India

Ranthambore

Just south of the famous Golden Triangle of Delhi, Agra and Jaipur, Ranthambore National Park is the easiest place in India to get your Jungle Book fix. Easy means popular, so it’s not a secluded experience — but popular also means well connected, with wonderful accommodation and fantastic food.

Back to all places in North India, Delhi & Rajasthan

Ranthambore was the historic hunting ground of the maharajas of Jaipur, but it’s been protected as a wildlife reserve since the 1970s. Of course, this being Rajasthan, it also has a thousand-year-old fort, which looks out over 1,300 sq km of craggy outcrops, grassy meadows, crocodile-filled lakes and scrubby forests of dhok, banyan, neem and pipal. Beneath it, ruined mosques and cenotaphs lie tangled in the bush, while safari Jeeps crawl through the landscape like exotic bugs, their passengers on the lookout of Indian flying foxes, striped hyenas, langurs, jungle cats, sloth bears, and of course the elusive tiger.

Though Bengal tigers are still critically endangered, the population in Ranthambore grew from 25 in 2005 to an estimated 88 in 2023, reflecting a heartening reversal of fortunes for India’s emblematic big cat — and an increased (but by no means guaranteed) chance of spotting one yourself. On a recent visit, we saw a mother with her cubs, and watched an adult tiger kill a spotted deer right in front of us: real heart-stopping stuff.

Ranthambore really is beautiful and its tiger sightings can be spectacular, but it’s a case of being prepared for what comes with it. Safari tours here are rambunctious to say the least, with drivers and tourists seemingly trying to out-yell each other, even when there’s wildlife around. If you spot tigers, it’s worth it — but if you don’t, it can be a rotten experience. Still, the jungle camps here are really world-class, so you can at least be sure of a luxurious place to relax at the end of the day.

If you’re after a more secluded safari experience, you’ll need to venture beyond Rajasthan. Kanha, Panna and (most isolated of all) Satpura, all in Madhya Pradesh, are our favourites.

Other destinations in this region

India

Agra

The home of the Taj Mahal, Agra represents the pinnacle of the Mughal Empire’s architectural achievements.

India

Amritsar (Punjab)

One of India’s friendliest cities and the holiest site in Sikhism, with its hallowed Golden Temple and delightful maze of old havelis, bazaars & courtyards.

India

Chambal

Chambal is fascinating: tales of outlaws, river safaris, camel treks to ruined cities and villages full of haveli mansions — all totally under the tourist radar.

India

Chandigarh

Purpose-built in the wake of Independence, Punjab’s capital is a yin-yang experience: Brutalist architectural masterpiece meets exuberant, surrealist art garden.

India

Chanoud

Stay at one of India’s most beautiful heritage properties and let the Singh family introduce you to their home, countryside and local community.

India

Delhi

Where do we even begin? Mughal monuments and British-colonial buildings are only the start: India’s capital is a whole world contained inside a single city.

India

Deogarh

Experience the rhythms of rural Rajasthan in this unassuming town, where the descendents of Deogarh royalty welcome guests to their home.

India

Jaipur

Come for the flamboyant pink architecture; stay for the craft workshops, market-hopping, and non-stop street life. Jaipur earns its place in the Golden Triangle.

India

Jaisalmer

Jaisalmer belongs in the pages of Arabian Nights, with its ridgetop fort, medieval market atmosphere, and desert surroundings.

India

Jawai

Jawai is known for the peaceful coexistence of humans and nature: wild leopards living alongside Rabari herders in a wild, rugged and beautiful landscape.