Ranthambore National Park is a wildlife reserve located in the Sawai Madhopur district of Rajasthan, India. It is one of the largest national parks in northern India and covers an area of approximately 392 square kilometers. The park is famous for its large population of Bengal tigers, which can be seen during Safari tours.

In addition to tigers, Ranthambore National Park is also home to a variety of other wildlife species, including leopards, wild boars, sloth bears, Indian gazelles, sambar deer, and many species of birds. The park is surrounded by the Aravalli and Vindhya mountain ranges and features a range of landscapes, including grasslands, forests, and hills.

Ranthambore National Park is open to visitors from October to June, with the peak season running from November to March. Visitors can explore the park through jeep or canter safaris, which are led by trained guides and offer the opportunity to spot wildlife in their natural habitats. The park also features a number of ancient ruins and temples, including the Ranthambore Fort, which dates back to the 10th century and provides stunning views of the park and surrounding landscape.

Types of Jungle Safari in Ranthambore National Park

Ranthambore National Park consists of two types of jungle safaris, one is jeep safari and the other is canter safari.

1. Jeep Safari   

The Jeep is a 6 seater four wheel drive Maruti Suzuki Gypsy while the Canter is a safari bus with a seating capacity of 20 people. Both safari vehicles are open from the top. For wildlife photography enthusiasts, Jeep is the best option for a jungle safari. The open jeep safari provides a wonderful means of seeing the hidden treasures of the forest.

The Jeep, being a smaller safari vehicle than a canter, is capable of traversing narrow and winding paths. Jeep safari increases the chances of seeing tigers in Ranthambore so it is the pride of Ranthambore. Apart from this, only 6 people can sit in the jeep, low number means that you can request to stay in some places as per your choice.

2. Canter Safari

Another option for jungle safari in Ranthambore is Canter. However, this 20-seater canter is a feasible way to explore wildlife in Ranthambore National Park. The Canter Safari is best suited for group excursions. If Ranthambore is included in your travel list then you should book jungle safari well in advance to avoid inconvenience.

Tiger sightings are mostly depends on luck and matter of chance, but in summer the possibility of seeing leopards, tigers and other wildlife greatly increases near the three lakes located in zones 3 and 4 of Ranthambore. A three-and-a-half-hour safari at Ranthambore is a treat for those exploring the topography.

Online Safari Booking

Online booking of Jungle Safari for Ranthambore National Park can be done in advance. Online advance booking of Jungle Safari opens 365 days before the date of Safari. One can book Jungle Safari on our website by paying the required fee which includes entry fee, safari vehicle fee and forest guide fee.

There are two types of vehicles available for Jungle Safari in Ranthambore - one is Jeep which has six seats and the other is Canter which has 20 seats. There are two shifts available for Jungle Safari in Ranthambore - one shift is in the morning and the other is in the afternoon. 

Safari Vehicle allocation for tourism in Ranthambore Tiger Reserve

The number of vehicles for jungle safari in Ranthambore is limited. Limited jeeps and canters are permitted by the Forest Department in each safari zone of Ranthambore. A total of 140 safari vehicles are allowed in zones 1 to 10 of the Ranthambore Tiger Reserve. Out of which 6 canters and 5 jeeps are sent from zones 1 to 4 respectively. 7 canters and 5 jeeps are allotted in each safari zones 5, 6, 9 and 10. Canters are not allowed due to high climbing and narrow paths in zones 7 and 8 of Ranthambore, Hence, 9 Jeeps are allocated in each zone 7 and 8 respectively. 5 jeeps are allocated in special category quota only in zones 1 to 5. Five jeeps are allocated for full day and half day safari in Ranthambore. Under the Tatkal quota, 20 jeeps are allocated in Zone 1 to 6 with a specific amount. In this way, a total of 140 vehicles are allocated to each Safari Shift in Ranthambore.

Ranthambore Safari Guide

At present 192 guides are registered in Ranthambore by the Forest Department, out of which 140 are Nature Guides and 52 EDC Guides. All the guides are from local families in Ranthambore who are well aware of the park's wild animals and their behavior. Since Ranthambore is visited by large number of wildlife lovers and tourists every year, it is advisable to book safari, especially jeep safari before coming to Ranthambore.

Jungle Safari Timing in Ranthambore National Park

Safari Zones

There are 10 different safari zones for tourists inside the Ranthambore Tiger Reserve. Visitors can book online safari tickets for Ranthambore National Park 365 days in advance. Only one safari zone can be traveled at a time. Tourists can choose their preferred safari zone based on availability at the time of booking. Although all the safari zones of the park are very good and all safari zones are inhabited by tigers, the sighting of tigers in wildlife sanctuaries is a matter of opportunity and entirely dependent on luck.

There are two types of vehicles for jungle safari in Ranthambore National Park. One is a jeep and the other a canter. Both safari vehicles are allocated by the Forest Department on the same zone. Canters are not allowed in zones 7 and 8 only. Both safari vehicles provide an equal opportunity to see wildlife. Wildlife is found in all the safari zones of the park and the jungle safari gets you closer to the wildlife, it gives you a unique wilderness experience.

For jungle safaris, it is better to go to different zones and the zone can be chosen while booking the safari. At the time of entry, each vehicle is allotted a zone and is not allowed to deviate from its designated zone. Safari vehicles can go anywhere on routes within the zone. During the jungle safari you will have the opportunity to see sambar deer, Indian gazelle, blue bull (Nilgai), spotted deer, langurs, sloth bears and many birds. Many safari zones also boost Leopards. Follow the footprints and you may well be rewarded with a sighting of this beautiful animal and if you are very lucky, you can see the King of the Jungle - Tiger!

Safari Zone and their points

Zone 1: Singhdwar Raipur, Amreshwar Dang, Tuti ka Nalla, Sultanpur, Gada Dub, Peela Pani, exit from Singhdwar

Zone 2: Jogi Mahal, Jhalra, Kamaldhar, Amrai Phoota Bandha, Pandudeh, Guda, Gandharia, Polkya, exit from Jogi Mahal

Zone 3: Jogi Mahal, Padam Talab, Raj Bagh, Mandook, High Point, exit from Jogi Mahal

Zone 4: Singhdwar, Tamakhan, Malik Talab, Lakarda, Berda, Semli, Adidaant, Lambi, exit from Singhdwar

Zone 5: Singhdwar, Jokha, Kachida, Dhakda, Baghda, Bakola, Anatpura, exit from Singhdwar

Zone 6: (Kundal): Rajbagh Naka, Palli Darwaza, Kundal Area, Patwa Baori, Sonkach, Kala Pani, exit from Rajbagh Naka

Zone 7: (Chidikho): Rajbagh Naka, Chidikho, Jamoda, Kushalipura, exit from Rajbagh Naka

Zone 8: (Balas): Balas, Neemli Dang, Kali Bhat, Kherai, Mahakho, exit from Balas

Zone 9: ( Kuwalji) Approx 45 kms

Zone 10:  Kushalipura , Bodal , Halonda ,Banskhori , Aantri , exit from Devpura

Tatkal Safari Booking at Ranthambore

The Forest Department has introduced a Tatkal safari booking quota in Ranthambore National Park in October 2016. This Tatkal Safari Booking System has been introduced in Ranthambore National Park on the lines of Tatkal ticket booking system in Indian Railways. All safaris in Ranthambore Tiger Reserve, be it regular safari or Tatkal safari or full day and half day safari, are all under the control of the forest department and managed by forest officials.

Under the Tatkal quota, only 20 jeeps are allowed in 1 to 6 zones. Under the Tatkal quota, tourists can book Jungle Safari one day before of the Safari date or on the day of Safari. Foreign and Indian visitors can book jeep safaris with an additional charge of INR 10,000 in addition to the regular safari fee under the Tatkal booking quota.

If you are on a trip to Ranthambhore and regular safari booking is not available then you need not be disappointed as you can book Jungle Safari under Tatkal Safari Booking by paying an additional amount of ten thousand rupees in addition to the amount of regular Safari booking fee.

Half-Day and Full-Day Safari in Ranthambore

Ranthambore National Park offers a special full day and half day safari service to explore the wildlife. Full-day and half-day safaris have also been started in 2016 at Ranthambore by the Forest Department on the lines of full-day safari services to be held in other national parks in India. Apart from regular 3 hour morning and afternoon safaris in Ranthambore National Park, half day and full day safaris are available only in zone 6 to 10. However, during normal safari time, tourists with full day and half day will be able to visit zone 1 to 5 while in the remaining time they will have to stay in zone 6 to 10 only.

The Forest Department has introduced new rules for full-day and half-day safari in Ranthambore National Park from October 1, 2019. Under the new rules, tourists going on full-day and half-day safaris will now travel for three-and-a-half hours in zone 1 to 5 during general safari time , while the rest of the time they will be allowed to go to safari zones 6 to 10 of Ranthambore.

Earlier, full-day and half-day safari service in Ranthambore was started in all safari zones of Ranthambore, but now it has been banned in Safari zones 1 to 5 of Ranthambore and is only available in safari zones 6 to 10. Only during general safari time, tourists going on full day and half day safaris will be able to visit zones from 1 to 5, while the rest of the time they have to do safari in zones from 6 to 10 only. Only 5 jeeps are allowed to enter the park under this service. GPS monitored vehicles are allowed to roam freely within tourist safari zones 6 to 10. Essentially a maximum of 5 persons are allowed to go in one jeep except guide and driver.

There is no restriction of Safari Zone for tourists going on full day and half day safaris. They can visit any of the 6 to 10 safari zones of the park. Apart from this, they can also visit zones 1 to 5 during normal safari time. Under a full-day and half-day safari, you can enter the park 15 minutes before a regular safari and leave the park 15 minutes later.

Half-day safari can be done by private jeep from 6 am to 12 am and then from 12 pm to 6 pm. While a full day safari in Ranthambore National Park offers 12 hours in the park from 6 am to 6 pm.  Higher charges apply under half day and full day jeep safari in Ranthambore.

Best Time for Tiger Sighting in Ranthambore

Ranthambore is a famous national park located at the Sawai Madhopur district of south-eastern Rajasthan in India with a dry subtropical climate. Ranthambore has three major seasons in a year, including summer, winter and monsoon. Ranthambore National Park has the hottest months from March to June, during which most animals are seen, when they come out in search of water. However, traveling to Ranthambore is more comfortable during the preceding cooler months. If you are visiting Ranthambore during winter, then bring warm clothes.

Summer: The summer season in Ranthambore starts in March and lasts till the end of June. In Ranthambore, the maximum temperature of the day reaches 48 ° C during the summer season. You can experience heatstroke during the day while the temperature falls to 30 ° C at night.

Winter: The winter season in Ranthambore starts from November and lasts till February. The daytime temperature reaches 20 ° C in the winter season while the night temperature goes below 10 ° C. Rain and fog are forecast in mid-winter. During the winter, the Ranthambore National Park is very cold in the morning.

Monsoon: Ranthambore has a monsoon season from July to September. The weather remains moist and it rains twice a week. The special thing is that Ranthambore is open to tourists even during the monsoon. In its zones 6 to 10, the safari is operated by the forest department, while 1 to 5 remains closed to tourists during the monsoon and reopens to tourists from 1 October. If you are going on a trip to Ranthambore in monsoon then light cotton clothes and some rain gear are recommended. It is a good idea to keep insect repellent.

When to Go: The Park is worth visiting from October to June to enjoy the jungle safari well. Ranthambore is heavily crowded with tourists on weekends and holidays so it is advisable to book safaris and hotels in advance.

There is no accommodation for tourists in the forest of Ranthambore National Park.Ranthambore is a popular national park located in the Sawai Madhopur district of Rajasthan, India. It is famous for its tiger sightings and offers a variety of accommodations for visitors. Here are some options for places to stay in Ranthambore:

 How to reach Ranthambore National Park? 

By Air: Jaipur International Airport is the nearest airport to Ranthambore National Park, which is located in Sanganer, Jaipur. The distance between Jaipur Airport and Ranthambore is about 160 km. Jaipur to Ranthambore can be reached by road or train.

By Rail: The nearest railway station to Ranthambore National Park is Sawai Madhopur which connects Ranthambore to other major cities of India by rail. The rail route is the easiest route to reach Ranthambore. There are many direct trains to Sawai Madhopur station from major cities of India like Delhi, Mumbai, Agra, Jaipur and other cities.

By Road: Ranthambore National Park is well connected to all major cities and towns in India by road. Ranthambore Park can be reached through state bus service, private buses and taxis. Tourists can easily reach Ranthambore National Park by road from cities like Delhi, Agra, Jaipur, Kota, Udaipur, Jodhpur, Ajmer and Ahmedabad.

Staying Option In Ranthambore National Park

There is no accommodation for tourists in the forest of Ranthambore National Park.Ranthambore is a popular national park located in the Sawai Madhopur district of Rajasthan, India. It is famous for its tiger sightings and offers a variety of accommodations for visitors. Here are some options for places to stay in Ranthambore:

Ranthambore National Resort: Located close to the national park entrance, this resort offers comfortable rooms and cottages with modern amenities.

Ranthambhore Kothi: This luxury resort offers spacious rooms and suites, along with a spa and outdoor pool.

The Oberoi Vanyavilas: This five-star resort offers luxury tents and villas with private gardens, a spa, and a pool.

Tiger Moon Resort: This budget-friendly resort offers comfortable cottages with air conditioning and outdoor seating areas.

Raj Palace Resort: This resort is located near the park entrance and offers comfortable rooms and suites with modern amenities.

Nahargarh Ranthambhore: This luxury hotel offers elegant rooms and suites with views of the national park, along with a spa and outdoor pool.

The Pugmark Resort: This resort offers comfortable rooms and cottages with air conditioning and modern amenities.

These are just a few options for places to stay in Ranthambore. Visitors can choose from a range of accommodations, depending on their budget and preferences.