Ramgarh Vishdhari Tiger Reserve: Wildlife, Tigers and Visits

Ramgarh Vishdhari Tiger Reserve in Bundi district is one of Rajasthan’s newest tiger reserves, notified in 2022 around the older Ramgarh Vishdhari Wildlife Sanctuary. It matters because of where it sits: between Ranthambore to the north-east and Mukundara Hills to the south, it gives tigers a corridor to move between the two. For visitors from Kota and Bundi it offers dry hill forest, the Mej river and a quieter, less developed wildlife experience than Ranthambore. This guide covers its history, wildlife, and what to know before you go.

From sanctuary to tiger reserve

Rajasthan Tourism describes the original sanctuary as covering about 252 km2, about 45 km from Bundi on the road to Nainwa, established in 1982 as a buffer for Ranthambore. In 2022 the area was declared a tiger reserve. According to Wikipedia the reserve brings together the Ramgarh sanctuary, a section of the National Chambal (Gharial) Sanctuary and territorial forests of the Bundi and Bhilwara divisions, and spreads across Bundi, Bhilwara and Kota districts. Its total area is about 1,502 km2, with a core of about 482 km2 and a buffer of about 1,020 km2.

The Mej river, a tributary of the Chambal, flows through the reserve. For the bigger picture of protected areas in the region, see our Mukundara vs Ranthambore comparison.

Tigers at Ramgarh Vishdhari

Tigers had long wandered into these forests from Ranthambore, and the reserve was created to give them a secure home and a link to Mukundara. After notification, a few tigers were moved in, including, according to Wikipedia, a tiger from Sariska that had strayed into Haryana. By December 2024 Wikipedia records four adult tigers and three cubs in the reserve. Numbers in a young reserve change quickly, so treat any figure as a snapshot and check the forest department’s latest updates.

Sightings are far less predictable than at Ranthambore. Go for the landscape and the chance of wildlife rather than a guaranteed tiger.

Other wildlife

Wikipedia lists sambar, chital, wild boar, Indian wolf, leopard, striped hyena, sloth bear, golden jackal, chinkara and nilgai. The Mej valley and reservoirs attract waterbirds in winter, and the dry deciduous forest has the usual Hadoti mix of dhok and other hardy trees. Our safaris and wildlife hub lists other places near Kota to see animals and birds.

Visiting the reserve

Tourism infrastructure is still developing. Before you plan a trip:

• Check safari arrangements with the Rajasthan forest department; official bookings for Rajasthan’s reserves are handled through the state’s FMDSS system, and routes, zones and fees at a new reserve can change.
• Go in the cool season, from October to March, and in early morning or late afternoon.
• Expect basic facilities and carry water and snacks.
• Use licensed vehicles and guides and follow forest rules: no walking in the core, no feeding animals, no music or drones.

Distance and access:

Detail	Information
Where	Bundi district, spreading into Bhilwara and Kota districts
From Bundi	The old sanctuary is about 45 km from Bundi on the Nainwa road (Rajasthan Tourism)
From Kota	About 80 km by road via Bundi
Best time	October to March
Booking	Through the Rajasthan forest department; check current arrangements

Distances are approximate.

Combine Ramgarh Vishdhari with nearby places

• Bundi: the palace, Taragarh and stepwells make a natural base.
• Bhimlat Mahadev waterfall: a monsoon fall in the Bundi hills; see also our guide to waterfalls near Kota.
• Rameshwar Mahadev: a forest Shiva shrine popular in the rains.
• Taragarh Fort, Bundi: the hill fort above Bundi, one of the forts near Kota.