RANTHAMBORE Zone 4: Malik Talao and Lakarda
Zone 4 has Malik Talao, the smallest of the three lakes and a favourite of crocodiles and birds, with Lakarda, Adidaant and Tamakhan on the route. This was Machli’s country.
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In one line: Zone 4 has Malik Talao, the smallest of the three lakes and a favourite of crocodiles and birds, with Lakarda, Adidaant and Tamakhan on the route. This was Machli’s country.
Zone 4 is one of the core zones 1 to 5. Zones 2, 3 and 4 can be named on your permit at the “zone of your choice” price; 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 4 is
Zone 4 lies east of the Padam Talao lakes, sharing its entry with zone 5. The track takes in Malik Talao, then Lakarda and the Adidaant and Tamakhan stretches.
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
A small lake, grassland around it and forested slopes behind. Malik Talao is shallow and busy with birds; the Lakarda side is drier and more open, with a well-known waterhole.
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
- Malik Talao
- Lakarda
- Adidaant
- Tamakhan
Wildlife our guides see in zone 4
Mugger crocodiles on the Malik Talao banks, kingfishers, storks and ducks on the water, sambar and chital in the grass. Sloth bear are seen on the Lakarda side from time to time.
Tigers and zone 4
Malik Talao and Lakarda were part of Machli’s territory, and later of the tigresses of her line that held the lake country. Zone 4 is one of the three zones (2, 3, 4) that can be named at booking. Current use of the zone changes season to season; ask us 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 4: permits, closures and our prices
| Safari | Indian nationals | Foreign nationals | Quota and release |
|---|---|---|---|
| Canter seat (20-seat open bus) | ₹3,000 | ₹5,500 | Current quota: released 10:00 am the day before |
| Gypsy seat (6-seat open jeep) | ₹7,500 | ₹12,000 | Premium quota: released 3 days before |
| Whole gypsy (tatkal, up to 6) | ₹45,000 | ₹65,000 | 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 4 does not run on Wednesdays.
Photography in zone 4
Malik Talao is small enough that birds and crocodiles are within reach of a 300 mm lens; the Lakarda waterhole gives low, open sightlines in the afternoon.
Zone 4 questions
Can I name zone 4?
Yes, at the “zone of your choice” price, like zones 2 and 3. If it is full on the day we book another core zone and refund the difference, or refund you in full.
Zone 4 or zone 3?
They are neighbours and share the same lake country. Zone 3 has the bigger lakes and the fort; zone 4 is quieter and better for birds and crocodiles close up. Guides rate both highly for tigers.
Is zone 4 closed on any day?
Zones 1 to 5 do not run on Wednesdays.
The other zones
Zone 1: Singh Dwar and Sultanpur · Zone 2: Phuta Kot and the waterholes · Zone 3: Padam Talao and Rajbagh · 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.
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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)
- Press “Most photographed tigress Machli dies at Ranthambore”, PTI via Business Standard, 18 Aug 2016
- Press “Famous Ranthambhore tigress Arrowhead dies of brain tumour”, PTI via The Week, 19 Jun 2025
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