Visit Ranthambhore National Park, India

If you’re expressing an interest in seeing India’s Bengal tigers, it isn’t long before Ranthambhore National Park comes up in conversation. Once the hunting reserve of the Maharaja of Jaipur, the park is named after the 10th-century fort at its heart.

Within Ranthambhore, tigers roam through dry deciduous forest and up ravines, and swim in lakes ornamented with the crumbling remains of regal hunting pavilions.

But, in reality, tigers are just one facet of Ranthambhore’s appeal. A whole cast of predators, including leopards, hyena, wild dogs and jungle cats, are sustained by sambar and spotted deer, chinkaras (Indian gazelles) and blue bulls. There are enough bird species to fill entire guidebooks, as well as wildfowl, crocodiles and tortoises.

The park was one of the first to be included in Project Tiger, an Indian-government-run initiative to conserve this critically endangered species. Ranthambhore now supports a relatively healthy population of tigers (many of which have been named by the rangers), and your best chance of spotting one is on a game drive in the park.

Morning game drives usually start in the cool of dawn, as the sun — and wildlife — begins to rise. Depending on the time of year, it’s worth parking up by one of the lakes to watch the wading birds — and any predators that might come to drink. You usually head back to your hotel or lodge for breakfast and some time to relax, before heading back out in the afternoon.

Hotels are positioned around the outskirts of the park. Many, like Khem Villas, offer guided walks through the surrounding grasslands. You might spot some of the park’s often-overlooked smaller inhabitants, including Indian hares, skittering frogs and the raucous Indian bullfrog.

Wildlife viewing may be the main focus here, but it’s also worth climbing up to the remains of Ranthambhore Fort. Once one of the largest forts in India, it has seen more than 1,000 years of conflict — although the only current invader is grass, and an occasional monkey. The fort is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and you can wander through amber-stone courtyards and hallways, and peer across the national park splayed out below.

Ranthambhore is within easy reach of Jaipur and Agra, making it a convenient place to visit if you’re journeying through Rajasthan or around India’s Golden Triangle. This does mean that it’s one of the busiest national parks but, there are more peaceful spots if you know where to look.

For a quieter experience, you could add in a visit to Sawai Mansingh Sanctuary, a small reserve 10 km (7 miles) away, which is particularly good for viewing gazelles.

And, if you’re visiting in the cooler months between November and March, we recommend including a trip to Soorwal Lake. Located around an hour's drive from the park, it welcomes large flocks of migratory birds, including painted storks, flamingos and spoonbills.

Best time to visit Ranthambhore National Park

You can travel anytime from October through to May. The best time to go to Ranthambhore is between February and March, when the foliage has started to thin, making wildlife easier to spot. Rain is also rare during this season, and temperatures average a comfortable 27°C (80°F) in the daytime (although it can be cold before the sun rises, so extra layers are needed).

If you’re willing to tackle the rising temperatures in April and May, you stand to see animals that are drawn out, as water sources begin to dry up, from the jungle to larger lakes.