This hilly, densely forested sanctuary extends over some 600 sq km. It’s known for its leopards and wolves, although the chances of spotting antelopes, gazelles, deer and possibly sloth bears are higher, especially from March to June.

You will certainly see some of the sanctuary’s 200-plus bird species. There’s a ticket office for the sanctuary right beside where the bus drops you off for the Ranakpur Jain temples. The sanctuary is a home to a variety of species of animals and provides a natural abode to creatures like Wolf, Leopards, Sloth Bear, Hare, Jackal, Sambhal Nilgai, Chausingha (four-horned antelope), Chinkara and Jungle cat. It is, in fact, the only sanctuary in the state where you can see a Wolf in its natural habitat. In summers, you can easily spot a pack of wolfs casually strolling in the park. The sanctuary is a home for about 40 such wolfs. Crocodiles and waterfowl can also be located at Thandi Beri Lake.

Kumbhalgarh Wildlife sanctuary also houses an excellent variety of birds. You can see Peacocks, Doves, Grey Jungle Fowl, White Breasted Kingfisher, Parakeets, Red spur Owls, Bulbul, and Golden Oriole. A total of more than 200 species of birds are found in the sanctuary. The sanctuary mainly consists of a variety of herbal flora like Dhok, Salar, Khair and Churel The 15 km long safari from Kumbhalgarh to Thandi beri is the most popular jeep safari in the Sanctuary. It takes around 3.5 hours to get to Thandi Beri and back. There is a four wheel drive track within the sanctuary. Several hotels at Kumbhalgarh and also in the vicinity at Kotri, Ghanerao, Narlai and Ranakpur organise a jeep or horse safari.

The horse tracks include routes from Kumbhalgarh to Ghanerao via Thandi Beri; Thandi Beri to Sumer, Ranakpur to Thandi Beri; and Roopanmata to Ranakpur. On the way, if one is fortunate, leopards, bears and sambar can be seen roaming around in their natural habitat. You can also visit the Jain Temple at Ranakpur, located at the end of the sanctuary.

Safari Cost: INR 2500 per Jeep for 6 Persons The hilly terrain of the sanctuary is ideal for trekking expeditions. One popular trail in the sanctuary is the Tirthankar Natural Trail. The 3.7-km long trail is an ode to the Jain Tirthankaras and is also representative of an ideal Aravalli ecosystem. Various plants under which Jain Tirthankaras achieved enlightenment are planted on the sides of the trail.

Other popular trails are Kumbhalgarh to Thandi Beri (14 km), Roopnagar to Sumer (98 km), Ranakpur to Ranakpur (15 km), Ranakpur to Kumbhalgarh (25 km), Malgarh to Magga (8 km), Roopanmata to Ranakpur (30 km) and Ranakpur to Thandi Beri (15 km). The entry permit that you received while paying the entry fee is the only document required to do the trekking in the sanctuary. Kumbhalgarh Fort: Apart from the sanctuary you can visit the Kumbhalgarh fort, about 2 km away. It happens to be the second most impressive fort in all of Mewar, after the Chittorgarh Fort. The magnificent fortress houses many palaces and temples which are of great antiquity and interest. One of the important among them is Badal Mahal or Cloud Palace at the top of the fort which offers a scenic beauty of the countryside.

Joba Wolf Point: Another point of interest in the Sanctuary is the Joba wolf point. It is situated about 7 km from Sadri near Joba Village. This is a wolf habitat. It is set in the foothills near the Muchala Mahaveer Temple.The 500 hectares of the forest here is home to the Indian wolf.

Ranakpur Jain Temple: The sanctuary is near the famous Ranakpur Jain Temple. The glorious temple complex is one of the largest and most important of all Jain temples in India. This temple is dedicated to Jain guru Adinath. There are two other Jain temples and a Sun temple nearby.

1. Entry permit to the sanctuary is required for the trek.
2. Forest guards to accompany you on the treks can be hired (INR 200-500), or you can ask your travel agent to arrange a guide.
3. Carry your hat, sunglasses, food and water for the safari.
4. A few hotels can arrange Jeeps and horses for safari.
5. As people visit the place both for the sanctuary and fort, the peak season is very busy. So, it is advisable to make advanced bookings.
6. Forest guest house does not provide food, but you can request the caretaker to arrange. It is always recommended to carry your own stove or packed meals.
7. You must give a try to authentic Rajasthani thali offered at hotels. The sanctuary is located at a distance of 3 km from Kumbhalgarh Fort, 51 km from Nathdwara, 48 km from Rajsamand, and 98 km from Udaipur.

Since the Forest Department does not have its own vehicle, the visitors should hire vehicles from Kumbhalgarh or Kelwara. The sanctuary is easily accessible from Udaipur by bus or private taxi.