Preface
Once the hunting preserve of Maharajas of Jaipur,
Ranthambore National Park is located in Eastern
Rajasthan - the meeting point of the famous
Aravali Hill ranges and the Vindhyan plateau. It
is bound by river Chambal in the south and Banas
in the north.
The entire park is criss-crossed by many
perennial streams whose source is a group of six
man made lakes and form the main attraction of
the park. The Ranthambore National Park has
internal drainage and has no link up with any
river system, even though two rivers bound the
Park in it's north and south side.
Flora
The park houses over three hundred species of
trees and 50 aquatic plants. Ranthambore's
terrain pulsates between impregnable forests and
open bush land. The terrain is made up of
massive rock formations, steep scarps, perennial
lakes and streams and forest suddenly opening up
into large areas of Savannah. The forest is the
typically dry deciduous type, with Dhok, being
the most prominent tree. The landscape is dotted
with ancient Banyan Trees, Dhok & pipal trees,
mago trees and crisscrossed with evergreen belts
Fauna
Famed for its tigers, Ranthambore National Park
is photographer's delight. The park
astonishingly holds a rich count of fauna in its
small pocket. The park has a total of over 272
birds, 12 reptiles including the Marsh Crocodile
& amphibians and 30 mammals.
For the wildlife savvy, Ranthambore wildlife
sanctuary today offers an intense diversity of
flora and fauna. Tigers, the park's pride makes
it one of the best places in the country to
observe them. Apart from tigers one can spot a
large number of Sambars, Chitals, Nilgais,
Gazzelles, Boars, Mongoose, Indian Hare, Monitor
Lizards and a large number of birds.
Bonus Attractions
Ranthambore Fort & Jogi Mahal : Probably the
oldest existing fort in Rajasthan, the birth of
the fort dates back to the 10th century . Built
on a rocky surface in the center of the park the
fort covers an area of 392-sq-kms. Incidently,
the park has derived its name from the
Ranthambhore Fort. Once the fort used to be a
vital citadel for control of Central India
The entry point to the Ranthambore National 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.
Ideal Time to visit
The best visiting season of Ranthambore national
park is during the months of October - March and
April to June.