It was my back-to-back 3rd trip to national parks (Kaziranga – Pench – Ranthambore) this year and two consecutive weekend trips in a month from an extremely hot climate to a cold one (Safari to Mountains and Hills). All my safaris were extremely successful, with amazing sightings of the animals in their natural habitat. Watching nature itself is so fulfilling. Yes, you can call me a travel freak.

It had been a couple of months that I didn’t go anywhere (not even to the local market). The routine life and extreme heat waves in the city added to the feeling of something missing. And then we decided to go on a break for a couple of days. Though the destination which we shortlisted was even hotter it was the best season to enjoy wildlife.

This was the first time that we planned the entire trip in just a week (from searching for a place to go, making train reservations, and booking hotels, and safaris). But due to off seasons for casual tourists and peak season for serious wildlife lovers, we got a good deal with hotels and safaris.

Ranthambore jungle is beautiful. Here are details of my Ranthambore diaries-

Day 1

After lunch, we went to New Delhi Railway Station to catch our train. We reached Sawai Madhopur station by evening, where our cab driver was waiting to pick us up. The cab charges vary from Rs 600-Rs 1000 even for a short distance, so it totally depends upon your negotiation skills. The rest of the evening was spent relaxing in the hotel.

Day 2

Early in the morning, at around 6.00 AM, we went to see Ranthambore Fort. It gets extremely hot after 8 AM in peak summers. There is not much to see in the fort as you actually do not go inside the Fort. You are only allowed to see that from the outside/boundary wall of the Fort. But you can go up, to a temple situated at the top. There you get a good view. We were back by 9 AM to our hotel, and after a lavish and amazing breakfast, we enjoyed the kid’s arena and game zone.

In the second half, we went for our much-awaited Safari from Zone 4. It was extremely hot, the jungle was all dried up. The wildlife lovers carrying huge-sized cameras with super powerful lenses were all ready to capture the big cat. First, we saw a tigress sleeping near the water. Though she was clearly visible, it was too far. So, I wasn’t that happy with the sighting. After waiting for almost 30 minutes, finally, the tigresses got up and started walking, and then we started following her. Then we saw her, along with one of her cubs, crossing from a distance; the sighting was much better, but still not completely satisfied. And then the rare opportunity came my way. We saw the tigress with her 3 cubs (grown-up) walking and crossing our path. It was so delightful to watch the tigers walking.

Day 3

Our day started with another round of Safari. This time, we went to Zone 6. Though we spotted a tiger here as well, eating its kill, it was hardly visible. So spotting the tiger was as good as not seen. I had heard from one of the hotel guest about bear spotting for good 10-15 minutes, so i was more keen to see bear than tiger. And my wish came true. We had an amazing bear sighting. In the beginning, there were many jeeps and cantors, but later on, when the bear went inside the jungle, it was only our Jeep that followed his track. And then we made the bear follow us for a good 20-25 mins. Bear’s long claws were so scary, and his presence was an amazing experience. We also spotted Nilgai (Blue Bull), all types of Deer, including Chital, Chinkara, Chousingha, Barasingha, and many exotic birds. The second half of the day we spent relaxing in the resort.

Day 4

We had an early morning train, so our resort packed us an amazing breakfast. We were so impressed by their gesture.

I was overwhelmed by both our safari sightings at Ranthambore National Park. The forest itself is very beautiful, and seeing animals is a treat for the eyes.

It was a fantastic break and one of the most captivating experiences.

Tips and Suggestions

• Zone 6 is good for rare Bear sightings. Zone 4 is good for tiger sightings as there are 3 cubs, so the chances of sighting increase (though zones 1-5 are considered good safari options).
• Late May to early June is the best time to visit national parks. During this time of year, the chances of spotting big cats and other animals are very high. The forest is exceedingly dry, and the weather is extremely hot.
• Take a good camera with you (not the phone one’) to capture wildlife.
• Only serious wildlife lovers would enjoy it here, as there is nothing else to do. No other sightseeing options are available nearby.
• The train is a very good option if you travel Ex-Delhi. The train timings are good, and it only takes 5 hours to reach Sawai Madhopur (nearest railway station). From there it takes 30 min – 40 min to reach your hotel.