The Ranthambore National Park, which is located in the Sawai Madhopur district of Rajasthan, is quite famous among the wildlife lovers. This national park is a tiger reserve forest and offers Jungle safari to explore the flora and fauna of the forest, which attracts a large number of wildlife enthusiasts. The excitement of having a rendezvous with the lord of the Jungle, the majestic tiger is so high that most people came here solely for the safari to trail the tiger. However, there are few other attractions, which you should not miss if you are in Ranthambore. Below are the few locations in and around the Ranthambore, where you can make a visit to make your trip more memorable.
Ranthambore Fort :
This one is the most famous attraction for the tourists after the Jungle safari. One can't miss taking a look at the Ranthambore Fort which is located within the national park. The fort is the testimony to the glory of the Imperial era in Rajasthan. Until the independence of India, this fort was the part of the Jaipur State and the forest around it was used as the hunting land by the Maharaja of Jaipur. Located within the periphery of Vindhya and Aravali hills, the fort offers you an enchanting view of wildlife with the abundance of raw valleys, lakes and plenty of wild animals and birds in the thick forest spread around it. The fort has witnessed the long history of imperial Rajasthan and its changing dynamics since thousands of years.
Kachida Valley :
If you are a nature lover then this place will certainly amuse you with its serene beauty and tranquil environment. The Kachida Valley is situated on the edge of the park and a layer of lush thick greenery, many rocky outcrops, slender hills and beautiful lakes together constitute this valley. You can visit here in a jeep to explore the area. You most probably will get a sight of a panther, which is the prime wild species of this area as they don't venture deep inside the forest in order to avoid the conflict with the tiger, which is much more powerful than a panther. Along with the panthers, you will find a good number of wild bears in this area.
Padam Talao :
Being the biggest lake within the territory of Ranthambore National Park, the Padam Talao is the best gift of nature to this park and to the people visiting this park. This is a heaven for bird watchers due to the sight of a large number of beautiful resident and migratory birds found around the lake. One can also get a sight of wild animals who visits here to quench their thirst mostly in the morning and evening time. The famous Jogi Mahal is located beside this lake adding a historical pinch to this lake. The lake named as the Padam Talao because most of the time it is filled with the beautiful water lilies offering a picturesque view of the lake. The lake has lush greenery around it making a serene ambiance, which gives an enchanting natural view. Spending some time here is very soothing to the eyes and refreshing to the mind.
Malik Talao :
The beauty of Ranthambore national park is mostly due to the various big and small lakes and water bodies situated in the park nourishing the flora and fauna of the forest. The Malik Talao is one among the few famous lakes inside the park. It is comparatively a small lake but bustling with the vibrant migratory birds which are adding the magical beauty to this lake. The lake is a home to marsh crocodiles, which are found resting beside the lake. The view around the lake is surely captivating and refreshing.
Raj Bagh Talao :
One of the prime tourist attractions in the Ranthambore Park, the Raj Bagh Talao is the most famous and beautiful lake of the park. This lake is considered as the best place to spot a tiger and other wild animals who visit here frequently for drinking the water. Adding to the beauty of the lake, there are Raj Bagh ruins located between the Raj Bagh Lake and Padam Lake attracting visitors to take their imaginations back to the historic era. The grass around this lake is the favorite food for Sambhar and other herbivores which in turn also attracts their predators such as tiger around this lake.
Raj Bagh Ruins :
The testimony of the historic and prehistoric era of Rajasthan, the Raj Bagh ruins is located between the famous Padam Lake and Raj Bagh Lake. It is the collection of ruins of prehistoric monuments, which attract tourists with having historic interests. These ruins of bygone era consist of stone structures of palace outhouses, domes and arches of the ancient period. These structures are not only of the historic interests but also enhance the beauty of the landscape that is surrounded by the lakes and the raw jungle offering an amazing view.
Jogi Mahal :
The famous Jogi Mahal is located in the Ranthambore national park beside the Padam Talao. A forest rest house managed by the forest officials of Ranthambore National Park, The Jogi Mahal was once used as the resting abode by the Royals of Jaipur when they used to visit Ranthambore forest for the hunt excursion. After the end of the imperial era, the forest was turned into the reserve park and the Jogi Mahal was turned into the forest guest house for the tourists. The environment around the Mahal is very meditative and eye catching with the big beautiful lake filled with the water lilies located beside the Mahal. A huge Banyan tree is also located beside the Mahal, which is the second largest Banyan tree in India.
Rajiv Gandhi Regional Museum of Natural History :
The Rajiv Gandhi Regional Museum of Natural History is established at the Ramsinghpura village, 9 km from the Sawai Madhopur. This is the fourth museum of natural history in India and one of the tourist's attractions in Sawai Madhopur. One can include this place in the list to visit while visiting the Ranthambore tiger reserve. The museum offers a look at the biodiversity of the western region of India with their exhibition of rare plants, animals and other regional geology. The museum is opened with the concept of making people aware of the necessity of preserving the rare flora and fauna of the region. The exhibition with the replica of wild mammals like tiger, lion, leopard, chinkara and others showing the wildlife of Rajasthan is the main attraction here.
Dastkar Ranthambore :
Dastkar Ranthambore is an NGO initiative to resettle the rural communities around the Ranthambore forest who had lost the access to wood, water and farming lands due to the creation of Ranthambore National Park. There are many income generation activities especially for the women in the area initiated by the Ranthambore Foundation in association with the Dastkar, which includes making of hand-crafted handbags, cushions covers, table cloths, fancy sandals and many other things. You can visit here to buy quality hand-made items at a very reasonable price. These eco-friendly hand-made clothing items are exceptionally beautiful and durable as well as available in various colors and designs depicting the wildlife of Ranthambore.
Ranthambore School of Art :
The Ranthambore School of Art can be the most exciting place to visit in Ranthambore for the art lovers. Located few km away from the Sawai Madhopur station, this art school is primarily focused on using the art form to spread awareness about the need to conserve the wildlife and maintain the bio-diversity of the region for the sake of maintaining balance in nature, which further helps in improving earth's ecosystem. The paintings seen here are mostly depicting the wildlife species of Rajasthan.
Trinetra Ganesh Temple :
Located in the Ranthambore Fort within the Ranthambore national park, the Trinetra Ganesh Temple is one of the oldest temples of Rajasthan and very famous among the devotees of Lord Ganesha. This idol of Lord Ganesha is known as the Pratham Ganesha and this is the only temple in which Lord Ganesha is with his whole family. There are many legends follow this temple, which are told and retold by devotees since the ancient era. The followers of Hindu religion visits here from all over the world especially during the Ganesh festival. If you are in Ranthambore and a devotee of Lord Ganesha then you can join the Aarti that takes place daily five times a day. There is a tradition of inviting Trinetra Ganesha in any auspicious occasion by the devotees. Devotees used to send an invitation mail to the address of this temple.
The places mentioned above are the prime tourist's attractions in the Ranthambore where you can make a visit other than the Jungle safari to make your tour more engaging and enjoyable.