Ranthambore National Park

Ranthambore National Park sits in south-eastern Rajasthan near the town of Sawai Madhopur, at the meeting point of the Aravalli and Vindhya hill ranges. The reserve was once the hunting ground of the Maharajas of Jaipur and became one of the original Project Tiger reserves in 1973. Ranthambore Fort, which gives the park its name, stands on a plateau above the forest and is part of the Hill Forts of Rajasthan World Heritage listing. Ruined pavilions, chhatris and temple walls inside the park give tiger photographs a setting found nowhere else.

The habitat is dry deciduous forest dominated by dhok trees, with open grassland, rocky ridges and a chain of lakes, notably Padam Talao, Rajbagh Talao and Malik Talao. In the hot months the forest loses its leaves, visibility improves, and tigers come to the lakes and remaining waterholes during the day. This is why the uncomfortable pre-monsoon period from March to June is also the most productive for sightings.

Safaris are organised in numbered zones. Visitors book morning or afternoon slots through the Rajasthan forest department's permit system and enter in shared open canters or smaller six-seat open 4x4s commonly called gypsies, each with a forest guide and driver. Vehicles are allocated to a zone and must stay on its tracks; walking is not permitted. The core zones close during the monsoon, typically from July to the end of September, and the park reopens at the start of October.

For photographers the character of Ranthambore is strong, contrasty light, dusty golden tracks and the chance of a tiger in a landscape rather than in deep forest. Shooting is from an open vehicle with no roof, so a bean bag over the side rail and a cover for dust are essential. Tigers here can be remarkably tolerant of vehicles, which rewards working on composition and background rather than reach alone.