Come let’s explore Ranthambhore..

With the nearest railhead being Sawai Madhopur, Ranthambhore is undoubtedly one of the largest National Parks in Northern India. It was initially established as Sawai Madhopur Game Santuary and was declared as a Project Tiger Reserve. It covers a whooping 392sq kms and attracts tourists from far and wide to watch the majestic beast in its jungles.

I along with a few friends had a recent chance to visit this beautiful place which happens to be a paradise for the naturalists and the shutterbugs alike. We got off at the beautiful Sawai Madhopur station which has a charm of its own. Don’t miss out on watching the main building which is elegantly styled adding grace and enhancing the Rajasthani lure. From the station we proceeded to our hotels, with our mode of transport being canters which are actually open buses that one takes while on a safari. We realized that we had already started our wildlife adventure just by being seated in these vehicles. During our short trip to the hotel our driver who happened to be very friendly and jovial was telling us about the latest sightings at the park and many other wildlife incidences.

We were well received at our hotel where we retired to our rooms for freshening up and later assembled for snacks ready for our first venture into the famed national park. We had decided that our first trip inside the park would be to visit the impressive Ranthambore Fort which is located within the national park. One will undoubtedly come across this massive structure on their way into the core areas. The canters will drop you off at the base of the Fort, it is then a short hike uphill through the fort walls along a cobble stoned path. Be careful with your belongings as the first wildlife you will definitely come across is the Hanuman Langur. It is also impossible to miss out on the stunning peacocks that continuously call out to their better halves. If you get lucky you could even get to see the enchanting courtship display dance in full splendor and grace.

While walking up the path inside the fort you will realize that the fort was very well fortified with the doorways being built on blind sides so that it could not be easily seen by the enemy. Once at the summit you will come across various temples built in the ancient times which still hold their stance and faith amongst people. One famous temple which attracts crowds from afar is the temple of Pratham Ganesh or the Trinetra Ganesh. Lord Ganesh is the God of GooD Fortune, Education, Knowledge, Wisdom and Wealth and it is a common belief here that all wishes are granted. The temple itself is well maintained with prayer offerings on a timely basis. There is also a wonderful temple at the top which is sure to take your breath away, an added charm to this was that we came across a carpet of parakeets (rose ringed, plum headed and Alexandrian parakeets) feeding on grains. My…!! What a spectacular sight it was; so much of green mixed with red.. and a constant hum.

There is a pedestal specially made for viewing the entire park which is spread out in front of you as far as the eyes can see. You could easily get to see it on your way back. Three large lakes, the Padam Talab, Malik Talab and Raj Bagh, are visible from the fortification walls and contribute to a landscape of forests which is sure to leave you spellbound. We now knew what exactly we were looking forward to, venturing into the vastness of the jungles with the anticipation of getting the chance to watch the magnificent beast in its territory. With added excitement we headed back to our hotel to prepare ourselves for our first morning safari.
The following morning we had a light breakfast and our canters were waiting for us at the hotel to take us for the safari. With our backpacks readied and our cameras charged we were all set for our venture. The park gates open at 6:00 am and we had to reach before the stipulated time in order to get our zone allotments. (The entire park is divided into 6 zones, one safari will take you across only one zone and zone allotment is done by the park officials. It could also happen that you could end up getting the same zone again. For the permission of a safari one has to submit their details, photograph and id proof; it can be given to your hotel manager or at the park check post.)

On getting our zone allotments, we proceeded into the park with all our senses on alert to try and catch a glimpse of the awaking wildlife. We slowly made our way into the core area hoping to get a hint of the predator on the prowl, we came across impressive herds of Chital deer or the spotted deer basking in the sun and grazing undisturbed. We got to see two male Chitals with striking antlers dueling for courtship, it sounded as if swords were clashing in battle. Moving on, we came across a variety of birds, the largest deer viz the Sambar deer and even a few Nilgai (Blue Bull) which are the largest Asian antelopes. Unfortunately we didn’t come across the magnificent predators on this safari, or the ones after that. It was only on our fourth Safari that luck was on our side, our joy new no bounds.

We entered the jungle heated by the afternoon’s sun for our last venture into the national park, praying that we have good sightings in this safari. The safari was the same as before, similar sightings, but no predator, with dampened spirits we started our return journey to the outer gates. No sooner had the vehicle turned; our trained canter guide picked up the alarm calls which were absolutely inaudible to us. He made the driver stop, we realized that he had heard the movement of the predator. With our hearts crossed and absolute silence we tried to take our guides lead, slowly we could hear the alarm calls surer and clearly moving towards us. After almost an hour of waiting in anticipation we were gifted with the sight of the largest male tiger in Ranthambore. Like royalty, he strode towards us without any haste through the dried river bed. We were all holding our breaths, unsure of which course this handsome guy was going to take, it was as if the angels were looking down on us, the impressive beast had started going uphill. Our guide asked our driver to move from that place and go uphill in order to get a better glimpse. With an adrenaline rush and maddening beats in our ear we reached the spot where we were about to get a closer glimpse. True to the guides words the tiger came walking up the path in full splendor. He stretched a little as if trying to tease us and started walking away, after a few steps he marked his territory and gave us an absolutely captivating glance. He stood in the only path of the dying sunlight, which made his fur glisten like jewels, it was the most enchanting sight which I doubt I will ever forget. Unfortunately the encounter was brief as we had to return to the gates as the safari time was up.

We were hastily returning, animatedly talking about our recent sightings; which was definitely the highlight of the entire trip. But little did we know that there was more in store for us, as luck would have it, we chanced on spotting the timid yet stealthy and attractive leopard just a hundred meters away from us. Though we didn’t capture it on cam because of the dying light, we definitely captured this beast in our hearts and mind. The trip to Ranthambore had ended on a beautiful note.

Ladakh the final destination

After a mighty breakfast and with sheer excitement of reaching our dream destination we were back on the road. It was a pretty sight as the scenery changed a few hours down the road. The road stretched out in front of us as far as the eyes could see. The impressive mighty snow clad Himalayas on one side and barren rocks on the other. The sun playing hide n seek amongst the clouds with a little peek here and a little boo there adding charm to the already mesmerizing route. I remember going berserk trying to capture everything on my cam, which in the end I gave up as I decided to absorb it all in. My mind fluttering with excitement; acting like a sponge was absorbing the impressive landscapes one at a time. Later, we had a brief halt at-Lamayuru a land famously known as the moon land. No words could do justice to the scenery there; we hiked up a little hill just enough to get the adrenaline rushing which was worth the efforts.

Continuing on as we had to reach before nightfall our driver spotted the enchanting city of Leh nestled among the valley. I call it enchanting because when I was shown the city the sun was shining only on the city of Leh with clouds all around as if it was highlighted for us to see. We couldn’t wait to reach this paradise. On the outskirts we were shown the military base camps and the airport landing amongst the hills. Within a few minutes we reached our hotel Mandala where we were welcomed with stoles which were imprinted with ‘Om Mani Padme Hum’. It was only much later that we understood that the mantra is orally recited around the prayer wheels ( a famous identity of Leh) and is highly auspicious. One can find these wheels everywhere they go. They are impressive structures and highly alluring. We then had a filling meal followed by a rested sleep. The following day we visited the Shey palace which is not too far away from the city and were lucky to be a part of the famous Sindhu festival. Later we idled around in the market and enjoyed a little snack on the famed momos, returning back for dinner to our hotel.

During our stay at Leh we were gifted with a lovely climate enabling us to enjoy our trip to the fullest. We had taken a day trip to the much talked about Pangong Lake Tse, one can even opt for an option to camp there in tents spicing up your adventure a bit more. Be lucky to catch a glimpse of the captivating sunset which is surely to be etched on your mind forever. On the return journey one can stop at the Thikse monastery which is the largest gompa in Leh.

The following day we visited the lovely Shanti Stupa, with a little hike up the hill to reach this stupa one is sure to be gifted with an enchanting site. One can have a mesmerizing view of the entire city of Leh laid out in front of you, surrounded with the massive Himalayas as the outer boundary for as far as the eyes can see. We then visited the White Lotus school (Druk Padma Karpo) made famous by the movie 3 Idiots. We were spellbound when we were explained the architecture of the school. It was said that if one sees the layout of the school from a height it is shaped in the form of a ‘key’, which suggests that it symbolizes the key to education. Individual classrooms are smartly prepared with a single solid beam in the centre so as to hold the structure sturdy even during a natural calamity. Additionally the roofs are painted white with an intelligent venture which enhances the brightness so much so that there is no need of artificial lighting. Even the dormitories of the kids are intelligently prepared so that they remain cool in the summers and warm during the winters. The kids are given the freedom to explore and innovate which is truly amazing.

We also travelled to the famed Nubra Valley via Khardung La which happens to be the world’s highest motor-able road. One has to take care of their health cause the oxygen content here is a bit low, so avoid immediate movements and don’t have a prolonged wait at the pass. The pass itself is untouched and a winter wonderland, we had a fresh carpet of snow below our feet which made it a bit difficult to walk. The traditional colorful temple flags were well splayed and were a eye-catching sight against the white background.

Yeah..!! So my trip to Ladakh was a lovely and memorable experience and has been etched into my life forever. Our return journey was via the famous hill station of Manali. Where we stayed for the day and left by a night bus to Delhi where we were to be transferred to the airport to catch our flights back to Mumbai.