20 December to 2 January is the busiest fortnight of the year. Here is what is still bookable, what it costs, and the dates when each seat opens.
Ranthambore Tiger books safari permits in your name — we are not the Rajasthan Forest Department and not the official park booking website.
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Short answer: for Ranthambore at Christmas and New Year 2026, the cheap advance-quota seats are sold out, but you can still get a safari. Canter seats are released at 10 am the day before, shared gypsy seats 3 days before, and whole jeeps on tatkal at 11 am, 7 days before. From 20 December to 2 January a canter seat costs ₹3,500 per person and a tatkal jeep from ₹38,000 for up to six people. Book your hotel now, and send us your safari date so we can book the seat the moment it opens.
Last checked 2 November 2026 against the Forest Department release calendar and our own bookings. Quota rules and fees are set by the Rajasthan Forest Department and can change.
Our guests on a gypsy safari in Ranthambore. Photo: Ranthambore Tiger.
The ten days from Christmas Eve to 2 January are the busiest of the whole Ranthambore season. Schools are closed, offices are quiet, the weather is cool and dry, and Ranthambore is an easy drive or train ride from Delhi, Jaipur and Mumbai. The park has a fixed number of vehicles per zone and per shift, so demand runs far ahead of supply.
The advance quota for these dates opened on 1 August and was gone within days for most zones. "Sold out" on the official portal now only means the advance quota is sold out. It does not mean every seat is gone. Three later releases still put seats on sale for each date, and that is where almost all Christmas and New Year bookings are now made.
Here is every way into the park for the festive fortnight, when it opens for your date, and what it costs through us. All prices are all-in: the permit, the vehicle and the guide. The festive window is 20 December 2026 to 2 January 2027.
| Seat | When it opens | Festive price, Indian | Festive price, foreign |
|---|---|---|---|
| Canter seat (20-seat open bus), current quota | 10 am, the day before | ₹3,500 per person | ₹6,000 per person |
| Premium canter seat | 3 days before | ₹3,500 per person | ₹6,000 per person |
| Shared gypsy seat, premium quota | 3 days before (also 6 pm releases of cancellations) | about ₹6,600–₹7,200 (zones 6–10); ₹7,800–₹8,500 (core 1–5) | 20–30% above ₹8,000; quoted on WhatsApp |
| Whole gypsy on tatkal, up to 6 people | 11 am, 7 days before | ₹38,000 (any zone), ₹42,000 (core 1–5), ₹47,000 (zone 2, 3 or 4) | ₹52,000, ₹62,000, ₹67,000 |
| Advance quota (canter ₹1,700, gypsy seat ₹2,500) | Opened 1 August | Sold out on almost every festive date | Sold out |
Regular prices outside the festive window, and the full zone grid, are on our Ranthambore safari price page. Gypsy seat prices in the festive window move with demand, so we confirm the exact figure before you pay.
Got a date in mind? Send it on WhatsApp. We check live seats and reply in minutes, 7am–10pm.
Check my date on WhatsAppThis is the table most people need. Find your safari date and see the day each seat opens. Canter seats open at 10 am the day before. Premium seats open 3 days before. Tatkal jeeps open at 11 am, 7 days before. We send your request in the first minute of each window.
| Safari date | Day | Tatkal jeep opens | Premium seats open | Canter seats open |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 24 Dec | Thursday | 17 Dec, 11 am | 21 Dec | 23 Dec, 10 am |
| 25 Dec (Christmas) | Friday | 18 Dec, 11 am | 22 Dec | 24 Dec, 10 am |
| 26 Dec | Saturday | 19 Dec, 11 am | 23 Dec | 25 Dec, 10 am |
| 27 Dec | Sunday | 20 Dec, 11 am | 24 Dec | 26 Dec, 10 am |
| 28 Dec | Monday | 21 Dec, 11 am | 25 Dec | 27 Dec, 10 am |
| 29 Dec | Tuesday | 22 Dec, 11 am | 26 Dec | 28 Dec, 10 am |
| 30 Dec | Wednesday | 23 Dec, 11 am | 27 Dec | 29 Dec, 10 am |
| 31 Dec (New Year's Eve) | Thursday | 24 Dec, 11 am | 28 Dec | 30 Dec, 10 am |
| 1 Jan (New Year's Day) | Friday | 25 Dec, 11 am | 29 Dec | 31 Dec, 10 am |
| 2 Jan | Saturday | 26 Dec, 11 am | 30 Dec | 1 Jan, 10 am |
Already have a date? Send it to us on WhatsApp and we'll tell you which release to aim for and hold your place in our queue. Or start on the Ranthambore safari booking page, which shows this week's seat status.
The canter is a 20-seat open vehicle. It has the most seats, so it is the easiest to book at short notice and the cheapest at ₹3,500 per person. It is the right choice for most couples and small families who simply want to be in the park.
A seat in a six-seat open jeep, shared with other guests. Smaller, quieter and more flexible than a canter. It opens 3 days before, has fewer seats, and costs more in the festive window. Full refund if the permit isn't issued.
Best for a group of five or six, or for photographers. You get the whole gypsy for your group, from ₹38,000. It opens at 11 am, 7 days before, and sells out in minutes for New Year's Eve. Non-refundable once issued.
Not sure which fits? Our gypsy vs canter guide explains the difference, and the canter safari page shows what the ride is like. For two to four people, we usually suggest a canter seat first and a gypsy seat as a second request.
A canter on safari in Ranthambore. Photo: Ranthambore Tiger.
Late December in Ranthambore is cold at dawn and pleasant by midday. Typical ranges in Sawai Madhopur are about 8°C to 25°C in December and 7°C to 23°C in January, and a cold spell can push dawn close to 5°C. The safari vehicles are open, with no roof and no sides, so at 7 am in a moving gypsy it feels a good deal colder than the thermometer says.
Winter safari timings run from about 7:00 to 10:30 am and 2:00 to 5:30 pm from November to January, and the exact time is printed on your permit. Our Ranthambore in winter guide has the month-by-month detail and a full packing list.
Sold out online? Ask us. We book from the daily current and tatkal quotas, and you pay only after we confirm availability, with a full refund if the permit can’t be issued.
Check my date on WhatsAppStay on Ranthambore Road, the 10–12 km road from Sawai Madhopur town to the park gate. The closer to the gate end (Khilchipur and Sherpur), the shorter your cold 6:30 am ride. Book the room first: rooms, not safaris, are the first thing to run out for 30 and 31 December.
Browse 41 Ranthambore hotels and resorts by budget, from Taj Sawai and The Tigress Resort & Spa to simpler rooms in town, or take a stay + safari package so we book both together. Our luxury resorts guide compares the top end.
Taj Sawai, Khilchipur, on Ranthambore Road.
This plan gives you three safari shifts, so there is room to move if one release is tight. It works for Christmas too; just shift the dates.
| When | Plan |
|---|---|
| 30 Dec, evening | Arrive in Sawai Madhopur by road or train. Check in on Ranthambore Road. Early night. |
| 31 Dec, morning | Safari 1, about 7:00 to 10:30 am. Pickup from your hotel about 30–45 minutes before the gate time. |
| 31 Dec, midday | Late breakfast, then Ranthambore Fort and the Trinetra Ganesh temple. Expect big crowds at the temple over the holidays; go early. |
| 31 Dec, evening | New Year's Eve at the hotel. Skip a late night if you have the morning drive. |
| 1 Jan, morning or afternoon | Safari 2. The afternoon drive (about 2:00 to 5:30 pm) is warmer and easier after a late night. |
| 2 Jan, morning | Safari 3 (optional), then leave after a late check-out. Or add the Chambal boat safari at Palighat, about an hour away (₹1,300 per person regular). |
With three shifts and two vehicle types, your chances of getting at least two drives are good even in the tightest week. We never promise a tiger, but three drives give you far better odds than one, because each drive is a fresh chance in a different zone or at a different time of day. Our tiger sighting guide explains why.
Same-day safaris over the holidays are booked by phone only: +91 84400 22066. Seats for today go in minutes, so a call is faster than any form. If the official portal shows your date sold out, read Ranthambore safari sold out? What to do.
Yes. The park runs morning and afternoon safaris on 25 December and 1 January as normal. Core zones 1 to 5 are closed on Wednesdays (23 and 30 December 2026) and outer zones 6 to 10 on Tuesdays (22 and 29 December 2026).
No. The advance quota is sold out, but tatkal jeeps for 31 December open at 11 am on 24 December, premium seats on 28 December, and canter seats at 10 am on 30 December. We book in those windows; the canter is the easiest to get.
From 20 December 2026 to 2 January 2027, through us: a canter seat is ₹3,500 per person (₹6,000 for foreign nationals), a shared gypsy seat is about 20–30% above the regular price, and a whole gypsy on tatkal is from ₹38,000 for up to six people. All prices include the permit, vehicle and guide.
You can request one, but the Forest Department allocates zones and no one can guarantee one. In a busy week, accepting any zone greatly improves your chance of getting a seat. Tigers are seen in every zone.
The morning is colder, often misty, and good for active animals after the night. The afternoon is warmer and easier for children and after a late night. Sightings are similar over a season; if you have two drives, take one of each.
You get a full refund of what you paid us. The exception is a tatkal permit: once it is issued it is non-refundable under the Forest Department's rules, so we confirm the group and date with you before booking tatkal.
Tell us the date, shift and guests. We tell you which release to aim for and the exact price, and book the seat the minute it opens. Reply in minutes, 7 am to 10 pm.
Or book a canter seat online through our Ranthambore safari booking page
RANTHAMBORE