Kachida Valley, in the northern buffer zone of Ranthambore, is the best area in the park for leopard sightings. While tigers dominate the core zone around the lakes, leopards are more cryptic and generally range across the rockier terrain of the outer zones. Kachida's combination of ridges, ravines, and scrubby vegetation suits them perfectly.
The valley is covered by zones 6 and 7 and is less heavily booked than the core zones, which means more quiet time in the jungle and a better chance of watching wildlife undisturbed. Sloth bears are also regularly encountered here, particularly in the early morning. If you are on a multi-day trip, it is worth requesting at least one safari in this area as a contrast to the lakes.