What is the best way to reach Ranthambore National Park?
A. Sawai Madhopur is the nearest town to Ranthambore, rail route could be the best suitable option to reach Ranthambore from any part of India as the nearest railway station to Ranthambore is in Sawai Madhopur District of Rajasthan. Sawai Madhopur is well-linked with other cities by railways. Further, you can hire cabs, local bus, or taxi to reach Ranthambore from Sawai Madhopur Railway Station. The road trip is another option for you. If you are traveling in your private vehicle then you have to choose the safest and shortest route like Jaipur to Ranthambore via Tonk. If you are traveling from Agra, then it would be much easy to choose a road trip via Dausa. From Jaipur, Ranthambore is almost 18 kilometers away and around 280 kilometers from Agra.
When should I plan a visit to Ranthambore National Park?
A. Ranthambore National Park remains closed from 1st July to 30th September every year during monsoon season and remaining months from 1st October to 30th June, the park remains open. Being a desert region, the heat in hot summers is intolerable thus winters are considered to be the best time to visit Ranthambore. For a bird watching tour, the months of November to February are the best as during these months innumerable species of migratory birds wander here. The months of summer season April to June, is very hot as at that time the temperature reaches to around 470c that makes it very difficult to step outside in the daytime. Nevertheless, the chances of tiger sightseeing are relatively higher in summers.
What to carry while traveling to Ranthambore?
A. You must carry things according to the season during your visit to Ranthambore. Here is season-wise information about the things you should carry during your trip to Ranthambore –
Summer – the months of April to June, the weather gets hot with the scorching sun over your head. So, it is best to carry loose cotton clothes along with a summer hat, sunglasses, and a scarf. You must not avoid sunscreens on an afternoon Ranthambore safari in summer as you are out in the open roof jeep or canter. If you have book your safari in the evening then you should also carry a mosquito repellent cream or spray to avoid mosquito bites in the forests.
Winter – the months of November to February, the weather is pleasant and cool. So, you must carry sufficient warm clothes as the temperature drops down to 20c during the peak winters. You must carry warm clothes like sweaters, jackets, hand gloves, mufflers, etc. If you are going for morning safari bookings in winter season then you should also carry a blanket on the safari.
Which is the best suitable safari zone for spotting tiger in Ranthambore National Park?
A. The Ranthambore National Park is comprised of 10 safari zones and all the zones are open for both jeep and canter safari. Both the vehicles travel on the same route in any zone which is allowed as the safari tracks. The safari zones are randomly allotted by the forest officials to jeeps and canters at the time of entry so it is unable to change anything related to the safari zone. Although, zone 1 to 5 is considered as the best safari zones for tiger sightseeing as these zones cover most of the lakes and other water bodies where tigers often visit or catch its prey. Though, all the safari zones are equally rich in wildlife species and other territories of tigers.
Q. Which safari is best – Morning Safari or Afternoon Safari?
A. However, both the Ranthambore safaris are often similar for wildlife experiences and for tiger sightseeing. On the contrary, the chances of tiger sightseeing are high in the morning safari which has slightly better chances for tiger sightseeing than that of afternoon safari. While in the afternoon safaris, tigers mostly avoid the harsh sun rays and normally don’t step out in the sun. Nevertheless, the afternoon safari in winter season offers some better chances of tiger sightseeing as you can find the, laze around in the sun. Thus, morning safari is best in the summer season and afternoon safari is best in winters.