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This reserve in Rajasthan
derives its name from the hill top fortress which stands 700
feet above the park. The fort dates back over 700 years and
was conquered by Akbar in 1569. The mixture of ancient temples
and summer palaces, alongside abundant Indian wildlife provide
magical photographic opportunities unique to Ranthambhore.
This former hunting ground was infamously visited by Queen
Elizabeth II on a 'sporting' trip. It was declared a wildlife
sanctuary in 1957 and in 1974 under Indira Ghandi's Project
Tiger initiative became one of the protected sites. The ancient mountain ranges of the Aravali and
Vindhya meet here producing a mixture of flat tablelands and steep
cliffs criss-crossing the park.
The varied topography of the 400 sq.km park provides habitats for animals like the jackal,
mongoose, sloth bear, leopard, lesser cats and caracal, and of
course the tiger.
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There are over 200km of tracks in Ranthambhore
divided into pre-determined routes which allow large areas to
remain undisturbed, since all wildlife requires some solitude.
Water is provided by the parks three
man-made lakes, Jogi Mahal, the lodge used by the late Rajiv
Ghandi to view wildlife, is set in an idyllic spot on the edge
of the main lake. The lakes attract much of the wildlife,
especially in the evenings and both Tigers and Marsh Mugger
Crocodiles predate on the deer and antelope as they feed in
the lake.
Film makers and professional photographers
favour the park due to the diurnal behaviour exhibited by the
tiger population which adapted to the changes brought about by
an inspired former park director, Fateh Singh Rathore. The relocation
of nine villages from the core area to new land outside the
park boundaries proved to be a resounding success, especially
for the wildlife in the core area, and in particular the
tiger. With far less human encroachment in the park the tigers
shed their nocturnal cloaks and tiger encounters rose
dramatically during the eighties.
If you have been reading the international press over the last
couple of years, you would have been left with the opinion that
Ranthambhore is a park on the decline; rampant poaching, poor park
management, unsustainable tourism development. However in many
ways Ranthambhore is a lot like the tigers it protects, how ever
much you throw at it, it still keeps coming back to surprise you.
Although tiger sightings were down at Ranthambhore in the 2005
season, it still remained comfortably the second best location to
photograph tigers in India; behind Bandhavgarh. Visitors staying
for a realistic number of safaris were often rewarded with
sightings of the 4 females with cubs as well as some spectacular
Leopard sightings.
With over 300 types of trees, 272 species
of birds and approximately 30 different types of mammals,
Ranthambhore is packed full with life. The park is home to
India's smallest and largest antelopes, Chinkara and Nilgai
('blue bull'). We can also take you outside of the park for
the chance to see Black Buck Antelope in nearby tribal
villages and vast numbers of migratory birds around tranquil
lakes.
In an effort to reduce the impact on the fragile core area of the
park, we encourage our clients to include additional excursions to
explore different areas and connected sanctuaries. A visit to
Sawai Man Singh Sanctuary to view the sunset from the cliff tops
is one such activity that we organise, and our handpicked team of
expert local guides (our extended family!) understand the need to
spread the tourism throughout the region for all to benefit.
Ranthambhore is approximately 350km from Delhi, and is well
connected by rail with Delhi, Jodhpur, Bharatpur and Mumbai. The
park is open from 1st October to 30th June, the number of vehicles
allowed inside the park is strictly limited and jeeps need to be
booked well in advance. At times of peak demand, for example
Diwali and Christmas, these smaller jeeps have been withdrawn at
short notice by the park authorities and replaced by larger
‘canters’ to reduce additional disturbance of the wildlife. |
