From royal hunting ground to tiger reserve
A forest around a fortress: Ranthambore Fort sits on a flat-topped hill where the Aravalli and Vindhya ranges meet, held for centuries by the Chauhan Rajputs.
Hammir Dev: its most famous ruler defied Sultan Alauddin Khalji of Delhi. In 1301 the fort fell after a long siege, the women performed jauhar, and Hammir died fighting.
Changing hands: Ranthambore passed to Mewar, then to the Hadas of Bundi. In 1569 Rao Surjan Hada surrendered it to Akbar, and in the eighteenth century it came to Jaipur.
- Khalji's conquest
- 1301
- Surrendered to Akbar
- 1569
- Game sanctuary
- 1955
- Project Tiger
- 1973
- National park
- 1980
- The king's hunt: the Jaipur maharajas kept the forest as a private hunting preserve. Guests from across the world shot tigers here well into the twentieth century.
- Why it survived: strange as it seems from a jeep with a camera, guarding the forest for the king's hunt is part of why it exists at all.
- The slow end of hunting: the Sawai Madhopur Game Sanctuary came in 1955, Project Tiger in 1973, and Ranthambore National Park in 1980.
- Villages moved: villages inside the core were resettled outside, with all the hardship that involved, and the forest began to recover.
- Fateh Singh Rathore: under the legendary field director, tigers grew less wary and began to be seen in daylight, hunting around the lakes.
- Never safe: poaching hit hard in the early 1990s and again in the 2000s. Ranthambore's tigers were later used to restock reserves that had lost theirs.
- A bigger reserve: the park now sits at the heart of a tiger reserve joined to the Keladevi and Sawai Man Singh sanctuaries, with corridors towards Ramgarh Vishdhari near Bundi and Mukundra near Kota.
- The longer story: in our journal on the tigers of Ranthambore.
A forest of lakes, ruins and dhok trees
The landscape: small, twisting dhok trees, broken by rocky ridges, ravines and plateaus, fed by a chain of lakes.
Padam Talao: the largest of the three lakes below the fort.
Rajbagh Talao: with ruined pavilions and arches standing in and beside the water.
- Forest type
- Dry deciduous, mostly dhok
- Main lakes
- Padam, Rajbagh and Malik Talao
- Big cats
- Tigers, and leopards on the rocky edges
- Winter birds
- Migrant ducks and waders
- Malik Talao: the third of the chain.
- Ruins everywhere: old hunting towers, gateways and chhatris. Wild animals among ruins are why Ranthambore photographs look like nowhere else.
- Jogi Mahal: a former forest rest house on Padam Talao, beside one of India's largest banyan trees. Visitors no longer stay, but the view across the lake to the fort is a classic.
- Leopards: they keep to the rocky edges, where tigers rule less.
- Sloth bears: they shuffle through at dusk.
- Deer and more: sambar wade into the lakes to graze water plants. Spotted deer, nilgai, wild boar, chinkara and langurs are everywhere.
- For the lucky: mugger crocodiles bask on the banks, and striped hyenas, jungle cats and the shy caracal appear now and then.
- The birds: crested serpent eagles, painted storks, peafowl, owls and kingfishers, with migrant ducks and waders on the lakes in winter.
Machli, the queen of the lakes
We tell her story carefully, because it is easy to turn a wild animal into a legend that says more about us than about her. What is true is remarkable enough.
Her territory: the prime ground around the lakes below the fort.
The mark: a fish-shaped mark on her face, shared with her mother.
- Catalogued as
- T-16
- Her name
- Fish, for a mark on her face
- Held
- The lake territory, late 1990s into the 2000s
- Died
- August 2016, aged around nineteen
- In plain sight: she hunted in daylight, in open country, in front of the jeeps, and raised several litters there.
- Famous: probably the most photographed tiger in the world, and for many people, ours included, the first tiger they ever saw.
- The crocodile: the best-known story is true and was filmed. In the early 2000s she fought and killed a large mugger crocodile at the edge of a lake.
- Growing old: she lost teeth, and eventually her territory to her own daughters, but outlived most wild tigers.
- Her farewell: the forest department gave her a funeral in the forest.
- Her line: her daughters and their cubs went on to hold much of the park, and Ranthambore tigers, some from her line, restocked reserves such as Sariska.
- The fuller story: in our journal on Machli the tigress.
The fort and the three-eyed Ganesh
Five sisters: UNESCO listed it with Chittorgarh, Kumbhalgarh, Gagron, Amber and Jaisalmer.
The way up: on foot through massive gates, up a steep stone ramp.
On top: a broad plateau of ruined palaces, cenotaphs, step tanks, temples and mosques, with sheer drops and views far over the forest.
- UNESCO
- 2013, a Hill Fort of Rajasthan
- Allow
- At least two hours
- Best time
- Early morning or late afternoon
- Temple fair
- Ganesh Chaturthi, August or September
- Wildlife up there too: langurs, peacocks and sometimes a leopard's pugmarks in the dust.
- Trinetra Ganesh: the most visited shrine, to Ganesh with three eyes.
- Wedding invitations: Ganesh is the god of beginnings, so families send him the first wedding invitation. Many still post their cards here, and the priests read them out to the god.
- Ganesh Chaturthi: huge crowds walk up through the forest for the temple fair, and the park is extremely busy.
- More on the plateau: other temples, the remains of Hammir's palace and court, and the reservoirs that let the fort survive long sieges.
- In context: our page on forts and palaces sets it beside its five UNESCO sisters.
Zones, jeeps and how a safari works
One zone per drive: every vehicle is assigned a single zone.
The famous zones: those near the lakes and the old core have the reputation, but tigers move, territories change, and some outer zones now give excellent sightings.
What matters more: a good naturalist cares about who holds territory where this season, not the number on your permit.
- Zones
- Ten, each with a fixed route
- Drives
- Twice a day, about three hours each
- Gypsy
- Open six-seat jeep
- Canter
- Open bus, about 20 seats
- Permits
- Forest department, tied to passports
- Gypsy or canter: the Gypsy is quieter and more flexible, and the one we always book. The canter is cheaper, noisier and slower.
- When: early morning and late afternoon.
- Book early: permits sell out early in high season and carry each guest's passport details, so we book as soon as your dates are fixed.
- The start: cold half-light at the park gate, with blankets and a flask of tea.
- Listen: your naturalist listens for the alarm call of a sambar, the bark of a spotted deer or the shriek of a langur, each of which can mean a tiger is moving.
- No promises: some drives bring a tiger within minutes, some none at all. Over three nights and four to six drives most of our guests see one, but anyone who promises it is not being straight with you.
- Read more: our wildlife safari page on choosing naturalists, and our journal on the best time for tigers.
Safari etiquette, as our naturalists teach it
Stay seated, stay inside: never stand on the seats or lean out, however close the tiger.
Keep your voice low: or keep quiet. Don't call out, whistle or tap the vehicle to make an animal look up.
- Stay on the track: never ask the driver to chase an animal or block its path. If a tiger wants to cross, we wait as long as it takes.
- No flash, phones on silent: a camera shutter is fine. A ringing phone is not.
- Dress quietly: muted greens, browns and khaki, and no strong perfume.
- Feed nothing, throw nothing: not even an apple core.
- Tip directly: pay your driver and naturalist at the end of the stay. They are the reason the morning works.
When to come, and the monsoon closure
October and November: fresh and green after the rains, with soft light and comfortable days.
December and January: cold on early drives in an open jeep. Bring a warm jacket, gloves and a hat, and we add blankets and hot water bottles.
- Main season
- October to June
- Coldest drives
- December and January
- Favourite months
- February and March
- Best sightings
- April to June, above 40°C
- Core closed
- About July to September
- February and March: many people's favourite, with warm days, cool mornings and good sightings.
- April to June: hot, often above 40°C by midday. Water is scarce, so animals gather at the lakes and are far easier to find. Serious photographers come now.
- How we plan hot days: early and late drives, with long cool hours at the lodge in between.
- The monsoon closure: core zones close from about the start of July to the end of September, when tracks turn to mud and animals breed and disperse.
- Outer zones in the rains: some have stayed open in recent years, weather permitting. The forest is beautiful, but sightings are harder and plans change at short notice.
- Before you fix dates: check our guide to the best time to visit Ranthambore.
Where to stay in Ranthambore
- Simple luxury
- Aman-i-Khas
- For wildlife
- SUJAN Sher Bagh
- Most comfort
- The Oberoi Vanyavilas
- Heritage
- Taj Sawai Madhopur Lodge
- Spa retreat
- Six Senses Fort Barwara, about an hour
Aman-i-Khas
The camp: a small camp of large white tents on the forest edge, inspired by Mughal imperial encampments.
- The feel: calm, beautifully run and deliberately simple, with a pool, a spa tent and dinners around a fire.
- Its season: shorter than the hotels', closing through the hottest and wettest months, like the other tented camps.
SUJAN Sher Bagh
The spirit: an old hunting camp, run by a family with deep roots in Ranthambore's conservation story.
- The tents: brass fittings and campaign furniture.
- The naturalists: among the best in the park, and the fireside evenings are full of tiger stories.
- Choose it if: you care most about the wildlife.
The Oberoi Vanyavilas
The setting: luxury tents in walled gardens and orchards around a central haveli, with peacocks on the lawns.
- The polish: that of the Oberoi palace hotels, with a fine spa and the most comfortable rooms in Ranthambore.
- Ideal for: families, and anyone who wants every comfort between drives.
Heritage and fort stays
Sawai Madhopur Lodge: the Taj's lodge was a Jaipur royal hunting lodge and keeps its old-world lawns and verandas.
- Six Senses Fort Barwara: a restored fort in Chauth ka Barwara, about an hour away, for a spa retreat with a few safaris rather than a pure wildlife trip.
- Compare them all: in our guide to luxury hotels in Ranthambore and our page on wildlife lodges.
Between the safaris
Dastkar Ranthambore
What it is: a long-running craft project with women in the villages around the park, many from families resettled from inside the forest.
- What to buy: block prints, patchwork and embroidery, from its own shop near the park.
- Why it matters: the money goes directly to the communities who live beside the tigers.
Village walks
- The other side of conservation: farmers who lose crops to deer and boar, herders who lose cattle to leopards, and families who still make room for the forest.
- How we go: with people from the village, and only where we're welcome.
The Chambal and the Kota country
Where you are: at the northern edge of Hadoti.
- Bundi: its painted palace and stepwells are about three hours away.
- Kota and the Chambal: about two hours south, and many guests continue there after their safaris.
Ranthambore for families, photographers and first-timers
With children
The challenge: three hours of silence at dawn is a lot to ask of a six-year-old.
- How we plan it: a private Gypsy so the family sets its own pace, and some shorter drives.
- The right naturalist: one who is good with young people, with pugmark casts, bird lists and stories.
- Age rules: forest rules set a minimum age for some activities and change, so we check when we book. See our guide to travelling with children.
For photographers
When: March, April or May, when the light is clear, the forest open and the animals gather at water.
- How: several drives in a private vehicle, with a naturalist who understands light and patience as well as tracking.
- Kit: a 100 to 400mm zoom covers most situations, and a beanbag on the side rail is steadier than a tripod.
For first-time visitors
The gentlest start: three nights in a good lodge, in February or March.
- Why: time for the fort, the forest and the lodge, and no pressure on any single drive.
- What next: most guests leave planning a second reserve, often Jawai for leopards.
Getting to Ranthambore
By train: Sawai Madhopur is on the main Delhi to Mumbai line. Fast trains from Delhi take around five hours, and many guests prefer them to the road.
From Jaipur: about three and a half hours by road.
- Station
- Sawai Madhopur, 10-15 minutes from most lodges
- From Delhi
- About 5 hours by fast train, 6-7 by road
- From Jaipur
- About 3.5 hours by road
- From Agra
- About 5-6 hours by road
- Nearest good airport
- Jaipur
- From Agra: about five to six hours, sometimes with a stop at the Abhaneri stepwell.
- From Delhi by road: a long day of six to seven hours, so we usually route guests through Jaipur or use the train.
- By air: Jaipur is the nearest airport with good connections. Our helicopter and charter journeys team can plan a private charter.
- Journeys that include it: our Golden Triangle with Ranthambore and Palaces and Tigers.
Three nights in Ranthambore, the way we plan it
Other lengths: our Ranthambore itinerary has versions for two and four nights.
- Nights
- Three
- Drives
- Four to six
- Fort visit
- Day three
- Last chance
- A final morning drive on day four
- Everything else: in our things to do in Ranthambore guide.
- Choosing a park: read Jawai or Ranthambore.
Day one, arrival and the first drive
Late morning: arrive by train or road, settle in and have lunch.
- Afternoon: meet your naturalist and go out on your first drive.
- Evening: dinner by the fire, with a briefing on which tigers have been seen where.
Day two, two drives and a long rest
Before dawn: a morning drive, then a late breakfast.
- Midday: sleep, swim or visit Dastkar.
- Afternoon: out again, perhaps in a different zone.
Day three, the fort and a last drive
- Morning: a drive, then Ranthambore Fort and the Ganesh temple in the late morning, or keep the fort for the afternoon instead of a drive.
- Evening: a sundowner on the lodge grounds and a last evening of stories.
Day four, one more chance
- Before breakfast: a final morning drive, then departure.
- Why bother: more guests than you'd think see their best tiger on this last, unhurried morning.
What we tell our own family before a safari
Book early: permits and the best lodges sell out months ahead in high season, especially at Christmas, New Year and Easter.
Dress in layers: winter mornings in an open jeep are bitterly cold, and by ten o'clock you'll be taking things off.
- Binoculars for everyone: you'll see far more birds and far more of the tiger's face.
- Pack the basics: a scarf for dust, sunscreen, a hat and a refillable water bottle.
- Avoid Ganesh Chaturthi week: if you want a quiet visit, as the fort road fills with pilgrims.
- Enjoy the whole forest: guests hunting only for a tiger miss the leopards, owls, crocodiles and sambar that make Ranthambore so rich.
