RANTHAMBORE Zone 1: Singh Dwar and Sultanpur
Entered through the Singh Dwar gate, zone 1 runs through Sultanpur, Amreshwar Dang and Tuti ka Nalla: hillier and drier than the lake zones, with tigers crossing to and from zone 6 next door.
Ranthambore Tiger books safari permits in your name — we are not the Rajasthan Forest Department and not the official park booking website.
Check availability for your date
Check my date on WhatsApp →Reply in 2 min · 7am–10pm · pay only after we confirm
Prefer to pay online now? Book & pay online →
Phone optional here · we reply by email, usually within the hour (7am–10pm)
In one line: Entered through the Singh Dwar gate, zone 1 runs through Sultanpur, Amreshwar Dang and Tuti ka Nalla: hillier and drier than the lake zones, with tigers crossing to and from zone 6 next door.
Zone 1 is one of the core zones 1 to 5. all other zones are allotted by the Forest Department portal within their group, and we request yours where seats are open. Zones 1 to 5 do not run on Wednesdays, zones 6 to 10 on Tuesdays. Content checked 4 November 2026.
Where zone 1 is
Zone 1 is the western of the five core zones and the only one with its own gate, Singh Dwar. From the gate the track climbs into Sultanpur and on past Amreshwar Dang to Tuti ka Nalla, a seasonal stream bed that gives the zone its water in the cooler months.
Boundaries on our maps are drawn from public map data and our drivers’ knowledge of the routes; they are illustrative, not the Forest Department’s survey lines.
Landscape and water
Rocky Aravalli slopes and dry deciduous forest, with ravines (“dang”) cutting through. There is no large lake: water is in the nalla, in waterholes and in the pools that the Forest Department tops up in summer, which is where most sightings on this route happen from March onwards.
Got a date in mind? Send it on WhatsApp. We check live seats and reply in minutes, 7am–10pm.
Check my date on WhatsAppLandmarks on the route
- Singh Dwar: the gate itself
- Sultanpur
- Amreshwar Dang
- Tuti ka Nalla
Wildlife our guides see in zone 1
Sambar and chital on the slopes, nilgai in the more open patches, langur and peafowl throughout. Leopard are seen on the rocky sections more often than in the lake zones. Our guides treat the Tuti ka Nalla stretch as the heart of the drive.
Tigers and zone 1
Zone 1 shares a long boundary with zone 6, and tigers move between the two: a tigress raising cubs on the zone 6 side is often met on the zone 1 track and the other way round. Which animals are using the area changes every season, so we do not name a “zone 1 tiger”; when you book we tell you what has been seen in the weeks before your date.
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 WhatsAppGetting zone 1: permits, closures and our prices
| Safari | Indian nationals | Foreign nationals | Quota and release |
|---|---|---|---|
| Canter seat (20-seat open bus) | ₹2,500 | ₹5,000 | Current quota: released 10:00 am the day before |
| Gypsy seat (6-seat open jeep) | ₹6,500 | ₹10,000 | Premium quota: released 3 days before |
| Whole gypsy (tatkal, up to 6) | ₹40,000 | ₹60,000 | Tatkal: 11:00 am, 7 days before; non-refundable once issued |
All-in per seat or per vehicle: Forest Department permit, vehicle, guide and pickup. Festive weeks (Diwali, Christmas to New Year) run higher; advance-quota dates (after 31 January 2027) are priced lower and allotted by the portal. Full refund if the permit is not issued. Zone 1 does not run on Wednesdays.
Photography in zone 1
Morning light comes in low across the ridges, good for animals on the skyline; by late morning the rocks throw hard shadows. The nalla sections are shaded, so a fast lens or higher ISO helps in winter mornings.
Zone 1 questions
Can I book zone 1 specifically?
Zone 1 is one of the core zones (1 to 5). Core-zone seats are allotted by the Forest Department portal among zones 1 to 5; if you want zone 1 by name we book it through the “zone of your choice” option at the core price, subject to seats being open for that zone on your date.
Is zone 1 good for tigers?
It has regular sightings, helped by the movement between zones 1 and 6, but it is a hillier, drier route than the lakes and no zone can promise a tiger. Two or three drives across different zones give you the best odds.
Which gate does zone 1 use?
Singh Dwar, on the western side of the park. Pickup from Ranthambore Circle, Chaupati or your hotel is included; the gate is a short drive from Sawai Madhopur town.
The other zones
Zone 2: Phuta Kot and the waterholes · Zone 3: Padam Talao and Rajbagh · Zone 4: Malik Talao and Lakarda · Zone 5: Kachida valley and Bakaula · Zone 6: Kundal · Zone 7: Chidikho · Zone 8: Balas · Zone 9: Kuwalji · Zone 10: Aantri
All ten zones compared → · Timings and zones → · Famous tigers →
Dated sightings archive
Verified entries for this zone from our sightings archive: dated, zone-level, sourced. Not a live position.
Loading the archive…
Sources and how we know
Zone descriptions, landmarks and route notes come from our own drivers and guides, who drive these zones every week; closures, quotas and fees are as published on the official portal and are re-checked when the Forest Department changes them (see the “Updated” date).
- Official Rajasthan Forest Department safari booking portal (FMDSS / Aaranyak): seat release, quotas, official permit fees
- Official Rajasthan Forest Department
- Official National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA), Government of India
- Research Status of Tigers in India 2022: summary report (NTCA and Wildlife Institute of India)
- Background Ranthambore National Park: Wikipedia (background reading, not our source for prices or rules)
Spotted an error? Tell us and we correct it: see our editorial and corrections policy.