Kankwari Fort & Pandupol
Both sit inside Sariska's boundary and can be combined with a safari day rather than requiring separate travel.
The Destination
Discover Sariska.
Sariska is a working tiger reserve in the Aravalli hills of Rajasthan — forest, rock, grassland, resident and migratory birdlife, a Mughal-era fort inside its boundary, and villages and temples in the buffer around it. Sariska is about more than a tiger sighting: its birds, other wildlife, forests, hills, changing seasons and the small details of nature, with local culture, traditional Rajasthani food and the region's forts and temples nearby. This page is the honest, practical version of "should I go, and how" — the promotional version lives on the homepage.
Geography
Where Sariska sits, and what it actually is.
Alwar district, Rajasthan
Sariska lies in the Aravalli range, one of the oldest mountain systems in the world — low, weathered hills rather than dramatic peaks, which shapes the whole character of the terrain.
A protected tiger reserve
Sariska is a protected tiger reserve under India's Project Tiger. It's a working conservation landscape, not a managed enclosure — the distinction matters for what you can realistically expect to see.
Core and buffer zones
The reserve is divided into a protected core (where tourism safaris run under permit) and a buffer zone with more human activity — villages, grazing, some agriculture — around it.
Kankwari Fort & Pandupol
Kankwari Fort, inside the reserve, was reportedly used by Emperor Aurangzeb to imprison his brother Dara Shikoh. The Pandupol Hanuman temple, also within the reserve, draws its own visitors independent of wildlife tourism.
Dry deciduous & scrub-thorn forest
The habitat is mixed: dry deciduous forest, scrub-thorn terrain and open grassland, part of the wider Khathiar-Gir dry deciduous forest ecoregion — quite different from the wetter forests further south in India.
Alwar town, the gateway
Alwar is the nearest city and railway station, roughly 36km from the reserve — a working Rajasthani town with its own forts, step-wells and markets, not built around tourism the way Jaipur is.
Getting Here
How to reach Sariska.
The most common approaches, in practice.
~200 km
From Delhi & Gurugram
By road via NH48 and NH248A, roughly 3.5–4 hours depending on traffic and starting point. The most common route for weekend visitors. No direct train route is significantly faster once you count onward transfer time from Alwar.
~110 km
From Jaipur
By road, roughly 2–2.5 hours — the most natural add-on if you're already in or heading to Jaipur. Jaipur also has the nearest major airport for international arrivals connecting onward to Sariska.
~36 km
From Alwar
Alwar Junction is the nearest railway station, connected to both Delhi and Jaipur. From the station it's a short drive (roughly 45 minutes–1 hour) into the reserve area — ask us about arranging this transfer.
Drive times are estimates and vary with traffic, route and time of year — we'll confirm current best routing when you enquire with your dates.
Where to Stay
Stays near the reserve.
Ajay can help arrange the whole trip, including accommodation. These are the stays near Sariska he names as options to consider, listed from nearest to furthest.
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~4 km
Sariska Safari Lodge
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~4 km
Sariska Tiger Heaven
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~7 km
The Sariska Retreat
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~20 km
Tree and Tiger
Luxury Resort
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~28 km
Ratan Villas Sariska
Distances are approximate and were supplied by Ajay. Please confirm the location and travel details when planning your stay. Availability and prices are confirmed at enquiry.
Common Questions
Sariska, answered plainly.
Sariska Tiger Reserve sits in the Aravalli hill range in Alwar district, Rajasthan — about 200km southwest of Delhi and 110km north of Jaipur by road.
Core-area safaris are closed every Wednesday, and the core area is closed from 1 July to 30 September for the monsoon. During that period only the buffer-zone track to the Pandupole Hanuman Temple and the Bala Qila, Livari and Andhari gates remain open. Timings and availability can change, so we confirm the current position when you book.
Yes. Safari permits are issued by the Forest Department, and we arrange the booking for you. Once confirmed, permits are non-refundable and non-transferable under government policy. Fees are set and revised by the Forest Department, so we confirm current figures with you when you book. Forest Department safari permit fees are not included in our package prices and are payable separately at actual rates.
For permit issuance, a valid passport is required for foreign nationals, and an official government ID such as an Aadhaar or Voter ID card for Indian guests.
Demand for safari slots is high, especially during holidays. We recommend confirming your request at least 45–60 days in advance to improve your chances of availability, which is never guaranteed.
A jeep seats up to 6 guests and a canter up to 20. Ajay arranges private jeep (gypsy) and private canter bookings, subject to availability, and can help you choose between them.
In the event of heavy rainfall or sudden closures by the forest authorities, safari operations may be paused for safety.
No safari anywhere guarantees a sighting, and we won't tell you otherwise. Sariska is real, wild habitat — what you see depends on season, zone, weather and the animals themselves, not on us.
Yes — Ajay arranges complete trips, including accommodation, and can arrange transfers from Delhi, Gurugram, Jaipur, Alwar and Agra on a paid basis, subject to availability and quoted separately. Tell us your dates and group size when you enquire and we'll confirm the details with you.
Yes, particularly from Jaipur or Alwar. From Delhi or Gurugram a day trip is possible but tight — an overnight makes for a considerably more relaxed visit.
Plan Your Visit
Ready to see Sariska for yourself?
Tell us your dates and what you're hoping to experience, and we'll put together a realistic plan.