Ranthambore National Park/Ranthambore Tiger Reserve located in the Sawai Madhopur district of Rajasthan, is one of India’s most celebrated wildlife reserves. Established as a sanctuary in 1955 and gaining national park status in 1980, it became part of Project Tiger in 1973, reflecting its importance in tiger conservation. The park spans 1,411 sq. km- a core area of 1113.36 sq km and a buffer area of 297.92 sq km, combining rugged landscapes, dry deciduous forests, and lush green meadows dotted with ancient ruins, giving it a distinctive blend of natural beauty and historical intrigue.
Geography and Terrain: Located between the Aravalli and Vindhya mountain ranges, Ranthambore is characterized by rocky ridges, cliffs, and plateaus interspersed with lakes and rivers. Key water bodies like Padam Talao, Rajbagh Lake, Malik Talao and Bakola provide critical water sources for wildlife, especially during the hot summers.
Tiger Population: Ranthambore Tiger Reserve is renowned for its healthy tiger population, current tiger population at Ranthambore is estimated to be around 70-80, including cubs. It is one of the few places where tigers are often spotted in broad daylight, making it a top destination for wildlife photographers and enthusiasts worldwide.
Wildlife and Attractions:
The prey species include sambar, chital, nilgai, chinkara and the wild boar. Scavengers like striped hyena, golden jackal, ruddy & common mongoose and the Indian fox are also present. Northern Indian plains langur is the most common primate species. Marsh crocodiles, which were introduced to Ranthambhore, abound in the lakes and regularly take down sambar feeding in the lakes during summer.
Of the 330 species of birds reported at Ranthambhore, the notable ones are jungle and rock bush quails, painted sandgrouse, painted spurfowl, Indian vulture, white-naped and yellow-crowned woodpecker, sirkeer malkoha, Indian scops owl, dusky eagle owl, Xinjiang and southern grey shrike, ashy-crowned finch lark, chestnut-bellied sandgrouse, savanna nightjar, sulphur-bellied warbler, Indian thicknee and white-bellied Drongo. In the areas adjoining the park, one can spot greater flamingo, demoiselle crane, Indian courser, yellow-wattled lapwing, rufous-tailed lark, gull-billed and whiskered terns.
The 10th-century Ranthambore Fort, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, towers majestically over the park, offering a panoramic view of the dense jungle below. One can also enjoy a boat safari on the Chambal River, one hour’s drive from Ranthambore National Park.
Famous Tigers of Ranthambore:
Machli: Known as the “Queen of Ranthambore,” Machli was the most photographed tigress in the world and played a crucial role in boosting tiger tourism in the park. Also known as ” The Lady of the Lakes” 50% of the tiger population in Rajasthan are from her bloodline.
T-24 (Ustaad): A dominant male known for his impressive size and territorial nature.
Dollar Male (T-25): Another dominant male from the tourism area of Ranthambore National Park, the Dollar male made a name for himself in the Natural History World for taking care of two female cubs after their mother and partner T5 died. This was the first documentation ever of a male tiger taking care of cubs.
Charger Male ( T120)- Current dominant male around the Lake area of Ranthambore, Charger of Ganesh has earned quite a reputation for hunting around the lakes in broad daylight and also for killing a leopard, a dog and a sloth bear and eating it.
T17 aka Satrah, T19 aka Krishna, T39 aka Noor, T124 aka Riddhi, T42 aka Fateh, Noon, Kublai, Ghengiz, Padmini, Lakshmi, T2 or X male are some the other famous tigers from Ranthambore.
Safaris at Ranthambore: The Tourism area of Ranthambore National Park is divided into 10 tourism zones. Zones 1-6 are the most popular zones in the park and are always in high demand. Visitors can opt for Jeep Safari- 6 seater vehicle or Cantor Safari- 20 seater open bus. 140 vehicles are allowed inside the National Park in one shift across 10 tourism zones.
Safari bookings open 90 days prior and one should book in advance to get safaris in good zones. For last-minute travellers, there is a tatkal quota for jeep safaris which can be booked 7 days prior by paying an additional premium.
