Location : Ranthambore, Rajasthan
Coverage Area : 1,334 Sq Kms
Main Attractions : Tigers
Best Time To Visit : The park is open for visitors from October to June. But the best season to visit Ranthambore is from November to April. This is the time when animals can be easily spotted.
Near the township of Sawai Madhopur, in the state of Rajasthan, Ranthambore National Park is an outstanding example of Project Tiger's efforts at conservationin the country. The forests around the Ranthambore Fort were once, the private hunting grounds of the Maharajas of Jaipur.(Ranthambore National Park Tiger Safari Rajasthan) The desire to preserve the game in these forests for sport was responsible for their conservation, and subsequent rescue by Project Tiger.
The Park sprawls over an estimated area of 400 sq kms. Steep crags embracea network of lakes and rivers, and a top one of these hills, is the impressive Ranthambore Fort, built in the 10th century. The terrain fluctuates between impregnable forests and open bushland.
The forest is the typically dry deciduous type, with dhok, being the most prominent tree. The entry point to the Park, goes straight to the foot of the fort and the forest rest house, Jogi Mahal. The latter boasts of the second-largest banyan tree in India.
The Padam Talab, the Raj Bagh Talab and the Milak Talab are some of the lakes in the area, that attract the tiger population . They have been spotted at the edges of these lakes, and Jogi Mahal itself. Old crumbling walls, ruined pavilions, wells, and other ancient structures stand witness to the region's glorious past.
The entire forest is peppered with the battlements and spillovers of the Ranthambore Fort - tigers are said to frequent these ruins, too.
As a result of stringent efforts in conservation, tigers, the prime assets of the Park, have become more and more active during the day. (Ranthambore Wildlife Sanctuary Rajasthan)More than in any other park or sanctuary in India, tigers are easily spotted here in daylight. They can be seen lolling around lazily in the sun, or feverishly hunting down sambar around the lakes.
