India (Frommer's, 4th Edition) - Keith Bain [451]
Tip: Although the park’s seven routes are assigned randomly, and you are normally not allowed to choose which route you would like to go on, you can request that your host try to have at least one game drive either near a body of water in the park or in an area where a tiger was spotted the day before. The best time to visit the park is between November and April (Jan–Apr is best for tiger sightings). The park closes during the monsoon season (July–Sept).
There are two game drives: The early morning drive (winter 7:30–10:30am; summer 6:30–9:30am) is often preferable to the afternoon drive (winter 3–5:30pm; summer 4–6:30pm), given that temperatures can make for muggy afternoons. However, you should pack something warm—it can get cold both early in the morning and once darkness approaches.
Routes (which drivers are pretty much forced to stick to) and guides are randomly allotted, which means you may be on a tight budget yet find yourself in a jeep with an excellent guide, watching a tiger bathe in the lotus lake that fronts the beautiful 250-year-old Jogi Mahal, while a hapless guest paying top dollar for the same trip trundles around with a monosyllabic guide with halitosis. Note that the overhaul of tourist entry procedures and rules are a constant topic for bureaucratic debate, and procedures may change on a whim at any time, so check ahead.
Where to Stay & Dine
Almost all the best options are on Ranthambhore Road, which flanks the park. If you’re watching your budget, a good-value option is the tastefully rustic Ranthambhore Bagh ( 07462/22-1728, or 011/2691-4417 or 94-1403-0221 reservations in Delhi; www.ranthambhorebagh.com), where you can book twin-bedded luxury tents for Rs 4,950 with all meals included; Rs 1,500 per person for a game drive by jeep. Located 5km (3 miles) from the park gate, accommodations here are simple but comfortable (it has slightly cheaper traditional walled rooms—with A/C—if the tents sound too rough (Rs 4,300), and the fixed-menu buffet meals are often served outdoors. Frequented by photographers and conservationists, this is a good place to meet and talk with wildlife enthusiasts. Another option worth highlighting is Khemvillas (Khem Villas, VPO Sherpur Khiljipur, Dist. Sawai Madhopur, Rajasthan; 094/1403-0262 or 074/6225-2099; khemvillas@anokhi.com), rated by Condé Nast Traveler on its Hot List Hotels 2007, this 4-hectare (10-acre) resort has a choice of premium, free-standing cottages (Rs 16,000), each with its own plunge pools and outdoor showers; rustic but comfortable tents (Rs 13,000), and four smart, airy modern bedrooms in the main building with views from the top floor (Rs 9,000). This is a great, authentic place to stay with a lot of soul, and if you want to be close to the park in understated luxury this is recommended.
Aman-i-Khás A stay here is truly magical, utterly romantic, and certainly the most perfect integration of luxury and nature in Rajasthan. The superb and spacious air-conditioned (or heated) white tents are located a sensible distance away from one another, and featuring typical Aman touches of discreet luxury. Designed to echo the look of a traditional step well, the pool here is equally blissful—another perfectly idyllic spot to unwind between game drives. Each room is assigned a batman who is superbly efficient yet completely invisible unless you need him—screen windows open and close, beds are turned in, bathrobes replaced, all quite magically. Food is simply superb—fresh organic produce from the garden enhances refreshingly delicate flavors. At night, lanterns light the path from your room to the outdoor lounge, where a giant uruli (traditional bronze bowl) forms the central fireplace, and guests gather to enjoy the night sky, the ethereal calm, and the occasional call from the wild.
Ranthambhore Rd. (just beyond Sher Bagh), Sawai Madhopur. 07462/25-2052 or -2224. Fax 07462/25-2178. Reservations, in Singapore: