A completely different pace from the tiger safari — a quiet boat ride down the Chambal River, one of India’s cleanest, past basking gharials, marsh crocodiles and, if you’re lucky, the endangered Ganges river dolphin.
What you can see
- Gharials — a critically endangered, narrow-snouted crocodilian, often seen basking in groups on sandbanks.
- Marsh crocodiles (muggers) — the broader-snouted crocodile also found in Ranthambore’s own lakes.
- Ganges river dolphins — shy, but genuinely present in this stretch of river.
- Riverine birdlife — skimmers, terns and a wide range of waterfowl along the banks.
Good to know
The Chambal safari runs on quiet motorboats for one to two hours and makes an excellent half-day add-on between tiger safaris, or an alternative activity during the hottest midday hours in summer.