Ranthambhore :- The fortress of Ranthambore was founded in 944 by the Chauhan Rajputs. Ranthambhore National Park is probably the best place in the world to see wild tigers and is the only dry deciduous tiger habitat in the world. The Delhi Sultan Iltutmish captured Ranthambore in 1226, but the Chauhans recapture it after his death in 1236. The armies of Sultan Nasir ud din Mahmud, led by the future Sultan Balban, unsuccessfully besieged the fortress in 1248 and 1253, but captured from Jaitrasingh Chauhan in 1259. Hamir Dev succeeded Jaitrasingh in 1283, and recaptured Ranthambore and enlarged the kingdom. Sultan Jalal ud din Firuz Khilji briefly besieged the fort in 1290-91.

In 1299, Hamir Dev sheltered Muhammad Shah, a rebel general of Sultan Ala ud din Khilji, and refused to turn him over to the Sultan. The sultan unsuccessfully besieged the fortress in 1299, but returned in 1301 to personally oversee a long siege, and succeeded in capturing the fort.Ranthambore was established as the Sawai Madhopur Game Sanctuary in 1955 by the Indian Government, and was declared one of the Project Tiger reserves in 1973. Ranthambore became a national park in 1980. In 1984 the adjacent forests were declared the Sawai Man Singh Sanctuary and Keladevi Sanctuary, and in 1991 the tiger reserve was enlarged to include Sawai Man Singh and Keladevi sanctuaries.
Ranthambore is a National Park and tiger reserve in Rajasthan state of western India. It is located in Sawai Madhopur district of southeastern Rajasthan, about 130 km from Jaipur, which is also the nearest airport. The nearest town and railway station is at Sawai Madhopur, 11 km away.The park lies at the edge of a plateau, and is bounded to the north by the Banas River and to the south by the Chambal River. There are several lakes in the park. It is named for the historic Ranthambore fortress, which lies within the national park. The park covers an area of 392 km², and is famous for its tiger population, and is one of India's Project Tiger reserves. Other major wild animals include the leopard, dhole, wild pig, sambar, chital and the gaur. Major wild animals found in the national park include the tiger, leopard, nilgai, dhole, wild pig, sambar, chital and the gaur. It is also home to wide variety of trees, plants, birds and reptiles
Best Time to Visit : October- June