Again, like most of the other National Parks Ranthambhore was also the private hunting ground or reserve of the Jaipur and Karauli royal families. Nestled between the Aravalis and the Vindhyan hill systems in the Sawai Madhopur district of eastern Rajasthan. Ranthambhore national park is probably the best places in the world to see Tigers in their natural habitat, the dry deciduous habitat of the reserve makes it much easier to find and observe tigers in their natural wild habitat.
It is named after the historic Ranthambore Fort, which lies within the park, "Ranthambore" or "Ranthambhore" National Park was established as Sawai Madhopur Game Sanctuary in 1955, initially covering an area of 282 sq kms. It was declared one of the Project Tiger reserves in 1973 and became a national park on 1 November 1980. In 1984, the adjacent forests were declared the Sawai Man Singh Sanctuary and Keladevi Sanctuary. The national park covers a total area of 392 sq km, including buffer zone. The core area is about 275 sq km.
Ranthambore National Park harbours dry deciduous forests and open grassy meadow, it is the forest type which makes sightings of wild tigers relatively easy as compared to the other national parks in India, and the easy sighting and proximity from the main touristic cities like Delhi, Agra and Jaipur has made Ranthambhore famous all over the world.
Ranthambore is bounded to the north by the Banas River and to the south by the Chambal River and Ranthambore Fort, which lies within the park and one can have a bird’s eye view from the Fort of the national park. Ranthambore National Park harbours Bengal tiger, leopard, caracal, jungle cat, rusty-spotted cat, nilgai, blackbuck, chinkara, wild boar, chital, sambar, striped hyena, dhole, Indian jackal, Asian palm civet, Indian grey mongoose, Indian porcupine, Indian hare, sloth bear, gray langur, rhesus macaque, mugger crocodile. The sanctuary is home to a wide variety of trees, plants, birds and reptiles, as well as one of the largest banyan trees in India.
Mammals: Tiger, Leopard, Jungle cat, Caracal, Sambar deer, Spotted deer, Nilgai, Chinkara, Wild Boar, Sloth Bear, Jackal, Hyena, Indian Palm Civet, Common Mongoose, Indian Porcupine, Indian Hare, Indian Flying Fox, Marsh Crocodile, Bengal Monitor Lizard
Birds: Painted Storks, Flamingos, Spoonbills, Sarus & Demoiselle Cranes and Greylag Geese, pintail ducks, geese, pelicans, herons, Parakeets, Doves, Flycatchers, Peacocks, Indian skimmers, River lapwings, larks, chats, sand grouse, Indian courser, Painted spurfowl and prinias to name a few.
Forest Type
Dry Deciduous Forests and Open Grassy Meadow
Yearly and weekly off
Holi, Diwali and Every Wednesday afternoon Safari
Area
392 square kilometres
