Situated in the in the Sawai Madhopur district of the Indian state of Rajasthan, Ranthambore Tiger Reserve is compact, yet full of game. Sprawling over an undulating terrain of Aravali and Vindhyan ranges, the park occupies an area of 393 sq. Km.. A system of three artificial lakes enhances beauty of the park. The density of the tiger population at Ranthambore Tiger Reserve is quite high in India. Ranthambore national park is one of the most visited national parks in India. The area got the status of a wildlife sanctuary in 1957 and was declared a National Park in 1981. Ranthambore national park was taken under the Project Tiger in the year 1974.

Sights to See

The National Park is open for guided tours in the morning and in the evening from October to June. The visit timings are as given below:
Oct 1-Oct 31:6.30am-10.00am & 2.30pm-6.00pm
Nov 1-Jan 31:7.00am-10.30am & 2.00pm-5.30pm
Feb 1-Mar 31:6.30am-10.00am & 2.30pm-6.00pm
Apr 1-May 15:6.00am- 9.30am & 3.00pm-6.30pm
May 16-Jun 30:6.00am- 9.30am & 3.30pm-7.00pm
July 1 – Sep 30: Tiger Reserve CLOSED

Visitors can take tours on a Gypsy (06 seater SUV) or Canter (26 seater bus). The tours can be booked through your hotel. Tours can also be booked from the tour booking centre in Sawai Madhopur.

Fauna of Ranthambore Tiger Reserve
Ranthambore national park is mainly known for its tigers. It is possible that one may not get to see the Tigers at all time. However, Ranthambore national park is home to various carnivores like the leopards, tigers, Chital, Nilgai, Striped Hyenas, Sambar deer, Hanuman langurs, jackals, caracals, sloth bears, rufoustailed hare, chinkara, common palm civets , Indian wild boar, black bucks, common Yellow Bats, Fivestriped Palm Squirels, Indian False Vampires, Desert Cats, Indian Foxes, Indian Gerbilles, Indian Mole Rats, Indian Flying Foxes, Indian Porcupines, Longeared Hedgehogs, Small Indian Civets Ratels, Small Indian Mongoose, and Common mongoose. Ranthambore national park is also widely known for its huge population of the Black bucks.

Avian population in Ranthambore National Park
Thanks to its varied terrain and abundance of water bodies, the avian population in Ranthambore national park is also rich and the main species that can be easily seen are Indian Gray Hornbills, Common Kingfishers, Crakes, Nightjars, Owl, Snipes, Gulls, Sandpipers, Eagles, Cormorants, graylag goose, Terns, Darters, Great Crested Grebe, Woodpeckers, Herons, Egrets, Ibis, Storks, Pelicans, Bitterns, Pittas, Flamingos, Parakeets, Bee Eaters, Pigeon, Dove, Asian Palm Swift, Shrikes, Minivets, Cuckoo-Shrikes, Cuckoos, Treepies, Orioles, Crows, Drongos, Pipits, Flycatchers, Bayas, Ioras, Sparrows, Wood Shrikes, Wagtails, Finches, Mynas, Bulbul, Falcons Munias, etc.