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Ranthambore Wildlife Tour

Ranthambore Wildlife National Park is a famous wildlife reserve that spreads over an area of 392 kms and is situated near the town of Sawai Madhopur, midway between Bharatpur and Kota townships in Rajasthan. Ranthambore Wildlife National Park is surrounded by the Vindhya and Aravali hill ranges and is very near to the outer fringes of the Thar Desert. The entire area around Ranthambore Wildlife National Park has sprawling tracts of desert and semi-desert vegetation.

Originally a hunting ground of the Maharaja of Jaipur, Ranthambore was declared a wildlife sanctuary in 1955. In 1980, it became a national park and was listed among the reserves protected under Project Tiger (1973). Presently the Kaila Devi Sanctuary, also famous for its tigers, and Mansingh Sanctuary also form part of Ranthambore wildlife reserve. Visitors, who have come to Ranthambore Wildlife National Park to see tigers in the wild, includes former U.S President Bill Clinton.

Ranthambore is considered to be one of the best tiger reserves in the country. The dry deciduous forest, lakes and ruins of Rajput buildings within the reserve, provide visitors with incredible opportunities to see tigers in the wild.

Monuments within the park include Ranthambore fort, which was built by the Chauhan rulers during the 12th century, and the Jogi Mahal, a forest rest house which overlooks one of the lakes in the park, the Padam Talab. A giant Banyan tree, believed to be the second largest Banyan tree in India, is also to be seen at the Jogi Mahal.

The three lakes in Ranthanbore are the Padam Talab, Raj Bagh Talab and Milak Talab. Though best known for the tiger, many other animals can be seen at Ranthambore including leopards, sloth bear, antelope, deer, sambar, nilgai, gazelle, jackals, foxes, wild boar, jungle cats, mongoose and porcupines. Many different species of birds can also be seen, such as peacocks, storks, eagles, owls, partridge, quail, plovers and jacanas.