Ranthambore National Park
» Area - 404 sq. kms
» Establishment - 1959
» When to Visit - October to June
The
name Ranthambore is located near Sawai Madhour township (11 kms), which is about
100 kms south east of Ajmer in Rajasthan, where the Vindhayas and the Aravalli
Hills meet, the Ranthambore National Park is bound by the rivers Chambal, in
the south, and Banas, in the north. The Ranthambore National Park was established
as a sanctuary in 1959 and included in the very first phase of Project Tiger
in 1972. In 1981 Ranthambor was given National Park status. Dominated by rocky
plains, flat hilltops, gentle slopes and precipitous cliffs, covered by dry
deciduous forests, Ranthambore is virtually an island rich in flora and fauna,
farmland and over grazed arid land.
Attractions :
Ranthambore is home to a multitude of wild animals, the park boasts of playing
host to tigers, leopards, the elusive caracals, striped hyenas, sloth bears,
jungle cats, wild boars, crocodiles and so on. Besides, there are over 300 species
of birds, from the rare Indian Courser to the beautiful Painted Sand Grouse.
You can go for National Park rides, jeep safaris, camel rides, bird watching
excursions and nature walks.
How to Reach :
165 km from Jaipur which is the nearest airport. Nearest railhead is Sawai Madhopur
(12 km). Jaipur is well connected to all the major destinations of India by
air, rail and road.
Keoladeo National Park
» Area - 232sq.km/2,873 hectares
» Established - 1956 as a bird sanctuary, 1981 as a national
park
» When to Visit - October to June
Keoladeo National Park, previously known as the Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary is
famous as one of Asia’s finest birding areas, with over 380 resident and
migrant species, populating the area through out the year. The bird population
includes the Common, Demoiselle and the rare Siberian Cranes. The park derives
its name from the temple of Keoladeo (Shiva) and ‘ghana’ which locally
means dense, depicting the nature of the vegetation available.
Attractions :
Keoladeo Ghana National Park or Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary is home to some of
India’s richest birdlife, including the gorgeous shocking-pink tinted painted
stork, several species of cormorants, egrets, pelicans, ibises, cranes, ducks
and geese. Among the migrants, the highly endangered Siberian Cranes, which
come to nest in winter, are the rarest. In addition to the birds, Keoladeo is
home to a wide range of mammal and reptile species, including deer, jackals,
otters and blue bulls. One can also watch mammals like Golden Jackal, Striped
Hyaena, Fishing Cat, Jungle Cat, Nilgai, Sambar, Blackbuck and wild Boar in
its excellent surroundings.
How to Reach :
Bharatpur is well connected by road from Agra (56 km), Delhi (176 km) and Jaipur
(176 km), all of which have airports. The Bharatpur railway station is 6 km
from the park.
Kumbhalgarh Wildlife Sanctuary
» Area - 586 sq Kms
» When to Visit - October to June
Kumbhalgarh Wildlife Sanctuary is located in the most rugged regions of the
Aravali in Pali, Rajsamand and Udaipur districts of Rajasthan. Kumbhalgarh Wildlife
Sanctuary is just 90 kms. from Jodhpur on the Udaipur - Pali - Jodhpur road.
This jungle close to the historical Kumbalgarh Fort used to protect the fort
from the invaders. Now, Kumbhalgarh Wildlife Sanctuary protects the rare species
of animals, struggling for their survival. Situated in the lush green region
of Udaipur, Kumbalgarh is the only sanctuary of Rajasthan, where natural activities
of the rarely found wolf can be seen in the natural surroundings.
Attractions :
The named derived from the Kumbhalgarh Fort, the sanctuary is spread over an
area of 586 sq kms and is perched at an altitude of 500 to 1,300m. It is home
to a large variety of wild life, some of which are highly endangered species.
The wild life includes wolf, leopards, sloth bear, hyena, jackal, jungle cat,
smabhar, nilgai, chaisingh (the four horned antelope), chinkara and hare.
The bird life at Kumbhalgarh is also gratifying, which includes - grey jungle
fowl, peacocks, doves, red spur owls, parakeets, golden Oriole, grey Pigeons,
Bulbul, and white breasted kingfisher, often seen near the water holes.
How to Reach :
Udaipur is 100 Kms from here. So, reaching the sanctuary is not a problem. Udaipur
is well connected to all of India by air, rail and road.
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