Ranthambhore Fort
Ranthambhore Fort built a millennium ago, stands atop a hill overlooking the national park. The Ranthambhore Fort earned its name from the two ancient hills. Ran, is a hill on the backdrop of the majestic fort and Thanbhor, on which the fort is constructed. This fort was viewed as a vital strategic point for control over central India and over the century many wars have been fought for this leverage.
The only way up to the fort is on foot and its definitely worth the effort because the view keeps getting better by the ascend. The view from the highest point can only be described as breathtaking.
Amruteshwara Temple
A beautiful Shiva temple near the forest offers a small trail with amazing wild encounters. A very peaceful place, stretched back in time with a great vibe. A mystery stream waters the Shivalingam throughout the year.
Lot of birds and common wildlife like Sambar etc. can be spotted in the area. Of late, long billed vultures have been nesting in the cliffs surrounding the temple.
Trinetra Ganesh temple
Built by King Hamir in 1300 AD, the Ganesha Temple in Ranthambhore Fort is frequented by lacs of visitors during Ganesh Chaturthi. Traditionally marriage invitations are forwarded to Lord Ganesha before anyone else. The Fort Temple receives thousands of invitations each week addressed to the Lord, some of which include money to cover Ganesha's traveling expenses to the venue.
Bakula
Bakula is referred as the air-conditioned part of the forest. Even in peak summers this part remains cool with abundant water and dense forest cover.
Padam Talao and Jogi Mahal
This is the largest of the 3 lakes in the park. The famous and beautiful Jogi Mahal is located at the very edge of this lake. When in season, the water lilies that give the lake it's name, can be seen in plenty. In the early hours of the morning and just before sunset, animals can be seen in large numbers on the lake side.
It is in the shallow waters of this lake that the famous "lake hunters" of Ranthambore operated, the most legendary of which was the tiger, Genghis. Worlds second largest Banyan tree is adjacent to Jogi Mahal. The magnitude of the tree can be determined by the fact that its an ecosystem in itself.
Raj Bagh Talao
This is one of the most picturesque of all the lakes in Ranthambhore National Park, owing to the ruins along its edges. The appeal is only enhanced by a large population of birds and animals flocking its waters. The sambar deer in Ranthambhore has adapted to eating the plants on the lake floor and this is quite evident in Raj Bagh Talao. Many birds can be seen perched on these deers while they feed. The area around Raj Bagh is also a prime location for spotting the tiger.
Malik Talao
This is the smallest of all the three lakes, but where on one hand what it lacks in size, it makes up in its appearances. It is always filled with healthy populations of birds of all kinds and the also the marsh crocodiles can be sighted here from a reasonably close distance.
Balas
Balas is topographically different from the rest of the national park, and falls in the buffer area.The main site is surrounded by Dangs (flat tabletops) and is one of the most scenic spots in the region. Balas separates the hills and the flat lands resulting in an amazing view of the plateau. It serves as one of the best habitats for leopards, vultures, honey buzzards, and many more.
Kundal
This area lies at the confluence of Vidhyas and the Aravallis, which explains the rich biodiversity that this area enjoys. Kundal shares its boundary with Zone 1 and it isn’t shy of wildlife. It has been recently added in the project Tiger’s core plan as a tiger habitat. Sightings of tigers, sloth bears and leopards are an added bonus.
