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HOW TO REACH
By Air - The nearest airport to Ranthambore is Jaipur,
the capital of the state of Rajasthan. Jaipur is located at a
distance of 140 Km from Ranthambore. You can arrive in Jaipur
by flights from any major city in India, such as Delhi or
Mumbai and then travel to Sawai Madhopur by train or road
transport.
By Road - You can easily travel to Ranthambore by road
from anywhere in Rajasthan. Both the Rajasthan Tourism
Department and many private operators run road transport
services to Ranthambore. You can choose from local buses,
luxury coaches or private taxis to travel by road to
Ranthambore National Park.
By Rail - The main railway line from Delhi to Mumbai
runs past Sawai Madhopur, which is connected by regular trains
from cities across Rajasthan and India. You can travel to
Sawai Madhopur by train and then cover the remaining 11 Km to
Ranthambore by taxi.
WHEN TO GO
Best time to travel Ranthambore is between October and March.
WHAT TO SEE
Ranthambore National Park - The park lies at the edge
of a plateau, and is bounded to the north by the Banas River
and to the south by the Chambal River. It is named for the
historic Ranthambore fortress, which lies within the national
park. The park covers an area of 392 kmē, and is famous for
its tiger population, and is one of India's Project Tiger
reserves. Other major wild animals include the leopard, dhole,
wild pig, sambar, chital and the gaur. Major wild animals
found in the national park include the tiger, leopard, nilgai,
dhole, wild pig, sambar, chital and the gaur. It is also home
to wide variety of trees, plants, birds and reptiles.
Bakaula - The Bakaula area is an area dotted with little water
holes and thick foliage. you'll get a shivering environment
here. Even in peak summers it feels like an air-conditioned
room
Lakarda & Anantpura - These areas located in the
North-Western and Northern regions of the park are ideal
locations to visit if looking for Sloth Bears. These areas
have a lot of ant hills, which are a favourite of the beers.
Although very rarely seen themselves, the pugmarks of the
Indian striped Hyenas are often seen here. Their numbers are
not very large in the park.
Raj Bagh Ruins - These ruins are located between the
Padam Talao (lake) and the Raj Bagh Talao. These ancient stone
structures like arches, palace outhouses, domes and steps give
the area an aura that is not possible to find anywhere else in
the world. Especially if you include the jungle surroundings
and are one of the lucky few who come across one of the
resident tigers. These ruins are what give the Ranthambore
National Park such a unique mixture of a wildlife reserve and
a reminder of the past, which together make it one of the most
picturesque parks in the entire world.
Padam Talao - This is the largest of the lakes present
in the park. The famous and beautiful Jogi Mahal is located at
the very edge of this lake. When in season, the water lilies
that give the lake it's name, can be seen in plenty. In the
early hours of the morning and just before sunset, animals can
be seen in large numbers on the lake side. It is in the
shallow waters of this lake that the famous "lake hunters" of
Ranthambore operate, the most legendary of which was the
tiger, Genghis. It is also along this lake's edges that the
rare sighting of the chinkara is most probable.
Ranthambore Fort - This fort stands majestically atop a
hill overlooking the entire park. The walk up, one of the only
places this mode of transport is possible, is a very
refreshing and exciting one as even the big cats have been
spotted up there! The view of the surrounding keeps getting
better and better as you go up but the view from the fort
itself can only be described as breathtaking. It is advisable
to take along a good pair of binoculars and if possible a
camera with a very powerful lens when visiting the fort.
The soaring Serpent eagles, vultures and other birds can be
seen at eye level. Many animals can also be seen along the
edges of all the water bodies, which are all visible from
here. The fort itself also offers many interesting
architectural and historical sights worth viewing and
photographing. A trip to the fort is a must if you are a first
time visitor to the park. A guide with a good knowledge of the
fort's history would always be a good idea.
Rajabagh Talao - This is probably the most picturesque
of the three lakes. This mostly due to the ruins that can be
seen along it's edges. Yet, it owes some of it's beauty to the
animals that seem to always flock to it's waters. It always
has a large population of animals and birds feeding in it. The
sambhar deer at Ranthambore have adapted to eating plants from
the lake floor and nowhere is it more evident than at the
Rajbagh Talao. Many birds, like egrets, can be seen riding on
these deer while they feed. The areas around the Rajbagh Talao
are also prime tiger spotting areas due to the kind of forest
and it's accessibility to water sources
Malik Talao - This is the smallest of the three lakes
in Ranthambore National Park. But, as they say, all the best
things come in small packages. This definitely holds true for
Malik Talao. It is an area full of concentrated action all the
time. It always seems to have a healthy population of birds of
all kinds. Also seen at the lake very clearly and from a
reasonably close distance and handsome specimens of the Indian
Marsh Crocodiles. It is quite common here to be able to watch
a kingfisher on a hunt for small fish.
Kachida Valley - This valley, which consists of many
rocky outcrops and low hills, is located close to the
outskirts of the park. A jeep would be the ideal mode of
transport when trying to visit this area. This area contains a
majority of the Panther population of the park. The panthers
avoid venturing into the main jungle to avoid conflicts with
tigers, who are known to kill them. This area also has a good
population of beers. |






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