This very large wild park (932 square km) situated in the region called Terai, in Nepal’s south hilly area, is house to a great variety of tropical flora and fauna.
Reaching Chitwan
the Park is well connected by a relatively comfortable road to both Kathmandu and Pokhara and there are many companies running tourist buses that leave in the morning around 7am and reach the Park around 1 pm (coming from Pokhara) or 2 pm (coming from Kathmandu). An interesting way to reach Chitwan is also by one or two days rafting; we specially recommend the 2 days rafting along the beautiful Seti river that starts near Pokhara and finishes around an hour driving distance from Chitwan.
Accommodations
Outside the Park: at the outskirt of Chitwan lies a beautiful village called Sauraha, right at the bank of a large river. Here numerous hotels and resort have been built and they specialize in conducting activities inside the jungle and excursions around the villages.
Inside the Park: here too there are numerous accommodations, mostly consisting of bungalows and tented camps. These are in general more expensive than the hotels outside the Park but offer a quieter environment and in general higher chances to see wild animals.
Jungle activities
The typical activities conducted inside the park are the elephant ride, the canoe trip on the river followed by a jungle walk in the grassland, and there is also a possibility, but only in certain periods of the year, to go for a jeep ride that brings one more deep inside the park.
If staying in Sauraha, one can make a visit to the elephant breeding center, roam the nearby villages by hiring a bicycle or visit the tiny Tharu museum that showcase the simple life style of the indigenous people, the Tharus.
As everywhere else in Nepal, our agency has selected a few hotels and resorts, both inside and outside the park, that provide very good services for their costumers. We offer packages of various length to suit the different needs and desires, but in general we advise to dedicate to the Park a period of no less than 4 days/3 nights, since travelling to and from the Park takes 6 to 8 hours.
Please feel free to contact us for more detailed information about our selected accommodations and in depth information about all jungle activities.
Bardia National Park
Established in 1984, this park is situated in Nepal’s western Terai. It covers 968 sq. km. The park offers a variety of experiences in its vast undisturbed wilderness. About 70% of the forest consist of sal trees (which are used for the beautifully carved windows in Kathmandu) with a mixture of grassland and riverine forest. The park is home to endangered animals such as the Bengal tiger, wild elephant, and great one-horned rhinoceros, swamp deer, and black buck. Other endangered species include gharial crocodile, marsh mugger and Gangetic dolphin, 200 species of birds and several species of snakes can also be seen in the park. Certain ethnic groups live in the park as well and you can experience their culture and traditions.
Activities to Do
Elephant Back Safari:
An elephant back ride is one of the safest ways to enter the jungle and see the wildlife. It is an exciting, never to be forgotten experience. Elephants are the traditional means of exploring the jungle and finding the excusive animals of the Terai.
Canoeing:
A typical hand-made dugout canoe will take you for a ride on the great Rapti River where you can see gharials and crocodiles basking in the sun and enjoy watching the many colorful birds.
Jungle Drive:
You can have the unique experience of driving deep into the jungle in a 4wd jeep. (January to May only)
Jungle walk:
You can enjoy a natural walk in the jungle in safety accompanied by our well-trained naturalist who will interpret the hidden secrets of the land as you walk through ancient groves or perch in a strategically located watch tower (Machan) to observe animals grazing, drinking at polls, or resting in the bushes.
Bird watching:
Birds lovers will have a wonderful opportunity to see many species of birds in the early morning as the new day dawns.
Tharu village visit:
This tour is especially for those guests who are keen to experience the typical local life of Tharus, the ancient native people of the Chitwan jungle.
Folk Dance:
After a delicious buffet dinner we entertain you with stick dance and folk song and give you an opportunity to dance with the native people.
Ox-card ride:
For those who love old ethnic traditional way of transport, we have an ox-cart that will give you an experience of the unique mode of transport while riding on the old dirt road of the near by Tharu village.
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