Location
The
park is situated on the district of Sawai Madhopur, Rajasthan in the
northwestern part of India. It is bounded by river Chambal in the South and
Banas in the North.
An Overview
The Ranthambore National Park was once the hunting ground of the Maharajas
of Jaipur. It is now know for its tiger reserve. With an area of 392 sq. km,
the Ranthambore Tiger Reserve was declared a wildlife sanctuary in 1957 and
came under the Project Tiger Scheme in year 1974. Again in 1981, it received
the status of National Park. Major wildlife attractions of the park include
tigers, leopards, boars and numerous bird species.
Climate & Ideal Time to Visit
The climate of the park is very extreme. During summer it experiences a
rising temperature of 47 degrees C and in winter the minimum temperature
drops down to 2 degrees C. During the months form October to March and April
to June are the ideal time to visit the park.
Entry Fee
There are separate entry fees for entrance, guide, vehicles, camera and
jungle safaris. The foreigners have to pay an entrance fee of Rs 200 and
Indian tourists have to a pay Rs 25. For Indian students the entrance fee is
even low as of Rs 5.
Wildlife Attractions
Ranthambore
National Park offers a rich variety of flora and fauna.
» Flora - The forest is generally dry deciduous
type. Some of the major tree species found through out the park include
banyan trees, pipal, mango, dhok, babul, khair, mohua, neem, khajur, kadam
etc.
» Fauna - Besides tigers, the park also houses
numerous other animal species which include Sambar, Chital, Nilgai, Jackals,
Jungle cats, Black bucks, Sloth bears, Indian Wild Boar, Civets etc.
» Avi-fauna - The park is also an excellent bird
watching place with around 272 bird species. Some principal birds found here
are the spoonbills, eagles, Indian horned owl, parakeets, kingfishers, ducks
and peacocks with a large number of migratory.
Activities
Ranthambore National Park offers Elephant and Jeep Safaris with
professional guides. Safaris in the dense forest of Ranthambore are the best
ways for wildlife viewing.
Accommodation
Hotels and resorts maintained by the Rajasthan Tourist Development
Corporation(RTDC) provide some of the best accommodation facilities in and
around the park. The forest rest house, the Hotel Kamadhenu and the Jhoomer
Baori forest lodge maintained by the RTDC provide good accommodation.
Nearest Attractions
Besides
wildlife, there are some other attractions near the National Park which are
worth visiting. These are :
» Ranthambore Fort - This 10th century built fort is
situated inside the park and has temples and tanks within its complex. The
hill fort provides majestic views of the surroundings.
» Raj Bagh Talao & Padam Talao - These lakes
situated inside the park are perfect place to spot various animals in the
lake side.
» Raj Bagh Ruins - Located between the Raj Bagh
Talao and Padam Talao, it is a ruined ancient structure and now a resting
place for tigers. Here one can spot tigers in the broad day light.
Access
» Air - The Sanganer Airport of Jaipur is the
nearest one, which is at a distance of 145km.
» Rail - The nearest railway station is at Sawai
Madhopur at a distance of 11km. The station is connected to the Delhi-Mumbai
rail line.
» Road - A well connected road network links Sawai
Madhopur, the nearest town to Ranthambore. From Sawai Madhopur, one can
easily access the national park by state run buses or private hired taxis.
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