Jaipur: Jhalana Leopard Safari & Shikaar Audhi Hunting Lodge

Spotting leopards in a reserve that was once a royal hunting ground

You ride an open-air gypsy through a 20-square-kilometer reserve hosting 30+ leopards, guided by a forest expert who reads the landscape for wildlife. You stop at Shikaar Audhi, a three-storeyed hunting lodge built for maharajas, now a platform for spotting animals and watching light move across the reserve. Choose between early morning (6:45–9:30 AM) or late afternoon (3:30–6:15 PM) depending on when you want to be there. Permits, guide, water, and jeep are all included. If permits run out, you're rescheduled or moved to Amagarh safari instead.

Step-by-step itinerary

Jhalana Leopard Conservation Reserve Safari

• Arrive at Jhalana Reserve, Jaipur
• Explore wildlife in open-air gypsy
• Spot leopards and other animals
• Enjoy bird watching in reserve
• Visit Shikaar Audhi hunting lodge
• Use animal-spotting platform for sunset

The experience

Hands grip the metal rail of an open-air gypsy as it rolls into Jhalana Leopard Conservation Reserve at first light, or late afternoon, depending on which slot you choose. The driver cuts the engine. Your guide, a forest expert who knows these 20 square kilometers by heart, points toward a rocky outcrop where a leopard might be resting. The reserve holds more than 30 leopards and 5 cubs right now, though spotting them is never guaranteed. That's what makes the search real. You're moving through what used to be a hunting ground for Rajasthan's maharajas, and the landscape still feels like it belongs to them: dry scrub, boulders, the occasional call of a Blue Bull or a Striped Hyena cutting through the quiet.

The gypsy stops at Shikaar Audhi, the three-storeyed hunting lodge sitting in the middle of the reserve itself. It's not a place to stay. It's a platform to stand on, to watch the light change across the reserve from somewhere the royals once stood. If you're there for sunrise or sunset, the colors flatten everything into silhouette: the hills, the scattered trees, the animals moving below. The lodge has its own animal-spotting platform, and the timing matters: morning safaris run 6:45 AM to 9:30 AM, evening ones from 3:30 PM to 6:15 PM. Pick whichever fits your day, but know that light and temperature shift what you'll see. A Spotted Owlet might call from a branch at dusk. An Indian Pitta moves through the undergrowth at dawn. The reserve is thick with birds if you're watching for them: Dusky Eagles, various owls, species most city visitors never hear named.

The Jhalana Safari Leopard Conservatory also holds Desert Foxes, Golden Jackals, Rhesus Macaques, Bengal Monitors, Porcupines, Chital deer, and Indian Palm Civets. Your guide will point out tracks and scat, explain which animal made which mark, read the reserve like a text. Permits are government-controlled and sometimes run short. If that happens on your date, the operator switches you to Amagarh safari, which runs a similar experience elsewhere in Jaipur: no refund, but you reschedule or take the alternative. It's worth knowing upfront so there's no surprise at pickup. Bottled water and juice come with you. The jeep transportation and all fees are locked in.

What’s included

• All government permits for the Jhalana Leopard Conservation Reserve.
• jeep transportation in an open-air gypsy.
• a guide and forest expert.
• bottled water and juice pack.
• all fees and taxes.

Options for this experience

2 options

Up to 15 per booking · Guide in English or Hindi07:00 and 15:00

Up to 6 per booking · Guide in English or Hindi07:00 and 15:00

You pick the guide language when booking.

You see the exact price of each option when you check availability.See dates & prices

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDepartures at 07:00 and 15:00

AgesAdult (18 to 75 years) · Under 18: can't be included in the booking

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.Operator's directions: “The meeting point will be shared after the booking and pickup can be arranged from any place as per customer requirement at an additional cost.”

Cancellation and refundsNo refund if you cancel.It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated 15 days ago

Good to know

Easy physical levelInfants must sit on laps

Operated by BanBanjara

Is this one for you?Book this if you want to search for leopards in a working reserve without arranging permits or transport yourself: the fixed time slots and included guide mean you show up and the safari starts on schedule.

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Top questions

What languages is the guide in?

Live guide in English and Hindi.

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. No refund if you cancel.

How long is the safari?

The morning slot runs 6:45 AM to 9:30 AM (2 hours 45 minutes). The evening slot runs 3:30 PM to 6:15 PM (also 2 hours 45 minutes).

Can I see leopards on this safari?

The reserve holds more than 30 leopards and 5 cubs, but sightings are not guaranteed. Your guide is a forest expert trained to track them, but wildlife spotting depends on animal movement and timing.

What other animals might I see?

The reserve is home to Striped Hyenas, Desert Foxes, Golden Jackals, Blue Bulls, Rhesus Macaques, Bengal Monitors, Porcupines, Chital deer, Indian Palm Civets, and many bird species including Indian Pittas, Dusky Eagles, Owls, and Spotted Owlets.

What is Shikaar Audhi?

A three-storeyed hunting lodge built for the Maharajas of Rajasthan, located in the middle of the reserve. It has an animal-spotting platform where you can watch wildlife and enjoy sunrise or sunset views.

What happens if permits are unavailable?

If Jhalana permits run out, you'll be rescheduled for another date or offered Amagarh safari, which offers a similar experience in Jaipur. No refund is issued, but you can choose to reschedule instead.

What's included in the safari?

All government permits, jeep transportation, a guide and forest expert, bottled water, juice pack, and all fees and taxes.

Is this suitable for children?

Yes. Infants must sit on an adult's lap. The safari is suitable for all physical fitness levels.

Which time slot is better for wildlife spotting?

Both morning and evening have active wildlife. Morning (6:45–9:30 AM) is cooler and often productive. Evening (3:30–6:15 PM) offers sunset light and different animal activity. Choose based on your preference.