Loacted in Sawai Madhopur of Rajasthan and at the junction of the Aravalli and Vindhya hill range, Ranthambore National Park is one of the finest places to view flora and fauna in the wild.

Declared as a wildlife sanctuary in 1957, Ranthambore National Park gained the status of a National Park in 1981 due to the “Project Tiger” initiated by the Indian govt. This national park covers an area of 400 sq Km and 500 sq km if combined with Sawai Mann Singh sanctuary. 

The park is named after a huge fort in its vicinity. Not just the fort there are many other ruins within this park that remind of the bygone era.

The many water bodies in this park provide relief to the forest inhabitants. The tigers of this park hunt in the view of human visitors due to their lack of fear of human presence, thus enhancing the wildlife experience and satisfying the dream of any photographer.

The frequent tiger sightings of this sanctuary have been recorded in several places. Not just tigers, the presence of 272 species of birds has also been documented in this sanctuary, the most important among them being the Graylag Goose, Cormorants, etc to name a few. The flora of this park consists of over 300 documented species of trees with the Dhok tree forming a majority of the tree cover.

There are excellent lodging and boarding facilities as well as internal transportation facilities which makes this a tourist’s delight, The park remains open every year from October to May.

How to reach:
Sawai Madhopur is the nearest Town and as it is situated on the Delhi-Bombay Highway, it is linked with Jaipur and Agra by rail.
By Rail: It is situated 362 km from Delhi, 1027 km from Bombay, 227 km from Agra, 132 km from Jaipur and 108 km from Kota.
By Air: The nearest airports are Jaipur and Kota.
By Road: Ranthambore is 180 km from Jaipur (via Tonk) and 480 km from Delhi (via Dausa).

What to see:

• Bakaula: It is the most thickly forested regions of this park. The dense forests here provide good cover and watering holes due to which there is frequent sighting of tigresses and cubs here. Water holes and thick vegetation keep this region moist and cool due to which other animals are also frequently spotted.
• Kachida valley: It is the outskirt of this park consisting of low hills and rocky outcrops. Panthers are abundantly found here as they avoid entering the park to avoid confrontations with the dominant tigers There is also a sizable population of beers here.
• Lakarda Anantpura: It is in the North-Western and Northern regions of the park. This area has sloth bears and ant hills, which are favoured by the beers. Indian striped hyenas are also sometimes sighted.
• Malik Talao: It is the smallest lake which houses the Indian Marsh crocodiles. It is the most happening place in the entire park. Seeing a kingfisher bird hunting for small fishes is the most common sight here.
• Padam Talao: It is the largest lake of this park which has the Jogi Mahal at its edge. For those lucky enough, Chinkaras are sometimes sighted here. In the early hours as well as the late hours of the day, animal sightings are very common here.
• Rajbagh ruins: These are located between the Raj Bagh Talao and Padam Talao. Stone structures of Palace outhouses, domes and arches give a regal aura to this place. For those lucky enough the resident tigers are also sometimes spotted here.
• Rajbagh Talao: It is the most picturesque of all the lakes. This lake always has a large population of birds and animals feeding in it. The sambhar deer and the birds such as egrets are common sightings here. This is a prime area for spotting tigers due to the forest environs here and the accessibility to the water sources.
• Ranthambore Fort: This is a majestic fort atop a hill from where the entire park can be visualized. The only mode of transport to reach this fort is by walking. Tigers are commonly spotted on this route. It is a very refreshing walk but to enjoy this walk a pair of powerful binoculars and a camera is a must!!

Vultures and Serpent eagles are observed at eye level. Not only birds but many animals are also sometimes observed along the edges of the water bodies. The fort in itself offers interesting architectural and historical sights worth photographing and viewing.