At last I saw it. The unmistakable glow of the striped coat; the powerful, unhurried, silent walk. It was my first tiger, confidently strolling down the middle of the road. The power and pure beauty of that moment cast a spell which was to become a driving passion in my life in the months and years ahead.

Valmik Thapar - Tiger Expert

Ranthambhore National Park is an awesome reminder of the great jungles that once clothed Central India; its horizon marked by a thousand-year-old fort, which stands in stoic silence, keeping eternal vigil over the magnificent forests sprawled in its shadow. This fort was once the centre of a Hindu kingdom and bears the scars of several wars and military sieges.

The 400km Ranthambhore National Park famous for its tigers was the hunting ground of the Kachhwaha rulers of Jaipur and has a rich plant and animal life. Its dry deciduous jungles were amongst the first nine National Parks to be brought under Project Tiger in 1973. Some 450 species of plants provide sustenance to its herbivores that are hunted for food by the carnivores, thus keeping the circle of life in motion.

The 22 species of mammals listed here include the Leopard, Sloth Bear, Hyena, Jungle Cat, Caracal, Sambar, Chital, Nilgai, Indian Hare, Wild Boar and Mongoose besides its prime attraction - the Royal Bengal Tiger. Nearly 300 species of birds have been recorded here and the Park's avifauna includes - Painted Stork, Black Stork, White-necked Stork, Spoonbill, Bonelli's Eagle, Crested Serpent Eagle, Grey Partridge, Painted Partridge, Sandgrouse, Spurfowl, Common Peafowl, Pheasant-tailed Jaçana, Great Indian Horned Owl, Indian Treepie, Paradise Flycatcher, and Stork-billed Kingfisher among others.

Prehistoric looking Marsh Crocodiles can be seen in and around the lakes that dot the rugged countryside of this extraordinary National Park and more than a dozen varieties of reptiles are found in the forests of Ranthambhore. The Park is studded with remnants of its historic past. Old defensive walls, wells, mosques and other structures bear testimony of kingdoms and battles long forgotten. Overgrown with Peepul trees they blend with their natural surroundings, thus lending to it an incomparable charm. There are several other places of interest in the vicinity of the Tiger Reserve worth a visit for their scenic appeal, as well as excellent birdwatching opportunities they present.