Catch tigers at home at the Ranthambore National Park, Rajasthan

One of the finest tiger reserves in India and part of Project Tiger, the Ranthambore National Park is set between the Aravali and the Vindhya ranges, and bound by the river Banas in the north and the Chambal in the south.

Spread over 400 sq km, the national park is located in Rajasthan’s Sawai Madhopur district. The park comprises thick jungles, rocky terrain, deep chasms, streams and lakes, making it a home to a wide variety of flora and fauna. Once the hunting ground of the Maharajas of Jaipur, you can find tigers, leopards, sloth bears, jackal, panthers, nilgais and a large number of birds. Visitors on safari jeeps can see animals at close quarters as they are used to human presence and move about quite fearlessly.

Ranthambore wildlife sanctuary is known for its tigers and is one of the best places in India to see the big cats in the jungle, where they can be easily spotted even during the daytime. A good time to visit Ranthambore National Park is in November and May when sightings are more common. Besides tigers, the reserve has a thriving bird population with more than 270 species.

Getting there:
Nearest railway station: Sawai Madhopur, via Ranthambore Rd, about 10 km
Nearest airport: Sawai Mansingh International Airport at Jaipur, via NH 11A, about 148 km