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Off-Season – April to September
Season – October to March

I was at Ranthambhore National Park during the winter season and had three visits twice by Canter (Petrol) and once by Gypsy but sighting of the tiger was not possible. What we saw were pug marks. Many say it is up to one’s luck – I agree. I was told by a local that April, May, and June are one of the best months to visit Ranthambhore National Park because at that time weather is hot, the jungle is dry, and the tiger is in search of water. The possibility of watching the tiger is maximum.

April, May, June?

It is hot in Rajasthan State and train reservations are mostly full because schools are closed for summer vacations. Families start touring towards colder tourist destinations such as Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, and Jammu & Kashmir. Anyways, an online search for tickets was done, and I was correct. All trains passing through Sawai Madhopur are full, including the Tatkal option. I even tried to reserve a seat up to Kota but failed.

Sawai Madhopur is not very far from Kota. I thought if I reach Kota from Mumbai, there are buses as well as trains for Sawai Madhopur. I kept searching ON as there are many trains from Mumbai stopping at Sawai Madhopur.

12925 Paschim Express

12979 Jaipur Superfast

12953 August Kranti Rajdhani Express

12955 BCT JP Express

12903 Golden Temple Mail

19039 Awadh Express

Finally, I was able to reserve a seat in the Awadh Express.

Re: Awadh Express – The train.

This train, though, stops at Sawai Madhopur but takes too much time to reach due to the number of stops. During the journey, a fellow passenger enhanced knowledge by saying that the Awadh Express has been the only train running via this route to Lucknow for the past 30 years.

Re: Ranthambhore National Park

Online booking is the best option.

Vehicle: Canter (Petrol), Canter (Diesel), Gypsy

Number of seats: Gypsy – 6, Canter (Petrol) – 16, Canter (Diesel) – 20

As Gypsy was not available online, I opt Canter (Petrol). Rs. 78/- per seat online booking amount. A print-out was taken. Once I reach Sawai Madhopur, I have to collect a boarding pass from the Forest Booking Center 45 minutes before departure (morning or evening).

How to collect the boarding pass early in the morning? – The question.

Sawai Madhopur’s local conveyance frequency is very low and crowded. I remember when I reached Sawai Madhopur railway station, I hired an auto (only available) for the hotel, which was 4-5 km from the railway station. I paid Rs. 80. There are very few bus services from the Bazaar opposite Sawai Madhopur Railway Station to Ranthambhore Road, mostly overcrowded. Charges – Rs. 5 per passenger.

The question is whether I will be able to get an auto/bus early morning to reach the Forest Booking Center.

No – The answer. The only option is to have your own hired taxi. Not possible as per the budget. What to do?

I had talks with the hotel reception. They said they need an online booking print-out for the boarding pass, but will charge Rs. 50.

OK – said I.

More Forest Booking Center is required? They say it is only one currently.

Or maybe full payment via online will be OK.

Rs. 78 (tariff per seat) + Rs. 330 for Canter (vehicle rent), Rs. 25 (Guide Fee) = Rs. 433 + Rs. 50

Total Amount = Rs. 483

Note: Canter (diesel) is a little cheaper.

The next day, early morning 6:15, Canter was at the hotel with a few more tourists. This is the best. All I have to do is to be present at the hotel. Registration number of Canter or Gypsy was conveyed by the hotel staff and finally arrival of the vehicle and I towards Ranthambhore National Park. Fantastic. At the main entrance gate of Ranthambhore National Park, ID checking was done.

Whether I was able to see the tiger or not? – Another question.

Zone One: morning hours – Spotted Owl, Rose Ring Parakeet, Magpie, Jungle Babbler, Male Antelope, Kingfisher, Tortoise I saw many animals, and birds, but not the tiger.

Zone Four: evening hours – Little Cormorant, Bee-Eater, Crocodile, Spotted Deer, but no sighting of the tiger. While returning, when Canter almost reached the main gate of Ranthambhore Tiger Reserve, we saw T-25, i.e., Tiger number 25, with two cubs. T-25 is male and is taking care of two cubs who lost their mother, said by the Guide. Sad to know, but it was a fruitful journey.

And I decided to extend the tour.

Zone Two: morning hours – Mongoose, Rabbit, Black Cormorant, Spotted Deer, and T-24 resting inside the reservoir. Our Canter was parked there for a few minutes. I was feeling excellent. It was a dream that came true – lucky I am.

(The zone for each Canter or Gypsy is decided by the Forest Booking Center)

Ranthambhore National Park is of 400 sq. km area that may be expanded up to 1100 sq. km, known as a Critical Tiger Habitat. Altogether 1/3 of 400 sq. km is open for the tourist, divided into Five Zones. In total, there are eight routes and a few Zones connected inside with each other. Only 40 vehicles (20 Canter + 20 Gypsy) are permitted at one time. Safari runs twice a day – morning and evening. The park is open for the tourist nine months in a year. July, August, and September it is closed due to the rainy season.

Earlier, Ranthambhore National Park was known as Game Sanctuary, but 80′s it was turned into a National Park and the focus was the tiger. Late Fateh Singh Rathore contributed a lot to the development of the park and relocation of the villagers residing inside. There were 19 villages inside the park.

Queen Elizabeth visited this park in the year 1962.

Mahesh – The guide enhanced our knowledge further about the animal.

The tiger is a solitary and territorial animal loves to live alone. There are more than 40-45 tigers, including cubs, inside the park. Female tiger lives in an area of 15-20 sq. km, and tiger 40-45 sq. km. They mark their territory by urinating and scratching. The age of a tiger is 16 to 18 years. The female tiger delivers one to four cubs within 90 days period, three to four times within the whole life span, starting from the age of four. Cubs stay with their mothers till they are two or two and a half years old. Once they are trained, they separate and stay within their own made territory. The tiger mostly loves Sambhar for food. Sambhar is also known as tiger food. The sambhar call is known as a warning call. Though Sambhar is not good with vision but when the tiger is close by, Sambhar starts a warning call, and that is 100% confirmation tiger is nearby.

Machali is the famous female tiger of Ranthambhore, also known as Lady of the Lake and Crocodile killer. Once Machli killed a Sambhar Deer and went to bring her cubs. During that time, a crocodile arrived and had the Sambhar as food. Later, Machli killed that crocodile to take revenge. Zone Four is the area of Machli.

Within Ranthambhore National Park, there are three big lakes – Padam Lake, Rajbagh Lake, and Malik Lake, and a palace known as Rajbagh Palace. More than 200 crocodiles are present in the lakes. In earlier times Kings visited to stay at Rajbagh Palace. It is an area of T-17 daughter of Machli. T-20, a male tiger, is also seen within this area.

More than 70 leopards are there within the park area, but as they are very shy, they are rarely visible. Other than that, hyena, jackal, sloth bear, caracal, wild boar, sambhar, and many other animals stay within the park.

The Dhok tree, also known as Anogeissus pendula, is the dominating tree at Ranthambhore National Park and is the favorite food of deer. Mostly the tree is dry, but with the first monsoon, it is green again.

There is a second-largest Banyan tree at Zone Two. The first largest is in Kolkata. The Banyan tree is also known as the walking tree.

During our journey towards the park, we saw Ranthambhore fort visible within the Aravalli ranges as our vehicle passed down below. Guide shares the knowledge:

Ranthambhore Fort is the second-largest fort in Rajasthan after Chittorgarh Fort. 1299 Alauddin Khilji attacked this fort and won the fort in the year 1301. Rao Hamir was the ruler of the fort and gave shelter to Muhammad Shah a Senapati (general) of Alauddin Khilji. Ranthambhore Fort is also known as Hamir Hat Fort. Inside the fort is Lord Ganesha‘s temple. Wednesday mostly devotees visit this approx. 1,000-year-old fort for prayers. More than 300 steps to climb the fort to reach the temple.

Thank you – said I. Very nice information shared by the guide. They are knowledgeable and trained.

If you want to know which zone I like most would say – Zone Two and Zone Four.

Zone Two landscape is marvelous, Zone Four has lakes. Zone Five, I have yet to visit.

And back to the question:

One of the Best Months to Visit Ranthambhore National Park?

As per my experience, April, May, and June for surely one of the best times to visit Ranthambhore National Park.

If I compare off-season visits with the season, I can say the benefits:

Less crowded, Less expensive, especially hotel room reservations are good for budget travelers. The weather is not that hot in comparison with other parts of Rajasthan. Morning and late afternoon were the tour inside Ranthambhore National Park, and during afternoon hour,s I can rest inside the hotel room. Thoroughly enjoyed the tour, mostly known asthe  Off-season.

Another question: Mumbai to Ranthambhore National Park One Day Off-season Solo Tour Cost?

Rupees Five Thousand Six Hundred And Eighty Six (approx. all inclusive).

• Train Reservation Class III AC (To & Fro): 2120

• Hotel Room Reservation (One Night): 1600 (breakfast complimentary)

• Canter (Petrol) Two Trips: 966

• Lunch, Dinner: 500

• Local Conveyance: 500

(Local conveyance includes Mumbai as well as Sawai Madhopur local travel by an auto)

Train reservation if you opt for Sleeper Class total cost will be much less. Budget travel or not? – You say.

April, May, June? – Yes, he was correct tiger sighting was there. Thank you.

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