Permit guide · Official MP Forest portal
A clear, step-by-step guide to booking a Ratapani jungle safari: the official online portal, gate quotas, full-vehicle and single-seat fees, timings, documents and tips to make your permit count.
Jhiri and Delawadi safaris are booked on forest.mponline.gov.in or at the gate; Bhimbetka gate is offline only.
Each round has only a handful of online vehicles per gate, so weekends and holidays fill quickly.
Carry the same ID you entered while booking. Names must match exactly.
A forest guide accompanies each safari; the guide fee is part of your permit cost.
Follow these steps on the Madhya Pradesh Forest Department’s official booking portal.
Go to forest.mponline.gov.in, the Madhya Pradesh Forest Department’s booking site, and choose Ratapani Tiger Reserve. Avoid unofficial look-alike sites.
MP OnlinePick Jhiri or Delawadi gate. (The Bhimbetka gate cannot be booked online; book it at the gate on the day.)
Gate choiceSelect your date, the morning or evening round, and whether you want a full vehicle or a single seat in a shared vehicle.
Date & shiftAdd each visitor’s name, age, gender and photo ID details exactly as on the ID you will carry to the gate.
ID detailsPay online, then download the e-permit. Save a copy offline and carry a printout, as mobile signal is weak near the gates.
E-permitRatapani Jungle Safari is an information guide and does not sell permits.
Choose how you want to ride: a whole vehicle for your group, a single seat in a shared vehicle, or the Bhimbetka gate route.
Jhiri & DelawadiBook an entire registered safari vehicle for your family or group. The vehicle and guide fee is the same however many seats you fill.
Jhiri (online) & gateTravelling solo or as a couple? Book a single seat and share the vehicle and guide fee with other visitors.
Bhimbetka gateBooked only at the gate. Visitors may use their own vehicles on the permitted route, which pairs well with a visit to the rock shelters.
Official fees listed on the MP Forest Department portal for the Jhiri and Delawadi gates, per safari round.
| Fee item | Jhiri gate | Delawadi gate |
|---|---|---|
| Entry fee (full vehicle) | ₹750 | ₹750 |
| Vehicle fee | ₹3,000 | ₹2,600 |
| Guide fee | ₹480 | ₹480 |
| Total per full vehicle | ₹4,230 | ₹3,830 |
| Single seat entry (adult / child) | ₹125 / ₹65 | ₹125 / ₹65 |
| Single seat share of vehicle + guide | (₹3,000 + ₹480) ÷ n | (₹2,600 + ₹480) ÷ n |
Figures in Indian rupees as listed on forest.mponline.gov.in. “n” = number of seats sharing the vehicle. Fees are set by the Forest Department and may change; online payment charges may apply. Bhimbetka gate fees are paid at the gate.
Group of 6 at Jhiri
≈ ₹705
per person (₹4,230 ÷ 6)
Group of 4 at Delawadi
≈ ₹958
per person (₹3,830 ÷ 4)
Couple at Delawadi
≈ ₹1,915
per person (₹3,830 ÷ 2)
Two rounds run each day, morning and evening, following sunrise and sunset. Use these indicative windows to plan; the exact reporting time is printed on your permit.
Mid-October to February
Coldest early mornings in open vehicles; carry warm layers.
March to mid-June
Best season for sightings near water; mornings are cooler.
Mid-June to mid-October
The listed safari season is 15 Oct–15 Jun; routes may close for the rains.
Month-by-month weather and sighting guide: best time to visit Ratapani.
Gate staff check permits and IDs before the barrier opens. Missing paperwork can mean no entry.
Open safari vehicles are cold at dawn in winter and hot by noon in summer. Dress in layers.
Insider tips
Online quotas are only a few vehicles per round at each gate, so book as early as the portal allows for weekends, long weekends and summer holidays.
Permits cannot be transferred or edited. A spelling mismatch with an ID can cost you entry.
Book a morning and an evening round, or two days, to improve your chances of a tiger sighting.
Ratapani is a wild forest, not a zoo. These habits protect animals and make better sightings for everyone.
When your guide hears an alarm call, go quiet. Whispering keeps animals on their natural path.
Never step down or lean out near animals. Tigers ignore vehicles but react to people on foot.
Do not crowd, chase or block an animal’s path. Let it cross on its own terms.
No littering and no feeding wildlife, not even monkeys.
Safari fees, quotas and timings are set by the Madhya Pradesh Forest Department and can change. Always confirm on the official booking portal before you travel.
Jhiri, Delawadi or Bhimbetka? Compare distance from Bhopal, booking type, terrain and who each gate suits best.
Explore Ratapani safari gates