Adventure activities in Rajasthan (Part 1): Tiger safari in Ranthambhore National Park

Why they call it a tiger reserve is beyond me.
The chances of seeing one are slim.

When I first started reading about Rajasthan, I realized that there are a plethora of monuments, temples and forts—things that don’t exactly thrill me. I’m big on doing, not seeing. But I was pleased to learn that there are quite a few interesting things to do in the state. So here’s Part 1 of my review of some“adventure” activities and the cities they took place in.

(And here are Part 2, Part 3 and Part 4)

ACTIVITY #1: Tiger safari

The Place: Sawai Madhopur (Ranthambhore National Park)
The Date: Jan. 5, 2012
The Price: 795 rupees (I paid 475 to book online, and had to give another 320 to the guide)

But you'll see lots of spotted deer.

Thrill Level, from 1 to 10: 1 (It’s not hard sitting in an open-topped bus looking for animals.)

The guidebooks say that Ranthambhore is one of your better chances to spot a tiger. I’ll just state now that no, I did not see a tiger. But my jeep did see numerous spotted deer, monkeys, sambars (a type of antelope), crocodiles, and birds, and it’s still exciting seeing any animal in the wild.

Our best shot at tiger spotting came in an area where, according to our guide, there were two recently orphaned baby tigers. The park rangers had tied a live ox to a tree stump, as the tigers weren’t old enough to hunt on their own yet. So we waited nearby for five minutes in silence to see if the baby tigers would make an appearance. The ox kept baying balefully. “It’s saying, ‘here’s your dinner, come get me,’” our guide said. But the tigers didn’t come out while we were there, and I felt bad for the ox that didn’t have a sporting chance.

Whether you go in the morning or in the afternoon (as I did), bring a sweater. I brought one and was still shivering by the end. An Indian family on my tour actually brought blankets.

The peacock: India's national bird

What You Should Know: Sawai Madhopur, the jumping off point for Ranthambhore, isn’t really on the backpacker/tourist trail (in Agra, I didn’t see it listed on any of the many travel agency signs advertising bus or train tickets). There’s one daily train that goes from Agra Fort Railway Station to Sawai Madhopur, but it leaves around 6 pm and arrives early the next morning (at 1 am if it’s on time; I arrived at 2 am). It’s best to have a hotel already set, as they’ll arrange pickup from the railway station. I stayed at the friendly Hotel Aditya Resort (94147 28468), probably the cheapest option in the area (350 rupees for a clean single with shared bath).

For the safaris, there are morning and afternoon sessions, leaving at 6:30/7 am and 2:30/3:30 pm. You’re unlikely to get a six-person jeep/Gypsy unless you book well ahead of time, but spots on a 20-seat Canter are usually available. I booked my spot the day before my tour at www.rajasthanwildlife.in, but if you do it this way you still have to go to the Forest Office to confirm your spot. I know other people booked the afternoon safari session the morning of, through their hotels, without having to go to the Forest Office.

Impression of Sawai Madhopur: It’s a nondescript, quiet little town, but after the tourism-related craziness of Delhi and Agra, it was a lovely respite from multiple rickshaw drivers, touts and shopkeepers trying to get your attention.