Ranthambore National Park derives its name from the fort that stands in the middle of the forests. The fort gets its name from two hills - Thanbhor, on which the fort is built, and Ran, which is a hill on the backside of the fort.Before independence, Ranthambore was the Hunting Reserve of the Maharajas of Jaipur and hunting continued till 1970 (even after being declared a sanctuary). Hunting was banned only in 1970.
1955 - Declared as Sawai Madhopur Wildlife Sanctuary.

1960 - Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II of England and H.R.H Duke of Edinburgh visited Ranthambore as guests of the Maharaja of Jaipur on a royal hunt.

1973 - When Project Tiger was launched on April 1,1973, nine tiger reserves were initially chosen - Ranthambore was one of them.

1981 - Ranthambore was awarded National Park status.

1981-1990/91 - With Ranthambore becoming a National Park, villages were relocated outside the park. A profound change gradually started taking place. The tiger population started increasing and because of the protection under Project Tiger, a new generation of tigers were being born to mothers who had never known man's aggression. They were no longer avoiding man.

This was the golden period of Ranthambore when it had tigers and tigresses that were stars with the regular visitors. They had regal names like Genghis, Kublai, Akbar, Laxmi (named after the Goddess of Wealth), Noon, Noor Jahan...One could go on.

1989 - The census revealed 44 tigers, up from 14 when it was brought under Project Tiger.

1992 - Tiger census showed a dramatic drop in tiger population. The census revealed 15-20 tigers. The census at Ranthambore revealed that India was now going through a second tiger crisis. Project Tiger was paying the price for its success - earlier tigers were legally hunted for their skins till hunting was banned in 1970. This census revealed that they were now being poached for their bones for the Far East market.

2002/03 - Tiger population was again up because of strict protection given after the census revelation of 1991-92.

2005 - The population has plummetted from 47 to 26. Census conducted in May reveals that 21 tigers are missing and are presumed to be poached. India going through a Third Tiger Crisis.

The former rulers of Jaipur first felt the need to preserve the area. In 1955, Ranthambore became a game sanctuary and was among the first few protected areas in India. In 1984, Ranthambore Sanctuary acquired the status of a National Park covering almost 400 sq km of area. It was declared as the Tiger Reserve in India, when Project Tiger started in 1972. According to rough estimates, there are more than thousand tigers in the park. The total area of the Ranthambore National Park is 1,334 sq km, which includes the adjoining sanctuaries of the Kaila Devi Sanctuary and the Mansingh Sanctuary.

Sightseen in Ranthambore:

Ranthambore National Park:
One of the most famous wildlife reserves in the world, the Park is located in eastern Rajasthan. Ranthambore was declared a wildlife sanctuary in 1995 and became a part of Project Tiger in 1973. Ranthambore National Park is situated at the meeting point of the Aravali and Vindhya hills. The park is bounded by river Chambal in the South and Banas river in the North. Six man made lakes are the main attractions of the park, while several small streams criss-cross the entire park.

Flora and Fauna in Ranthambore National Park:
The park spreads over an area of around 1,300 Sq Kms, has a rich diversity of fauna and flora. The park is home to about 300 trees, 50 aquatic plants, 272 birds, 12 reptiles including the Marsh Crocodile & amphibians and 30 mammals. Ranthambore National Park is known for its Tigers, which makes it a favourite destination in country to observe them closely. Besides the Tiger, the park has a large numbers of Sambhar, Chital, Nilgai, Gazzelle, Boars, Mongoose, Indian Hare and Monitor Lizards etc. The flora of the Park include Banyan Trees, Dhok & Pipal trees, clusters of mango trees crisscrossed with evergreen belts.

Ranthambore Fort:
The fort built in 994 A.D. is situated at a height of 200 metres above sea level. The royal past is well-preserved in the ruined pavilions, walls, chhatris and splendid monuments, within the majestic fort. It is believed that the fort is to be the place where the first Jauhar in Rajput history was performed. The fort overlooking the Padam Talab, offers spectacular views of the surroundings. One can also get the chance of Tiger sightings here.

Jungle SafariJogi Mahal:
Overlooking the beautiful Padam Talab, the Mahal is the forest rest house. The Mahal has all the facilities for a comfortable stay. The major attraction in the Mahal is the ancient banyan tree, which is believed to be the second largest banyan tree in India.

Ganesh Chaturthi:
An 8th century A.D. temple of Lord Ganesha stands on Ranthambore Fort. Every year in the month of August- September thousand of people visit the temple in honour of the Lord Ganesha's birthday.

Jungle Safari:
The parks offers the adventurous activities like Jeep Safari, a cultural and traditional experience with the Meena tribes. For the more adventure enthusiasts a night-out in the hideouts of the park is a unique experience.

Park Visititing Timings:
The timings to visit the Park are, Between October To March: 6.00 am - 9.00 am & 3.00 pm - 6.00 pm & Between April To June: 6.30 am - to 9.30 am & 3.30 pm - 6.00 pm.