Famous for its tigers that can be easily spotted, Ranthambore National park is a wonderful mixture of dense forest and magnificent ruins. A landscape where history and forest comes together to present the wild in its most exquisite form. Flooded with all the brilliance of nature, the park was once the favorite hunting preserve of the royal family of Jaipur. Imagine a place where the tiger is often seen seeking shelter under some architectural brilliance on a hot summer day or a leopard standing majestically on the walls of some old fort.

Spread over an area of 392 sq. km of sheer forest cover, the park is perhaps the finest of its kind that come under Project Tiger. The park’s terrain fluctuates between dense forest and open bush-lands with steep hills embracing a wide network of lakes and rivers. Dhok (Anogeissus Pendula) is the most common tree of the area that forms the bulk of the vegetation. Some ancient Banyan trees, known to be 800 years old, also contribute a major attraction among the flora.

Places near the lakeside are the best to enjoy the wilds of Ranthambore. It is here that the inhabitants of the jungle present themselves in bounty. Lakeside area is also a favorite spot to get a glimpse of the big monster that rules the park. Apart from the tiger, the park houses a range of wild creatures that includes-leopard, jungle cats, the highly endangered caracal, jackals, sloth bear, wild boar, marsh crocodile, porcupines, common langur, spotted deer, Indian gazelle, sambar and nilgai. A rich variety of migratory, water and woodland birds tend to make the park an important bird watching destination.

Located near the township of Sawai Madhopur, in the princely state of Rajasthan, this most sought-after stronghold of the dwindling beast of jungle, the tiger, is 145 km away from the nearest airport at Jaipur. The best time to visit the park is from November to April as most of the animals can be spotted during this period.