Boutique hotels
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Aman-i-Khás
- Style
- Wild at heart
- Setting
- Tiger territory
Ranthambore National Park Overview
Rajasthan
- Countryside
- It's a jungle out there
- Country life
- Wildlife trails and tiger tails
Once the playground of Maharajas and their hunting parties, Ranthambore National Park, in south-eastern Rajasthan, is still a magnet for the style set in search of a wild time.
One of the largest national parks in northern India, Ranthambore teems with tigers, drawing wildlife photographers and naturalists on the prowl for these majestic moggies. Deers, hyenas and birds are also happy to pose for a close-up. Framed by the craggy Aravali Range, the jungle park has seen its fair share of legendary battles and the rise and demise of empires. Today, the landscape is punctuated with ancient temples and hunting pavilions, crumbling mosques and vast reservoirs, as well as the magnificent 1,000-year-old Ranthambore Fort.
Remarkably Ranthambore National Park
The forests of Ranthambore once hosted royal hunting parties but today tourism has replaced trophy hunting and the area is now one of India's largest national parks. Ranthambore was one of the original nine tiger reserves declared in 1973 at the launch of 'Project Tiger', a movement initiated to save the Royal Bengal Tiger from extinction. Ranthambore’s less celebrated but still impressive residents include leopards, striped hyenas, sambar deer and sloth bears, guaranteeing signature safari shots for budding snappers.
Local Knowledge
- Taxis
- The dusty streets of hub town Sawai Madhopur are quiet, save for the odd camel or a packed-to-the-gills jeep; organise a car through your hotel for getting around.
- Tipping culture
- Many hotels and restaurants add a 10 per cent service charge to the bill and an additional tip is optional. It's not compulsory to tip your safari driver and guide but it is appreciated (and commonplace). Elsewhere carry small notes with you; amounts up to INR 50 are fine.
- Siesta and fiesta
- The early-bird adage rings true when it comes to wildlife spotting so prepare for a sunrise start. Morning safaris leave between 6.30am and 7am depending on the time of year; afternoon safaris depart between 2.30pm and 3pm. With dawn chorus wake-up calls, expect low-key evenings and early nights.
- Packing tips
- Safari-chic is de rigueur year-round in Ranthambore; bring layers in earthy tones and a wide-brimmed hat. Throw in something to ward off the morning chill, a wrap for evening sundowners around the bonfire and your camera, loaded with your biggest lens.
- Recommended reads
- The earliest record of Ranthambore's tigers are found in Colonel Kesri Singh's The Tiger of Rajasthan, which also tells tales of royal hunting parties. Wild Tigers of Ranthambore, by Fateh Singh Rathore and Valmik Thapar, two of the leading tiger conservationists, recalls 25 years in the lives of the park's tigers accompanied by dozens of beautiful photographs.
- Cuisine
- Meals are hearty in this corner of Rajasthan, with signature dishes including laal maas, a fiery red mutton curry usually served with bajra roti (millet bread). Other heavy-hitters include daal baati, near rock-solid balls of wheat dipped into lentil soup, and gatte ki sabji, curry with gram-flour dumplings. Most restaurants and hotels ladle up traditional Rajasthani and North Indian specialities, but international flavours are also offered.
- Currency
- Indian Rupees (INR).
- Time zone
- Country code for India: +91; local code for Ranthambore: (0)7462.
- Dialling codes
- GMT +5.30.
- Do go/don't go
- The park is green and lush in October and November following the rains but the thick jungle cover makes tiger spotting a challenge. From December to February, winter temperatures dip and tiger sightings rise. March to June is hot and dry with daily temperatures passing 40°C; if you can stand the heat this is the best time for seeing wildlife. The park closes over the muggy monsoon season from July to September.
Don't go home without...
taking a camel ride. Lumbering along on the back of a camel is the perfect way to get a feel for the countryside and the leisurely pace of rural Rajasthani life. Mounting and dismounting is always worthy of a photo or two!
