact that it is home to the famous Ranthambore National Park.

The Ranthambore National Park is the premier tourist attraction of the region. A splendid wildlife sanctuary located near the That Desert and bounded by the Vindhyas and the Aravali hills, the Ranthambore National Park is a haven for animal lovers and adventure enthusiasts. The park is a shining example of the Project Tiger's conservation efforts. History has it that the sanctuary served as the former hunting grounds of Prithviraj Chauhana, a Rajput ruler as well as other rulers of Jaipur. In 1955, the Ranthambore National Park was declared a game sanctuary; and in 1980, it attained the status of a national park. With the initiation of Project Tiger in 1972, it was declared as a tiger reserve in India.

Two rivers flow through the Ranthambore National Park - the Chambal River in the South and the Banas River in the North while the six man-made lakes and many perennial streams passing through the entire park are the favorite haunts of the wildlife and your best bet for spotting them. Famous for its royal Bengal tigers, the Ranthambore National Park is also home to leopards, the highly endangered caracal, jungle cat, hyena, jackal, sloth bear, wild boar, marsh crocodile, porcupine, common langur, spotted deer, Indian gazelle, sambar (Asiatic stag) and nilgai (bluebull).

The Park is open from October to April and the best times to view wildlife are the early mornings and evenings. Enjoy adventure tourism in Rajasthan with wildlife safaris within the Ranthambore National Park. Experience the unmistakable thrill of spotting these wild savage animals in their natural habitats as you go on jeep safaris through the jungle trails.

In Ranthambore, history and forests come together to create an array of tourist attractions. So besides the wild animals and the verdant flora, one can also see the ruins of the 10^th century Ranthambore Fort within the National Park. Also there are several lake palaces, cenotaphs and old fortifications that date back to 1,000 years. There is also Jogi Mahal, near the Fort, a forest rest house, overlooking the charming Padam Talab that boasts of the second-largest Banyan tree in India.

There is also a beautiful Ganesh temple inside the Ranthambore Tiger Reserve, which means many people visit the park to make a holy pilgrimage to the temple. The place comes alive during the Ganesh Chaturthi Festival

Being an important tourist destination, Ranthambore is easily accessible by all means of transport. The nearest airport to Ranthambore is Jaipur while the main railway line from Delhi to Mumbai runs past Sawai Madhopur, which is connected by regular trains from cities across Rajasthan and India

For more information on Rajasthan, click on the following links:

A Journey to India offers online booking for tours and travel packages to Ranthambore in Rajasthan and other destinations in India. To book a tour or for more information, please fill up the query form provided below.