Ranthambore is undeniably one of the best and most popular National Parks in India to spot the Tiger. However, visit to Ranthambore shouldn't be overly focused on Tiger-Sighting. Tiger is surely the star attraction here and Ranthambore offers a high chance of spotting this majestic animal in its natural habitat. The part of the forest that is accessible to the tourists has been divided into 10 separate Zones and the chances of spotting a Tiger are usually better in Zone 1 to 5 though over the last few months there has been good sighting even in Zones 6 to 10 but notwithstanding what some people might tell you, Tiger-sighting is never guaranteed in any Zone. It's not a Zoo. If we go to the Safari with the sole focus of spotting the Tiger, we might miss appreciating some other beautiful aspect of the jungle and its wildlife.
There are a plethora of resorts in Ranthambore that can meet the budget and requirements of all kind of travellers.
The drive from Delhi to Ranthambore is a breeze now as the major part of the journey is on the newly built Delhi-Mumbai Expressway where it is allowed to drive at 120 km/hr. One still has to drive 80 odd km for around 2 hours in the single Lane Road from Dungarpur toll till Ranthambore but widening of road is being carried out and hopefully it should be over within a year. If one leaves early from Delhi avoiding the city traffic it is possible to reach Ranthambore in 5.5 hours even with responsible driving. For tourist vehicles with speed governors set at 80 km/hr, 6-7 hrs is a realistic time.
For those travelling from Noida, Ghaziabad, East Delhi, South Delhi, go via Mathura Road-Faridabad and for those from Gurgaon and West Delhi, go Via Sohna Road.
Quite surprising but there aren't any good restaurants in the Delhi-Mumbai expressway in this route. The ones that have opened as of now serve substandard food with pathetic service. Teething problems and hopefully things will soon change. Even toilets are not clean and upto the mark. So pack your food and empty your bladder before leaving obviating the need to stop.
But overall, it is a pleasure to drive on this route now and Ranthambore will gain even more popularity !
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