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Replete with many old ruins of forts and palaces, the area is rich in historical significance. Infact a 1000-year-old fort still stands here to this day. An ancient palace called Jogi Mahal is located at the base of the fort and over looks a beautiful lake called Padam Talab where ethereal, white water lilies bloom in abundance.
Ranthambore is part of Project Tiger, a program that was instituted to save the rapidly declining population of these majestic creatures. With stupendous efforts the population of tigers here has stabilized. Chances of being able to see a real, live tiger here are very high and most visitors do not go back disappointed. One can also see other wildlife like Sambhar and Chital (varieties of deer), antelopes, nilgai, wild boars, sloth bears, porcupines, marsh crocodiles, wild jungle cats, leopards, monitor lizards, the Indian hare and jackals. The park is also home to about 264 bird species both indigenous and migratory.
The park can be reached from Sawai Madhopur town (12 km from the park) where the closest railway station is located. Sawai Madhopur is connected by train to Jaipur, Delhi and Mumbai. The nearest airport is located in the city of Jaipur (130 km from the park). The park remains open only from 1st October to 30th June, but the best time to visit is from November to April as most of the wildlife is easily spotted during this time.
No private vehicles are allowed to tour inside the park. Open sided jeeps or canters (mini trucks) are used for safaris inside the park. The bookings for the safaris have to be made only at the Project Tiger Office, which is located half a kilometer from Sawai Madhopur Railway Station. Bookings can be made up to 30 days in advance. The safari trips are organized twice every day once in the early hours of the morning and once in the late afternoon. Each trip lasts for three hours.
A wide variety of accommodation options to suit all budgets are available. Most hotels are located on the road that connects Sawai Madhopur to the park. Some mid range options include Anurag Resort, Ankur Resort and Hammir Resort. If your budget permits you to spend more lavishly then you can choose between Sawai Madhopur Lodge, which is a Taj property, or the Ranthambore Regency. The only accommodation that is available inside the park is inside Jogi Mahal, which was an erstwhile hunting lodge.
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