It was pitch dark outside, when the alarm on my phone rang.
It was five in the morning and our driver was going to pick us up in half an
hour. On any normal day, waking up at this unearthly hour would have been an
uphill task. Fortunately, waking up for a safari has never been a problem.
A quick cup of black coffee later, we were driving
with our guide to the entry gate of Ranthambore.
My younger son Fateh, is a wildlife enthusiast and two
days after he finished his class X boards, we headed straight to Ranthambore.
As we were late in booking our safari rides, we took the zones that were
available. Zone 10, 5 and 7. Based on
experience, we knew spotting a tiger is a hit-and-miss affair and that there
were no guarantees. But deep down, we knew this was Ranthambore and seeing a
tiger was almost guaranteed. People often came back describing Ranthambore like
a big zoo where on one safari, seven to five different tigers…. And this is
what we were hoping for!!
Anyway, getting to Ranthambore from Delhi is easy and
almost completely hassle free. The new highway (from Delhi to Vadodra to Mumbai)
is an eight-lane highway, with almost no traffic. We drove at a steady 100kms an
hour for almost of the way, till we reached the Tonk Sawai Madhopur road, from
where we had to reduce our speed to 20kms a hour.
Eventually we reach Fateh’s Retreat, around early
lunch and after a very quick bite, headed for our first ride. Fateh’s Retreat
is the home of legendary Tiger expert Fateh Singh Rathore. He is credited with
making Ranthambhore one of India's best known Tiger Parks from what was once
degraded forest. Fateh’s Retreat is located on the edge of Ranthambhore
providing an uninterrupted view of the Ranthambhore - and importantly around
five minutes from the park gates. Zone 10 turned out to be a good zone. Not
only did we see a male and female tiger, but also saw them fight over a
kill. Once their fight was over, and
much to the joy of those in Zone 10, the two of them spent the next few hours
sitting in a shallow pond, enjoying the water.
Having seen two tigers within the first hour, we drove
around the forest for the next few hours looking for more. Unfortunately apart
from a few peacocks, we saw nothing. The next morning we drove for our second
safari which was in zone 5. While this zone had all the plus points of a
jungle, like hills, ravines, streams, dense undergrowth – we saw nothing. A few
langurs and maybe a hundred peacocks. Fortunately, on our way back, we spotted
a Sloth Bear and followed it till it climbed over the hill.
Our last ride was in zone 7. Due to some mix-up, we
had to share a jeep with a sweet couple … but I hate sharing a jeep, because
the outcome of a safari rides is always different. While this couple was only
interested in seeing a tiger, we wanted to enjoy the park and the beauty.
In the process, we passed countless Gray Langurs,
herds of spotted deer or Chitals a solitary Nilgai and the Sambar Deer which
had camouflaged into the landscape seamlessly.
In the end, with the couple nagging the driver to show
them a tiger, we ended up driving around zone 7 like headless chickens and saw
nothing.
The drive back was as comfortable with almost no
traffic on the way. We stopped once, for a quick pee break, but overall, as the
highway is new, there are very few places to stop and eat. Our suggestion,
don’t stop. Drive straight to where Ranthambore and on your return, drive
straight back home. The cuisine along the way is avoidable.
Overall, I am not a big fan of Ranthambore. The forest
is quiet, unattractive and the density of tourists makes any sighting an
effort.
I expected more from Ranthambore…. I
would give the park a 5/10
N/A
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