It was the only trip that I could manage in 2020. The COVID 19 cases had seen a significant decline in numbers and I desperately was looking for a break. Trip to Ranthambore was a refresher that I was looking for.
Fun Fact - Just after I left from Ranthambore, I got to know every second celebrity in there in the city to celebrate new year. WOW. -_-
Here I am listing down a few things to in the city. Two days are more than enough to explore the city. The town is also good for a staycation as it boasts of many luxury resorts with soothing views for the eyes.
Visit Ranthambore National Park Your trip to Ranthambore will not be considered complete, if you don't do a jungle safari in the tiger reserve. Spotting a tiger can be a little tough but the beautiful terrains, mountains, lakes, unchecked tropical trees can be a good break from the regular 9-5 life (or 4 walls of the room in this case). How to book a safari: Safari's can be booked on a prior basis here. There are two options: 1. Canter - Open bus with around 20 other people. Per head price is Rs.900. 2. Gyspy - Open jeep to be shared with around 5 other people. Per head price is Rs. 1500. (Gypsy is preferable in case of a small group as the privacy is maintained and you don't have to laugh forcefully on other people's random whatsapp forwards)It's advisable to book safari's in advance specially during the season because it's very difficult to secure it otherwise. I went there during the Christmas and I got a spot after lot's of efforts and calls. Interesting fact: The entrance to the jungle is very similar to entrance of Jurrasic Park. *Adventure Awaits* Check it out here. Trek to Amreshwar Mahadev Temple Bumping into this beautiful temple was a plain luck. Since on the first day, I couldn't secure a spot in Safari, I was pretty disappointed but the driver bhaiya we were travelling with took us here. The road to the temple goes through a dense forested area. Once you reach near the hill on which temple is located, you have to climb more than 100 steps to actually reach the temple. On the top, where the temple is located the sunset is phenomenal. Yellow ball trying hard to make shine through pink sky makes you wonder the creativity of nature. Tip: Don't bring any food or precious items here. There are lots of monkeys and can create a menace in case they find anything worth snatching. Ranthambore Fort Ranthambore fort was the hunting lodge for Maharaja's of Jaipur and like every other historical monument, it was very crowded. But, there were few nooks and corner of the fort that were in desolation and nobody was visting them just because they were not on the main tourist map. The view (in the picture below) was scenic from most of these areas. Since it is located on the hills, you could see the forest from there. It's worth your time. Check out the post here. Eat Local Food The best way to know the taste of the city is exploring the local food. Explore cafes, dhabas which provide the local taste at much reasonable price. The food of the city didn't disappoint us even once. We found two incredibly amazing eateries in Ranthambore. One being Thikana Cafe and other is Hotel Kanha. Check out the post. Shop at the local market In my belief, none of the trip is fully complete until you shop from the local market. Bargaining is prevalent in the local shops. Make sure that you are not overcharged. The market was full of Rajasthani skirts, and tribal odhnis and footwears. One such market is located near the railway station. Tip: Just like the other small town markets, don't expect the market to be spick and span.
Tips and Tricks of travel to Ranthambore:
It's better to have your own car or book a whole car as long as you stay as Ranthambore doesn't have a good connectivity. In case you don't have your mode of transport, book a room in Sawai Madhopur (Main City) Book hotels a week in advance during the season (Christmas-New Year, Holi- Diwali, Long weekends) because otherwise you might have to shell out more for less worthy rooms.
Other Details from the trip:
It was a two day trip. Spent first day mostly in the hotel chilling by the pool and by the bonfire late at night. Ranthambore was fullhouse during that time, so we missed few major tourist spots and ended up exploring the unexplored. How to reach Ranthambore:
By Road- It's 6 to 7 hour journey from the capital city. By Train- Nearest Railway station is Sawai Madhopur which is well connected through trains from major cities. By Air- Nearest Airport is Jaipur Airport which is 160 km away from the city.
Stay: Ranthambore boasts of some really drool worthy resorts, but i would like to share information only about the places where I stayed:
Omak Tiger Seven Resort This hotel is neither cheap nor too expensive. The rooms were good and spacious. The hosts were pretty warm and friendly. The hotel has a pool, bonfire, parking, terrace, garden and events on weekends. You can find the room tour attached here. I liked: Food. Food was AMAZING. Could have been better: Road to resort and location. It's hard to find public transport. Room Rent- Rs. 2400 without breakfast. Ranthambore Mahal It's a budget hotel in the main city. Very well connected to station, market, restaurants. The rooms are little congested but comfortable. The walls are not sound proof. The service is okay okay not that great. The hotel is built nicely.I liked: Location Could have been better: Service. Room Rent: Rs. 1500 without breakfast.
Best season to visit would be from November- February. Follow me on Instagram for more travel stories - www.instagram.com/rupeemeetseuro
