Jhalana is a place where one can spot leopards in their natural habitat. As part of Project Leopard, it is India’s first leopard conservation reserve. Surrounded by the Aravalli Hills, this forest spans 20 square kilometres. The main attraction here is undoubtedly the leopards. According to estimates, Jhalana is home to around 40 leopards.
Apart from leopards, Jhalana is also inhabited by striped hyenas, jackals, jungle cats, spotted deer, sambar deer, nilgai, wild boars, monitor lizards, mongooses, and various species of snakes. Additionally, Jhalana serves as a significant haven for numerous rare bird species.
Jhalana can be described as an urban jungle, as it is a natural forest situated within the city limits of Jaipur.
Jaipur, famously known as the Pink City, is undergoing rapid urbanization and population growth, yet the leopards and other wildlife continue to thrive here, adapting to the pressures of their shrinking habitat.
The reserve shares its western and southern boundaries with densely populated areas such as Jawahar Nagar, Malviya Nagar, and Jagatpura. To the north of Jhalana lies the Amagarh Reserve Forest, separated from Jhalana by the bustling National Highway 11 (NH-11).
In 2022, the Rajasthan government declared Amagarh as a leopard reserve, which is located just 10 kilometres from Jhalana.
My experience at Jhalana
Last November, I booked both a morning and an evening safari at Jhalana. If there is an option for two safaris in a day, I strongly recommend making use of both.
Spotting wildlife is purely a matter of chance, depending on unpredictable factors such as animal movement, weather, time of day, and luck. If one safari does not yield any sightings, there is always a possibility of a sighting in the next one.
One of the key advantages of Jhalana is that leopards can be spotted even during the daytime. Unlike in other forests where these big cats are predominantly nocturnal and rarely seen by visitors, Jhalana offers daytime sightings more frequently.
Morning safari experience
The morning safari began at 7am in an open Gypsy (jeep). After the mandatory entry check at the gate, our vehicle proceeded into the forest. Along with me, there were three other travellers—Saumyadeep from Delhi, a couple from Uttar Pradesh, and a foreign visitor.
Jhalana Leopard Reserve | Gautam Bhaskar
Since it was early morning, the weather was quite chilly, making it a bit difficult for me to hold my camera steady. Jhalana is a dry deciduous forest, where the soundscape is dominated by chirping birds and the cries of peafowls and langurs as the safari moves deeper into the jungle.
The driver of our Gypsy kept a close watch on the ground, scanning for pugmarks, hoping to find signs of leopard movement.
Rana: the undisputed king of Jhalana
All the travellers were eagerly vying for a glimpse of one legendary animal—Rana, the dominant leopard of the park. The son of Bahadur, a former ruler of Jhalana, Rana is one of the most photographed leopards in the country.
Known for his calm demeanour and fearlessness toward tourists, he has no competition and rival to challenge him, as he reigns supreme as the apex predator of the park.
A disappointing morning
We traversed through the park, hoping to catch a glimpse of these spotted felines, especially Rana. We scanned every corner of the jungle with a fine-tooth comb, eager to spot the King of Jhalana. According to our gypsy driver, Rana had been sighted by tourists the previous day during both the morning and evening safaris.
However, luck was not on our side—we could only find his pugmarks imprinted on the safari trail, leading deep into a dense thicket. We remained hopeful of spotting him as we reconnoitred the areas frequented by him, especially the watering holes, but he eluded us.
The driver said he must have ascended the hilly terrain to rest for the whole day and would descend once darkness set in.
Not only did Rana elude us, but the other leopards did as well. During our search for leopards, some jungle denizens revealed themselves. Our first sighting was a male Nilgai, or blue bull, the largest antelope in Asia.
Female Nilgai are one of the primary prey species for leopards in this park. We spotted a herd of sambar deer, led by a stag, grazing vigilantly on the grasslands, followed by a few chital, also known as spotted deer.
Jhalana boasts a rich diversity of birdlife, and I encountered many species during my safaris.
During both safaris, I frequently spotted peacocks, jungle babblers, Eurasian hoopoes, black drongos, a grey francolin, an Eurasian Sparrow hawk and a pair of spotted owlets.
Jhalana’s captivating landscape includes cliffs, mountain valleys, grasslands, and tranquil forests. The forest floor and mountain base are predominantly covered with Babul trees. The mountain ranges are dominated by a single tree species, the Dhok tree, which thrives in extreme conditions and is known as the signature tree of the Aravallis.
However, the introduction of invasive species like Juliflora for firewood has proven detrimental to the ecosystem. The forest department is implementing measures to address this issue.
Flora, the leopardess
After completing the morning safari without spotting a leopard, I returned to my hotel. After having breakfast, I took a short walk around the hotel premises. On the lawn leading to the reception, I saw numerous lapwings and babblers browsing and pecking through the grass. It was indeed a visual treat.
I shared my morning safari experience with the hotel staff. One of them, Mr Sharma, mentioned that there had been instances where leopards were not sighted on both safaris. However, he assured me that I would see one during the evening safari.
After lunch, I headed for the evening safari. As usual, the booking office was crowded with tourists. It was amusing to see people from different countries here for the safari, highlighting the park’s popularity as a much sought-after tourist destination.
The evening safari began around 3.15pm. After completing the mandatory check at the entrance, our gypsy entered the park. Since I was the only solo visitor, I was fortunate to get a front seat. The driver (whose name I forgot), a young and knowledgeable guide, explained everything about the park—from its flora and fauna to its history.
He mentioned that Jhalana was once home to tigers before they were hunted to extinction. The last tiger was shot in 1948, paving the way for leopards to become the park’s dominant predators.
He also noted that while male leopards have no real competition, females or sub-adults occasionally face threats from striped hyenas. These scavengers are known to challenge leopards and have often succeeded in driving them away from their kills.
As usual, we scanned every corner of the jungle. Our first sighting of the evening safari was a male Nilgai. It was browsing the vegetation and briefly locked eyes with us before disappearing into the thicket. We continued moving through various zones in hopes of spotting a leopard. The driver frequently contacted other guides to check for any sightings. We scouted the area repeatedly before finally deciding to halt the gypsy near a watering hole.
Most of us felt slightly dejected, as we hadn’t seen a leopard yet. We rose from our seats and scanned the surroundings, keeping a close watch on the watering hole. Meanwhile, two chital stags were grazing nearby. One of them approached the water to drink while the other kept a watchful eye on the surroundings—just as we were doing.
Perhaps sensing the absence of predators, the deer remained completely unfazed. We maintained absolute silence, keenly listening for any alarm calls, especially from a sambar or chital. But none came.
Suddenly, the driver, determined to help us spot a leopard, pointed toward the hilly terrain behind us. I followed his gaze and saw a sleek figure with a long tail leaping across the rocks. Everyone had seen the movement, and with excitement, we realized—it was a leopard!
From the safari at Jhalana | Gautam Bhaskar
Its movements suggested that it was ascending the hill. Without wasting a second, the driver revved up the engine and drove toward the spot where the leopard was likely to emerge. He was right—there she was, gracefully descending the hillock, offering the tourists a sight to behold. As soon as it appeared, gypsies rushed in from all directions to catch a glimpse of the big cat.
The driver provided a detailed briefing about its profile. Her name was Flora—one of the oldest and most dominant leopardesses in the park. Over the years, she has given birth to numerous cubs, significantly contributing to the rise in Jhalana’s leopard population. She was among the first leopardesses to become accustomed to safari jeeps. Despite her age, she remains strong and is currently raising another litter of three cubs—a true legend of the park.
However, on this occasion, she was hesitant to pose for the cameras and hurried past our jeep. Fortunately, I managed to capture a couple of pictures of her, and my happiness was beyond words. Throughout my years of exploring various jungles, I had never seen a leopard in its natural habitat—this was my first-ever leopard sighting in the wild.
After enjoying that unforgettable moment, we continued our journey, still holding on to the hope of spotting Rana. We explored the farthest reaches of the park, but he remained elusive, avoiding all safari jeeps and tourists for the day.
Along the way, we came across an old, massive edifice standing deep in the heart of the jungle—‘Shikar Aodi,’ a testament to the royal hunting grounds of the past. As we moved further, we spotted some wildlife, including a herd of female nilgais and sambar deer grazing in the grasslands.
As the safari time was about to end and darkness began to set in, we drove towards the booking office, we made our way back to the booking office. Alighting from the jeep, I was overwhelmed with joy—never had I expected to see the park’s flagship predator in its element. That moment felt surreal.
Back at the hotel, I eagerly shared my leopard sighting with the staff, as they had assured me that I would see a leopard before I went for the evening safari.
I came to Rajasthan to visit two of the most sought-after tourist destinations in the world.
As someone with a deep passion for wildlife and nature, my experience in Jhalana was truly exhilarating and spellbinding. The sighting of a leopard and a nilgai—an antelope predominantly found in the jungles of central and northern India—felt nothing short of miraculous.
With a pleasant heart, I bid farewell to the Pink City and boarded a train to Sawai Madhopur, where a new adventure awaited me in Ranthambore with the majestic striped felines.
The writer is an HR professional.
