DistanceZone 3
Time neededWithin safari
TypeLandscape
Best timeLakeside tigers
01 — 05
About the place
Water lilies, a red sandstone hunting lodge, and the single most photographed stretch of Ranthambore.
Padam Talao is the largest of the park's lakes and takes its name from the lotus that covers it in season. On its bank stands Jogi Mahal, the old royal hunting lodge, backed by a banyan tree said to be among the largest in India. This is prime tiger habitat — sambar wade in the shallows, crocodiles hold the banks, and the lakeside zones are where a great many of Ranthambore's best-known sightings have happened. It is also, at dawn, simply one of the most beautiful places in Rajasthan.
What makes it worth it
The park's largest lake, covered in lotus in season
Jogi Mahal, the former royal hunting lodge
A banyan among the largest in India
Sambar, marsh crocodile and exceptional birdlife
Before you go
Reachable only on a safari drive — the lake zones cannot be visited independently.
Dawn drives give you mist on the water and the best light of the day.
Long lenses earn their keep here; sightings are often across the water.
Zone allocation is issued by the Forest Department and cannot be guaranteed.
