[Torque123]

It was mid of Dec'23, time for the wildlife season in India where forests start turning yellow & orange from being completely green post monsoons. December & June are my preferred months to experience nature & wildlife. With a lot of deliberation on the destination (Tadoba Vs Ranthambhore), especially after acute scarcity of safari permits in Ranthambhore, finally decided that it had to be a visit to the finest tiger reserve in Rajasthan. It was long since I visited this park & my last visit was when full day safaris were available. Since Oct 2022, full day safaris have been stopped. Had only done full day safaris in all my previous visits & this time it was going to be different. It was going to be the regular 3.5 Hrs safaris confined to only one zone for which we have the permit. Getting the permits of the right zones was a herculean task & with a friend's help managed to get permits for Zone 3 (4 safaris), Zone 2 (1 safari), Zone 4 (1 safari). Recently relocated to Mumbai & browsed through the websites of a few camera rental stores. Renting camera gear is pretty expensive here compared to Bangalore. So decided to use my Nikkor 200-500 f5.6 VR mounted to a Nikon D5 (borrowed from a friend). Members in the forum who can refer me to a camera gear rental store in Mumbai where the rents are reasonable will be greatly appreciated. I was using the Nikkor 200-500 lens literally after few years. Getting used to the 400 mm f2.8 VR prime lens is an addiction & no other telephoto prime lens can satisfy you once you get used to it. Regretted not renting it post the trip. Whats done is done. No point fretting over it. So let us move on.

3 of my friends from Bangalore reached Ranthambhore much before me as I had to take the late night flight to Jaipur post my working hours. Reached Ranthambhore at around 3 AM. Handed over the empty bean bag at the reception for it to be filled. Our stay for the next 2 nights & 1 day was at Ranthambhore Regency. This our usual joint whenever we visit Ranthambhore & they have not disappointed us even once. The service is top notch, food is very good, rooms are very hygienic & spacious. The buffet spread for all 3 meals is very good too. As we were doing only full day safaris in the past, never realized how hectic it can get between morning & afternoon normal safaris. The morning safaris are from 7 AM - 10.30 AM. By the time we reach the resort it is around 11 AM. All we get is a 2.5 to 3 Hrs break in between. The afternoon safaris are from 2.30 PM - 5.30 PM. The fatigue starts from the 2nd day onwards but I was kind of tired from the very first day due to my night travel & reaching Ranthambhore a couple of hours before the start of my 1st morning safari.

1st Safari (Morning) - The forest is usually still green with tinges of yellow & orange in December. However, due to less rainfall this year, the forest was a lot more dry than what I had expected. Waterholes had less water, nallahs were almost dry with an exception of a couple of them holding a good amount of water. In December we usually used to see water still flowing in a few nallahs. This in a way was a good sign as big cat movement will be more. This safari was in zone 2 which is dominated by 2 Tigresses (Arrowhead & Noorie). Arrowhead is the grand daughter or the legendary Tigress Machli who was ruling zone 3 until her daughter Riddhi pushed her out & took over zone 3. Since then Arrowhead has made a part of zone 2 as her core territory & does visit zone 3 occasionally. Noorie is the daughter of the fiery tigress Noor. I had seen Noor & her 3 sub adult cubs (one of them was Noorie) during my very first visit to Ranthambhore in 2017. Arrowhead was injured during her hunt involving a crocodile & was hardly seen during our visit. She too has 3 nursing cubs which are 5-6 months old. The safari was uneventful with no alarm calls or pug marks whatsoever. However, the dominant male tiger T101 & tigress Noorie were courting not far from Arrowhead's area as we could hear them roaring. It was time for us to exit the forest. After waiting for long hours, locating the tigers & not able to see them is a bummer. Exited the forest, reached the resort & took the much needed nap before heading for lunch.


2nd Safari (Afternoon) - The much needed nap was really refreshing & pepped me up quite a bit. Had a quick lunch & we were at the safari gate by 2 PM. We had the zone 4 permit for this safari. The dominant tigress of this zone called Shakti (grand daughter of the legendary tigress Machli) was seen courting with the dominant male called T121 the previous evening. They had mated right beside the safari track & had then entered the undergrowth before the safari vehicles had exited the jungle. Somehow, I did not have the feeling of seeing them in our afternoon drive. Waited in & around the area where the Tiger couple was seen the previous evening but to no avail. All the vehicles except for ours & 2 more gypsies had abandoned the wait & had gone in search of Tigress Riddhi & her 3 six to seven months old cubs. Around 1.5 Hrs into the drive, we heard roars of 2 different Tigers coming from the same area about a kilometer from where we were waiting. Quickly headed in that direction & again waited at spot where the tigers were still roaring. Also checked 2 waterholes which were close by in the meanwhile as the tigers could have approached them without being seen. But the tiger couple did not move. They may have been 50 - 100 meters inside the undergrowth. They had not used the tracks to move to this spot from the area they were seen the previous evening as we had not found any pug marks. They had not visited either of the waterholes too as the approach to those waterholes were also devoid of any pug marks. With the land getting scorched by the heat & multiple courting sessions (remember the roars I was talking about) we were hoping for them to quench their thirst & make an appearance at one of the 2 waterholes. That did not happen. So we too decided to abandon the wait & head towards the border of Zone 4 & Zone 3 as Riddhi & cubs were known to be the non tourism area of zone 4 & there was a possibility of them making an appearance.

Riddhi was last seen on the evening 2 days before feasting on what was last few remains of a Sambar stag. The kill site was 50 meters ahead of us to our left but was a part of zone 3 which we could not enter. She was then seen climbing the pahadi area post which is non tourism zone which falls under zone 4. There was also an untouched Sambar stag kill in zone 3 some 50-70 meters after the first kill site. This kill was also seen the previous evening but the Tigress never ventured towards it. With the entire family being well fed, the chances of her coming back to this 2nd kill was a 50-50 chance. Some said the Sambar has died of natural causes & some said she had hunted down 2 sambar. Hunting down 2 fully grown Sambar stags during the same time frame is very unusual as it takes hell a lot of effort & energy of a Tiger to kill just one, especially when their belly is full. What really had transpired was an unsolved puzzle. There were going to be only 2 outcomes. First was that if she had indeed made the 2nd Sambar kill then she would get down the pahadi area & return to zone 3. Second was that if the Sambar had died of a natural causes then she might not be aware of it as the carcass had still not started stinking & she might continue staying back in the non tourism of zone 4 or might venture out alone to patrol her territory in zone 4.

It was a no brainer for us to stay put at the chain gate which separates zone 4 & 3. We could see the zone 3 gypsies also waiting on the fringes of their zone. From our position if the Tigress & the cubs decided to feast on the 2nd Sambar kill then we could see them walking for a good 50-80 meters post which the Tigers would have been completely out of sight. There were frequent peacock calls & an occasional spotted deer cals quite far away behind the pahadi area (a sign that the tigers were indeed there). There was always a possibility that the cubs can be left behind & the mother can venture out post 4.30 PM in zone 4 to mark her territory. The sweltering afternoon heat was draining us out & we had no other option than staying put with all probabilities crossing our minds. Unfortunately, she did not make an appearance & it was time for us to exit the park. On our way back to the resort our guide made a few calls & got to know that Tigress Shakti & Tiger T121 were also not seen. The Sambar carcass would start stinking & maximum probability is that she will return to it in the night or early next morning. With high hopes of getting Riddhi & cubs in the morning, had a sumptuous dinner & hit the bed after a game of cards.


3rd Safari (Morning) - This safari was in zone 3, the most sought after zone in entire Ranthambhore & by us too especially for this trip. This beautiful zone has made the tigers ruling this territory legendary. Given the situation of the Sambar kill lying in the open untouched till yesterday evening, our hearts were some how convinced that we should be able to see Riddhi & her cubs. Completed the formalities at the gate & entered zone 3 at sharp 7 AM. Our's was the 2nd gypsy to enter the park & we headed straight towards the zone 3-4 border area. The safari track for the last 300 meters leading to the sambar kill is paved like the movement of a snake with lots of twists & mild turns there by not giving us a visibility of the kill directly from a distance. As we are 100 meters from the spot our driver & my friend are looking towards our left further ahead & usher Tiger Tiger. There she was as imagined in the morning mist standing & towering over the Sambar carcass, sniffing & inspecting the same. The carcass was still fully intact there by assuring us that she might have arrived just a few minutes before our arrival. This area is behind a large waterhole which borders zone 3 & 4 & is densely populated by short trees & grass starting from the edge of the safari track till the starting of the tree line. We could see the huge antlers & some part of the Sambar stag as majority of its body was kind of hidden between the grass. With all the action happening under the trees & the sunlight not bright enough this where I missed the 400 mm f.28 lens. After a few seconds of observing us & getting reassured that we had maintained sufficient distance, she wanted to drag the carcass further into the undergrowth. Not able to shoot wide open at f2.8 in this low light condition & limited to f.5.6 with ISO bumped up to ~10K ISO, I was not able to capture the moment of her dragging the kill head on to my satisfaction. She was able to drag it only for a feet or two as the carcass was too heavy & it was still not feasted upon. Once she realized it was too heavy she sat near the carcass & started calling the cubs. Her tummy was still fairly bulging out & it looked like she was not in a mood to feed & wanted to use this opportunity for her cubs to try & learn rip open a untouched carcass. The cubs however did not appear nor were responding to her calls. This however reassured us that they are in the vicinity & their arrival might be a little late but will not be missed.


Riddhi Feasting on the Sambar



She then lied down right next to the kill to keep the pesky Rufous Treepies away from trying to take bites of the carcass. The light started improving with disappearance of the mist & by 8 AM or so she was tired of calling & waiting for her cubs & started licking & ripping out the fur of the dead Sambar. She then tore open a small portion of the rear end of the sambar & started feasting. By now, the gypsies on the other side of the border (zone 4) who could not see Riddhi feasting saw 2 cubs walking at the foothills of the pahadi & in the direction of the mother. There was enough distance of 300 meters or so between us & the gypsies in zone 4 which ensured the cubs would be comfortable crossing the safari track & head towards the mother. However they were cautious & took a very long time to cross the safari track & a get to a nallah during which Riddhi was tired of feasting. She then got up & headed towards the lake during which the Zone 4 vehicles got to see her from a distance. After quenching her thirst she came back crossed the nallah & called her cubs. They were hesitant & after waiting for a few minutes she then again crossed the nallah in direction of the carcass but stopped midway & sat in the grass at the top of the nallah & called her cubs continously to assure them that it is safe & they can cross the safari track & head towards her.



The 2 bold cubs out of the 3 crossed the safari track together & then the nallah. The 3rd cub took some more time & then sprinted across the safari track & nallah to join his/her (most probably it is "Her") family. The boldest one then wanted to be cuddled & groomed by the mother. The tall grass could not give me the best opportunity to capture these moments but somehow managed to capture one of those moments with all 4 in the frame. After having some family time she then walked up to the carcass & rested right next to it ensuring she keeps the scavengers away. Till we were there she did not sit in the lake to cool off or take a nap which Tigers usually do after a meal. It was now time to exit the forest & with big smiles plastered on our faces the entire time taken to reach the resort was used to discuss the highlights of this sighting.

Riddhi & Family




4th Safari (Evening) - The next 2.5 Hrs were spent reminiscing the beautiful sighting we had which displayed a Tigress's behavior in having her meal, Calling her cubs to try their hands at opening up the carcass, spending some quality time with her cubs & then guarding her kill from scavengers without taking a nap even for a minute. A quick lunch & we were off for our 4th safari & yes, you guessed it right, our safari was in zone 3. Finished the entry formalities & headed straight to the kill spot as it was a no brainer. Riddhi was sitting a little further away we had left her in the morning & the kill also had been dragged a little further away from the spot it was in the morning. It was dragged only a few feet away towards the treeline. By now there was constant cawing of the crows & the Treepies were more often trying to take a bite of the dead sambar. It was wonderful to see Riddhi snarl at them & try to chase them away too. The cubs might have eaten their share of breakfast in the morning after we left as the overall size of the carcass had shrunk a bit. However they were not to be seen. Looking at the way Riddhi had positioned herself, it did not look like she had even taken a short nap & was constantly guarding the kill. She then suddenly got up & approached the kill. We thought she is going to have another sitting but she started to drag the kill to a more shadier place away from prying eyes.


Riddhi Dragging the Kill





Riddhi approaching the kill after quenching her thirst








It was now close to 4.30 PM & she was thirsty. Tigers prefer to rest in water after a meal & she probably could not do that due to the kill being out in the open even though she had tried to cover it with the grass & mud on the forest floor. She went behind the tree line & quenched her thirst in the lake. We could not see this as she has to get down the nallah behind the treeline & then approach the lake. The zone 4 gypsies could get a view of this from a very far distance. She however returned in 10 to 15 minutes & sat almost in the same place before she had left. This showed that she was worried about safe guarding the kill. She had called for her cubs numerous times till now but they had not budged. They probably were dozing off in shade at the foothills of the pahadi. By 5 PM the 2 bold cubs were becoming restless & we heard them calling for their mother. In just 2 to 3 minutes when their mother responded, they took the same path/route which they had taken in the morning to move in the direction of the kill. It was time for us to leave the park & could not wait for the 3rd cub to join the rest of the family. Returned back to the resort loaded with one of the best memories of my life. A game of cards, a sumptuous dinner followed by a peaceful sleep ended a very eventful day in Ranthambhore.

[Torque123]

5th Safari (Morning) - Today was last day at Ranthambhore & we were very keen to end it on a high. To accomplish that we were equipped with permits of zone 3 for both our morning & afternoon safaris. With a little more than half the sambar carcass remaining at the time of our exit the previous evening, we knew it was only going to get better provided Riddhi had not dragged the kill into the nallah behind the tree line (assuming there was cover for the kill there from scavengers). After a couple of biscuits & a piping hot coffee, we embarked on our penultimate safari of the trip. We were the first gypsy to enter the jungle at sharp 7 AM. Quickly glanced Rajbagh & other areas on the way to the spot where we had seen the Tiger family the previous day. There was always a chance of Riddhi patrolling her territory in & around Rajbagh as it was more than a week since she had been there. However, there were no signs of her in & around the Rajbagh area.

As we approached the kill spot, she was right there already enjoying her breakfast. She had started a little early today & we observed that she had indeed dragged the kill a little more inside but still was very much visible. The family had gorged on it the previous night too as only around 30-40% of the kill seemed to be remaining. It looked like she was not very keen on safe guarding the kill as majority of it was consumed. She went right away in the direction of the lake to quench her thirst. She might have sat in the water to wear off the heat generated by eating the flesh & also quench her thirst. She returned after half an hour or so but we could hear her calling out for her cubs while she was relaxing in the lake. The cubs had made the foothills of the pahadi their home till the time the kill lasted. They however did not budge & did not make a move. This might have made her angry & she moved in the direction of the cubs location by crossing the nallah & calling all the way. She did not cross the track which leads directly to the foothills of the pahadi. She sat at the edge where the safari track starts after crossing the nallah & gave a few more calls. The cubs then started peeping from behind a rocky natural small wall. Seeing their mother close by they advanced towards her. seeing them coming, she got up & headed towards the kill as soon the first cub joined her. She crossed the nallah again & parked herself around 50 meters before the carcass. 2 of the cubs followed her but went near the end of the tree line & disappeared. Probably they were thirsty too & wanted to quench their thirst. where in we could not see them. We knew they would definitely approach the carcass sooner or later.

The Boldest Cub




Riddhi keeping an eye on us




Riddhi was probably deprived of sleep the previous day & was enjoying her nap. By now the crows & Treepies were having a field day as Riddhi was not very concerned about the scavengers. However, once the cawing & scavenging went above the tolerance level, she charged towards the carcass to shoo them away. I had put my camera down as Riddhi was taking a nap & we were waiting for the cubs to arrive. The charge was instant & by the time I could lift the camera the charging part was over. Lesson learnt, never take your camera off the viewfinder even if the Tiger is SLEEPING in close proximity of the kill. It was now around 9.30 AM & almost an hour since the cubs had gone in the direction of the lake. Vehicles started leaving one by one as everyone who did safaris in zone 3 was content with the sighting of their lifetime since the previous day. It was a good sign as fewer the vehicles higher the chances of the cubs returning back to the kill. As expected with only 4 gypsies (including ours) waiting patiently, the cubs started to appear & walk in the direction of the kill. One of the cubs (the shy one) was hesitant & called. Riddhi's reaction was instantaneous & was reassuring for the cub. All the 3 cubs were pretty hungry & it was past their breakfast time. 2 of the cubs had already started nibbling on the dead sambar while the 3rd one cautiously joined them in a minute or two.

Riddhi's 2 Cubs Enjoying Their Meal



The pleasing morning light pierced through the trees acting like a partial spotlight on the feeding cubs. While the 2 cubs were feeding the 3rd one joined them but had to wait to get the right access point to start eating. It also kept an eye on us till it felt it was safe for it to ignore our presence & concentrate on the meal. The dominant one did snarl quite a bit at the other 2 trying to keep them away but hunger forces even the weakest to become brave when required. The shy one did budge but the other cub did not. It was now almost 10 AM & time for us to head to the exit. Requesting our guide & driver to hold for 5 more mins, we tried to make the most of it by firing away our cameras. 10.05 AM we started our return journey leaving the cubs to continue their meal as Riddhi continued with her much needed rest. Reached the resort & first headed to our room in order to charge the camera battery as it was almost dead. Was praying the whole time during the safari for the battery to not die on me. We had skipped having the packed breakfast during our safari. Had the same in the room & headed to the dining area only to have some coffee. Took a power nap dreaming about what was going to happen in the afternoon drive.

All 3 Cubs Of Riddhi





The Dominant One





6th Safari (Afternoon) - With my & the camera's battery all charged up, had a sumptuous lunch & embarked on our final safari of the trip. Had packed all my stuff & luggage kept at the reception as we had to checkout & board the taxi immediately after our return from the safari to board my flight back to Mumbai. Entered zone 3 at after completing all the formalities & we were the first to reach the kill spot again. This was crucial as it gave us an advantage to position our gypsy for getting the best angle & avoid the tree/grass clutter based on the location of the Tigers. As the remaining kill would last may be for max a meal or two, we knew it was a crucial safari for everyone. As we reached we saw the kill was dragged further more & Riddhi was resting under the tree line (further away from the kill). The cubs were not seen & it was safe to assume they were hanging around the foothills of the pahadi post their morning feast & playtime. Riddhi was not even calling for cubs which meant 2 things - First, she wanted to rest & second, the cubs may have been with her all morning & crossed over to the pahadi side shortly before our arrival.


It was now a waiting game. Chances were that she might go behind the tree line, cross the nallah & rest in the water to cool off & might return to the kill around the time we have to exit the park. She may or may not call her cubs. Around 4 PM she did as we expected. She went to the lake but only to quench her thirst & returned within 15 minutes or so. Once she was back, she slept may be 10-15 meters or so away from the kill. It was now around 4.30 & the canters started leaving along with a couple of gypsies too. However, majority of the gypsies decided to stay back. Around 4.50 PM we saw guests standing in the vehicles on the zone 4 side. This meant the cubs were on the move. They probably were thirsty due to the scorching heat & wanted to have a quick drink. All the 3 of ran across the track & then the nallah. 2 of them lapped up some water from a pothole in the otherwise dry nallah & crossed over to the side where their mother was resting. The shy one as usual parked itself way behind the tree line while the other 2 decided to have some evening snacks by nibbling on the carcass. The bold one snarled & ensured the 2nd cub departed without even touching the carcass.

The bold cub Snacking after chasing away its sibling



After finishing its snack, the bold cub walked towards its mother to show its affection. Riddhi was tolerant enough with the cub's insistence on some cuddling & grooming. It then piggy backed its mother & sat trying to play with her. This has been one of my most memorable moments of wildlife safaris till date. It was now 5.10 PM & time to bid adieu not only to Riddhi & her family but also to Ranthambhore. With loads of fond memories & discussing the overall trip in no time reached Jaipur airport & then Mumbai.

Bonding between Mother & Cub







Until next time, Adios!

[aah78]

Note from Support: Thread moved to the Travelogues section. Thanks for sharing!

[ramnath_77]

Great travelogue @Torque123.
Amazing to see the pictures of the young cubs feeding and also some motherly bonding.

Regarding the lens rental, there is one in Pune by name Primes and Zooms (https://primesandzooms.com/). However they do offer services in Mumbai too.
I have been regularly renting from them for several years and find their service and quality of equipment to be generally good.

[deepak_misra]

Really spectacular photos. Are such sightings common or do you think mercury was in conjunction with mars for you?
I ask because in the south seeing any cats is a matter of luck

[thirugata]

Wonderful photos. Couldn't have started my day better. Thanks for sharing.

[Kkumar]

What a beautiful narrative, it felt as if I was present there and seeing it with my own eyes. Great photos. Thanks for sharing.

[Torque123]

Originally Posted by deepak_misra

Are such sightings common or do you think mercury was in conjunction with mars for you? I ask because in the south seeing any cats is a matter of luck

Sighting big cats in Indian jungles (anywhere in India) is not easy. The forest is dense with less visibility. It’s a combination of one’s knowledge on the topography of the forest, understanding the behaviour of the resident big cats, knowledgeable drivers & guides & of course luck. Luck alone can’t increase the probability of sightings.

Originally Posted by thirugata

Wonderful photos. Couldn't have started my day better. Thanks for sharing.

Thank you. Glad the travelogue started your day on a good note.

Originally Posted by ramnath_77

Great travelogue @Torque123. Amazing to see the pictures of the young cubs feeding and also some motherly bonding.

Regarding the lens rental, there is one in Pune by name Primes and Zooms (https://primesandzooms.com/). However they do offer services in Mumbai too..

Thank you Ramnath. Will try them out on my next visit to any of the central Indian parks. Glad that you liked the travelogue. Read your travelogue on the recent trip to Corbett. Beautiful images & documentation. Hope you heard about yesterday’s Supreme Court order on the safari ban in core zones of Corbett (Dhikala, Jhirna etc). The ban will come into effect very soon. I suggest you visit Corbett soon if you can. Dhikala stay experience, sightings of Paarwali, Pedwali & others soon will be out of bounds for tourists.

Originally Posted by Kkumar

What a beautiful narrative, it felt as if I was present there and seeing it with my own eyes. Great photos. Thanks for sharing.

Thank you. Glad you liked the narration & images.

[ramnath_77]

Originally Posted by Torque123

Thank you Ramnath. Will try them out on my next visit to any of the central Indian parks. Glad that you liked the travelogue. Read your travelogue on the recent trip to Corbett. Beautiful images & documentation. Hope you heard about yesterday’s Supreme Court order on the safari ban in core zones of Corbett (Dhikala, Jhirna etc). The ban will come into effect very soon. I suggest you visit Corbett soon if you can. Dhikala stay experience, sightings of Paarwali, Pedwali & others soon will be out of bounds for tourists.

The ban is only on Paakhro zone as the safaris were illegally done. There is no impact on any other zone as per my info.

[AniChaudhuri]

Great experience, wonderful photos, it was lovely reading the travelogue. Thanks for sharing.

[KaartooS]

Originally Posted by Torque123

5th Safari (Morning) - Today was last day at Ranthambhore & we were very keen to end it on a high. To accomplish that we were equipped with permits of zone 3 for both our morning & afternoon safaris.

Until next time, Adios!

A wonderful post and even better pictures. A timely one for me as I am headed to Ranthambhore in March-end, which would be my first visit to a National Park. I have booked Anantvan Resort. I had a few queries:

1. Since the time I have booked my accommodation, my hotel has called me twice to book the safaris. It's a long weekend when I am going and they are saying all the jeeps are already booked out. They said I need to pay the safari fee in advance right now and they are non-refundable. Everyone I spoke with who regularly visit National Parks told me that they have never had to pay/book safari in advance. I was wondering if it was a way for them to get the guaranteed booking since I can cancel the property until 3 days of being there. When did you book your safaris - in advance or after reaching there?

2. Which are the best zones in Ranthambhore?

3. I am being offered the canter. Is that going to be worth it?

4. Never thought safaris are so expensive. A jeep for a family for 1 safari upwards of Rs 10,000. Is that true?

Would be grateful if the regulars to safaris could answer. Thanks!

[Torque123]

Originally Posted by AniChaudhuri

Great experience, wonderful photos, it was lovely reading the travelogue. Thanks for sharing.

Glad that you liked the travelogue & photos.

Originally Posted by KaartooS

I had a few queries:

1. I was wondering if it was a way for them to get the guaranteed booking since I can cancel the property until 3 days of being there. When did you book your safaris - in advance or after reaching there?

2. Which are the best zones in Ranthambhore?

3. I am being offered the canter. Is that going to be worth it?

4. Never thought safaris are so expensive. A jeep for a family for 1 safari upwards of Rs 10,000. Is that true?

Would be grateful if the regulars to safaris could answer. Thanks!

PFB my responses -

1. Getting Permits ourselves is almost impossible as Ranthambhore safaris (zone 1-5) are fully sold out until April end atleast. During my visit also permits were not available. One of my friend had to pull some strings to get the impossible done (zone 3 permits). So I will suggest you to check with your resort which zone permits are they offering to you. If it is between zone 2 - 4 then pay the fee in advance & get it done.

2. Usually zone 1-5 are the preferred zones. However, this season my choice would be zone 3 & 4 only.

3. Type of vehicle for the safari is one’s preference. I don’t prefer canters. Gypsy is my only preference. If I don’t get a confirmed gypsy safari permit, I would cancel my trip.

4. Yes, gypsy safaris are expensive in Ranthambhore. The entire safari permit booking process is rigged & a farce. The resort will have a cut in the total cost they are charging you for every safari (canter or gypsy).

[Stryker]

Great sighting of Riddhi and her cubs! Superb photos too.

Been a while since I visited Ranthambore myself. I didn't know that they have stopped full day safaris there. Last time - October 2019 - we did three full day safaris, just after the park opened post monsoon. Yeah, split safaris in a place like RTR is not easy given the distances one has to travel both to and from depending on the zone, as well as within the zone.

[KaartooS]

Originally Posted by Torque123

Glad that you liked the travelogue & photos.
Yes, gypsy safaris are expensive in Ranthambhore. The entire safari permit booking process is rigged & a farce. The resort will have a cut in the total cost they are charging you for every safari (canter or gypsy).

Thanks for the feedback. Cancelled my resort booking for Rantahmbhore. Nobody could guarantee a safari for the long weekend at the end of this month, which was disappointing. Since I had flights booked to and fro from Jaipur I thought I will just visit Jaipur, but suddenly remembered Sariska is close by. Checked a few resorts and Forest Department's website. Luckily many slots were available for Sariska, so I immediately booked 2 safaris and a resort.
For future reference, anyone can check availability of safari in Rajasthan here. The portal is not the most user friendly but managed to do all safari bookings myself.