Ranthambore National Park is home to a rich flora and fauna where 40 species of mammals, more than 40 species of reptiles, 320 species of birds and more than 300 species of plants can be witnessed. Being situated in the desert state of Rajasthan, this reserve remains dry for a long time and hence, here chances are more for spotting wild animals.
History
Ranthambore Tiger Reserve had been a hunting lodge for Jaipur royal family until it was declared as Sawai Madhopur Sanctuary in 1955. In 1980, some inner parts of the sanctuary were converted into the national park in order to seek protection to the forest area. Post that, several areas were declared as the parts of the sanctuaries like Kaila Devi Sanctuary and Sawai Mansingh Sanctuary. Finally, a larger part is now known as Ranthambore National Park.
The rich bio-diversity of Ranthambore is there due to the presence of Aravalli and Vindhyan hill ranges. The Vindhyan ranges are featured by flat tabletops whereas the Aravalli has sharp and conical hilltops. The Great Boundary Fault is a geological fault line which runs from the meeting of Aravalli and Vindhyan to the Ranthambore National Park.
Ranthambore National Park is bestowed with water bodies which are great relief for inhabitants in the scorching summers. Also, these lead to a good probability of spotting animals near the water bodies. One can find several structures in the park that will remind you of the bygone era. A majestic fort in Sawai Madhopur was named as Ranthambore Fort after the park was named. The ruins of bygone era, nature, exotic flora and fauna, altogether make a perfect experience for every traveller.
Sighting
Ranthambore gets least rainfall and the forest is mostly dry-deciduous with short cover of grasses and shrubs. There are very fair chances of sighting tigers as the wide tracks allows for superior tracking of animals. Especially, the Tigers are comfortable in walking on the soft sand covering tracks as it enable them to walk silently without making their prey alert.
Though spotting a tiger is about a good luck but the local guides and drivers have knowledge of movement of tigers. With the interaction of other drivers and guides and observations from past safaris, they predict and find out the tigers in the best possible way.
Climate
The three seasons- summers, winters and monsoons can be experienced in a year. The summers last from March to the month of June when there are excellent opportunities for spotting wild animals. From July to September, there are monsoons, when the national park remains closed for safari. From October to February, there are winters and gates are open for wildlife safari.
Ranthambore Safari
The forest department conducts wildlife safari twice in a day across the national park zones. First safari can be enjoyed in the morning and second in the evening. There are two modes of safari: 20 seater canter (or open bus) and 6-seater open jeep.
It is better to book your safari in advance to avoid waiting. Generally, a safari lasts for around 3: 30 hours where morning safari starts post 30 min of sunrise and evening safari ends prior 30 min of sunset.
Ranthambore Safari Timings
S.No. Month Morning Trip Evening Trip
1 1st October to 31st October 6.30 A.M. to 10.00 A.M. 2.30 P.M. to 6.00 P.M.
2 1st November to 31st January 7.00 A.M. to 10.30 A.M. 2.00 P.M. to 5.30 P.M.
3 1st February to 31st March 6.30 A.M. to 10.00 A.M. 2.30 P.M. to 6.00 P.M.
4 1st April to 15th May 6.00 A.M. to 9.30 A.M. 3.00 P.M. to 6.30 P.M.
5 15th May to 30th June 6.00 A.M. to 9.30 A.M. 3.30 P.M. to 7.00 P.M.
Accommodation
There are plenty of the best resorts in Ranthambore where you can enjoy indoor-outdoor activities in your leisure time. These resorts offer you luxurious stay with excellent services. If you love camping and want to experience the rustic beauty of Rajasthan then you can also book your stay in the Tent in Ranthambore. The tents are luxurious and provide basic amenities to the tourists.
These holidays, plan your trip to Ranthambore and enjoy wildlife safari with the Tent accommodation in Ranthambore.