Every Ranthambore safari drives one zone, and the zone is allotted by the forest department when the permit is issued. Knowing what each zone is like helps you choose shifts, ask for a preference and understand what you are likely to see.
Core zones 1 to 5
The core zones surround the fort and its lakes. They are the most famous drives in the park and the home of the lake queens. Core zones close on Wednesdays and for the monsoon.
- Zone 1: closest to the main gate, with rocky ridges and short drive times
- Zone 2: under the fort walls, past Jogi Mahal and the great banyan
- Zone 3: the lake country of Padam Talao and Rajbagh, the best-known drive in the park
- Zone 4: grassland around Malik Talao, strong in summer when water is scarce
- Zone 5: a long valley drive with herds of sambar, chital and chinkara
Buffer zones 6 to 10
The buffer zones lie around the core. They see fewer vehicles and have longer open stretches of track, and they hold tigers, leopards and sloth bears of their own. Buffer zones close on Tuesdays.
- Zone 6: open dry forest on the eastern side
- Zone 7: quieter tracks with fewer vehicles
- Zone 8: hilly northern country, good for leopards
- Zone 9: far north-east toward the Chambal, with sloth bears and leopards
- Zone 10: the western buffer, with stream crossings and old village sites
Can you choose?
Where the official system allows a choice, we ask for your preferred zone. Otherwise the zone is allotted, and we tell you which one you got as soon as the permit is issued. A vehicle cannot leave its zone during the safari.
Tip: book two shifts on different days if you want to see both halves of the park. Explore the interactive zone map and then send us your dates.