RANTHAMBORE

Seeing tigers in the wild had long been on my bucket list, so a safari in Ranthambore was a trip of a lifetime. During our two-month train journey in India, we booked six canter safaris in Ranthambore National Park. We were lucky enough to see tigers on three out of six of those game drives.

In Zone 3, we witnessed Riddhi and her three cubs snuggle up against each other and lay in the morning sun besides a wide open lake. In Zone 2, we glimpsed the tigress Arrowhead weave in and out of the forest—a vibrant orange stripe against a grey backdrop of trees.

In Zone 3, we waited patiently for Riddhi to wake from her afternoon nap across the riverbank, while her cubs lay hidden in the grass. Seeing wild tigers like this—up close in their natural habitat is an experience I’ll never forget.

Which Is the Best Zone?

Ranthambore National Park is divided into 10 separate zones. Each game drive will be for only one of these separate zones, which means even if a tiger is spotted in Zone 3, you won’t be able to leave Zone 4 to see it. (This is one way the park limits the number of vehicles at any one sighting.)

Choosing the best zone is the most important part of planning your Ranthambore safari. Zones 1-4 are considered best for spotting tigers, while sightings are much rarer in Zones 5-10.

Each Zone is the territory of one tigress (and her cubs depending on when you visit). Sultana’s lives in Zone 1, Arrowhead’s lives in Zone 2, and the tigress Riddhi lives in both Zones 3 and 4.

If you have a couple of days in Ranthambore, I suggest visiting all these zones between 1 and 4, but if you only have time for one or two safaris in Ranthambore, make it Zone 3 or 4.

Unlike Zones 1 and 2 which are densely forested, Zones 3 and 4 both have low vegetation with wide open banks and lakes, making it easier to spot tigers. Riddhi stays in Zone 3 more often than in Zone 4.

Gypsy or Canter?

There are two kinds of safari vehicles in Ranthambore National Park, gypsy and canter. Gypsies are jeeps with 4 to 6 guests, while canters sit up to 20 guests.

Gypsies are much smaller than canters and able to navigate more easily, meaning they can reach sightings faster than canters. If you can’t book a gypsy though, a canter in Zones 1 to 4 is still better than a gypsy in Zones 5 to 10.

One advantage of canters though is they are taller than gypsies. If a gypsy is parked between a canter and a sighting, the guests in canter will still be able to see over the gypsy.

The biggest disadvantaged of gypsies is they sell out four or five months in advance, while canters can still be booked a month or sometimes the week of!

How to Book a Safari in Ranthambore National Park

The cheapest way to book a safari in Ranthambore National Park is directly through the government website itself. Bookings directly through the government website itself cost 2,000 INR for a 3-hour canter safari and about 3,000 INR for a 3-hour gypsy safari.

There are many copycat websites though, so when you’re ready, be sure to book through this link!

You’ll be asked to create an account, before choosing the date, gypsy or canter, and morning or evening. After booking, you’ll receive a confirmation email and texts before your game drive with the phone number of the driver and license plate of the vehicle picking you up.

I recommend sharing these details with your hotel, so they can help make sure you’re picked up for your game drive. They’ll charge a small fee (100 INR at ours), but it’s worth it.

Advantages of direct bookings:

You can book with the best rate—2,000 INR per 3-hour canter safari. Private companies or hotels will charge 3,000 INR plus for the same booking.

You know exactly which Zone you’re booking. (Some private companies and hotels have been known to promise a Zone in 1-4 then switch to a Zone in 5-10.)

Disadvantages of direct bookings:

You usually have to book at least one month in advance for canter safaris and more than four or five months in advance for gypsy.

There are no changes or refunds once a booking is made.

The government website is not user friendly, and customer service takes weeks to reply.

How Many Days Required to Visit Ranthambore

One game drive in Ranthambore National Park is not enough to see a tiger. You might get lucky and see a tiger on your very first game drive here, but it is unlikely.

I suggest booking at least three game drives with at least two of them being morning safaris in order to have a good chance of spotting the elusive tiger. Since tigers are solitary and Zones 1-3 have only one tiger and her cubs, you need to book more safaris in order to increase your chances of seeing them. We booked six safaris in Ranthambore National Park and only saw tigers on three out of six safaris.

How to Plan Your Trip to Ranthambore National Park

Best Time to Go on Safari in Ranthambore

All national parks in India are closed for monsoon season, July, August, and September. May and June are considered the best time to visit Ranthambore National Park, when the weather is hot and tigers visit watering holes often.

May and June are not good months to visit the rest of Rajasthan though, with many hotels and restaurants closed for the hot summer weather, making the shoulder months, March and April, better for visiting both Ranthambore National Park and Rajasthan.

Where is Ranthambore National Park?
How to Get to Ranthambore

Ranthambore National Park is three hours by car or train from Jaipur in Rajasthan. The best way to get to Ranthambore National Park is by train to Sawai Madhopur Junction, but you can also take a bus, or hire a private taxi. The last option will be the most expensive. The train from Jaipur to Sawai Madhopur takes only 2 hours, and from Delhi to Sawai Madhopur it takes 5 hours. You can book trains directly from the IRCTC website, from ixigo trains, or from 12Go.

Where to Stay in Ranthambore

There are plenty of options outside Ranthambore National Park in Sawai Madhopur from budget to ultimate luxury. Usually when booking accommodation for a safari, it’s better to be as close to the park as possible, but not at Ranthambore! In the morning, safari vehicles start picking up guests near the tea stall across from Travel Soul by Saif first, so if you stay near here, you’ll be one of the first to be picked up and have your choice of where to sit.

Tips for Making the Most of Your Safari

Sit in the front row for the best view and a chance to ask questions of the guide. (Remember to book a hotel near here to be one of the first picked up in the morning).

Be prepared to practice patience. Zones 1-3 each have only one tigress and her cubs, so you might have to wait a long time at a sighting for a better view OR you might spend three hours searching and not see a tiger at all.

Remember this is a wild park, not a zoo. Guides cannot make magically make wild animals appear on-demand. Whatever you see is entirely based on luck on that day.

Be open to anything. Although it’s unlikely in Zones 1-4, you might book four or six safaris and never see a tiger, so visit with an open mind to enjoy whatever experience you might have.

Appreciate the small things. When you can’t spot a tiger, look out for small animals and birds you might not get a chance to see anywhere else.

What to Bring for Your Safari in Pilibhit Tiger Reserve

· Bring a sunhat.

· Wear comfortable, airy clothing.

· Bring a light jacket incase of rain.

· Wear shoes you don’t mind getting dirty when you get out of the vehicle for a restroom break.

· Bring toilet paper and hand sanitizer.

· Bring bug spray.

· Wear sunscreen.

· Bring binoculars.

· Bring a camera with at least a 200mm zoom lens. 400mm or 600mm is even better! (I didn’t bring my 600mm for this trip since we were backpacking for six months, and I regretted it so much I bought one in Delhi before our safari!)

Travel Insurance for India

Whatever you do, don’t travel without travel insurance. Whether it’s sickness, theft, or lost luggage, something WILL go wrong, and travel insurance is your only way of lessening costs!

India Travel Essentials

Traveling comes with a unique set of challenges. To keep your journey happy, healthy, and safe, I recommend traveling with these:

Addalock (Don’t travel to India without this! It’s an added safety lock that works with any door).

Ear plugs and eye mask (For overnight train rides!)

Hand sanitiser and wet wipes (In India, these are a must.)

Reusable water bottle  (Save plastic by investing in a Grayl water purification bottle, which lets you fill up from any water source, anywhere in the world.)

Power bank (There’s not much worse than running out of phone battery and not being able to find your way home.)

International travel adapter (You’ll need at least one of these for all of your trips.)

For a full list of my travel recommendations, click here!