RANTHAMBORE Zone 5: Kachida valley and Bakaula
Zone 5 shares its entry with zone 4 and climbs into Anantpura, the Kachida valley and Bakaula: rocky, steep country with cliffs and thick patches of forest, a change from the lakes.
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In one line: Zone 5 shares its entry with zone 4 and climbs into Anantpura, the Kachida valley and Bakaula: rocky, steep country with cliffs and thick patches of forest, a change from the lakes.
Zone 5 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 5 is
Zone 5 is the south-eastern core zone, entered with zone 4. The route runs through Anantpura into the Kachida valley and on to Bakaula.
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
The most dramatic ground in the core: valleys walled by cliffs, dense forest in the folds and rocky tops. Water is in the valley pools rather than lakes.
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Check my date on WhatsAppLandmarks on the route
- Anantpura
- Kachida valley
- Bakaula
Wildlife our guides see in zone 5
Sloth bear are seen here more than in the lake zones; leopard use the cliffs; sambar and chital in the valley forest; and tigers, which use the valleys as corridors between the lakes and the outer park.
Tigers and zone 5
Zone 5 is tiger country without being lake country: the valleys are routes between territories, so sightings come in bursts rather than at a fixed waterhole. We suggest it for a second or third drive after the lakes. No tiger is listed as “zone 5’s”; ask us what has been seen.
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 5: 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 5 does not run on Wednesdays.
Photography in zone 5
High contrast: bright rock, deep shade. Expose for the animal, not the scene. Bakaula’s thick forest is dark even at midday.
Zone 5 questions
Can I book zone 5 by name?
Zone 5 is a core zone and is allotted among zones 1 to 5; we can request it through the choice option at the core price when seats are open for it on your date.
Is zone 5 good for a first safari?
We would give a first-timer the lakes (zone 2, 3 or 4) and keep zone 5 for a second drive: it is the most scenic core zone and very good for bears and leopards, but its tiger sightings are less predictable.
Is zone 5 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 4: Malik Talao and Lakarda · 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)
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