Indias ultimate National Park

With 450 national parks within India, for a first time visitor choosing the best place to relish in the natural heritage can seem like a daunting task. But ask anyone who has stepped even a foot in the country and they will send you straight to Ranthambore. Famous amongst residents and globe-trotters, Ranthambore is renowned for the tigers that reside in the park who make more frequent appearances than is usual for the typically lazy animal. Of course, the danger in visiting such an admired place is that, like all tourist hot-spots, the authenticity of the experience can easily be spoiled by getting packed onto the same tourist trail with every other visitor also trying to catch a glimpse of the beloved tiger, or worse, tripping up on the finer details like where to stay.

Luckily, there is a way to avoid getting stuffed into a double-decker bus with 30 other tourists (hire a jeep), or worse, finding yourself with Delhi belly mid-safari thanks to the hotels continental breakfast. The first place to start is the accommodation, and nowhere offers luxury camping while retaining the authentic charm of the jungle like Sher Bagh. Once the Maharaja of Johpurs hunting lodge, Sher Bagh is an excellent step back into time with only 12 tents and communal dinners held around the campfire, and a great introduction to the riches of the park. Enquire with enough rigour and you might get to hear stories from the off-season when the site becomes an anti-poaching base. Adding to their ethical credentials, Sher Bagh holds a strong commitment to keeping their carbon footprint down by sourcing produce from their own organic farm. Enough to keep the eco-warriors and PETA fans happy.

Beyond the comforts of the camp, the riches of the park are the main attraction, and the tiger is not t! he only star. Home to panthers, leopards, crocodiles, wild boar and 400 species of birds to name but a few, the treasures of Ranthambores jungle are endless. If you arent lucky enough to see a tiger then catching a glimpse of the other inhabitants is equally captivating. Add to this the thrill of heading into the wilderness as the sun begins to rise over the hilltops, and you soon realise the real enchantment of Ranthambore is experiencing the wild landscape in its natural form.

What few people also know is that Ranthambore is the home to one of the oldest forts in India, and one of the few remaining that are still inhabited. Standing tall on the top of a hill looking over the entire park, the fort casts a magnificent site across the lush landscape. Inside, ancient temples, abandoned royal banquet halls and man-made swimming pools paint a grand picture of the days when maharajas resided.

Some of the nicer hotels in the park, such as the predictable Oberoi Vanyavilas or Taj Vivanta boast excellent restaurants and may prove a nice change of pace in the evenings. But with some of the most beautiful natural landscape and diverse variety of wildlife, you wont need much more to enjoy yourself than the beautiful surroundings, some of the best that nature has to offer.

Marilyn MacDonald is the Head of Marketing at Hg2 | A Hedonists guide to

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Indias ultimate National Park is a post from A Luxury Travel Blog