Terai & Wildlife · Nepal
The short version
Chitwan National Park was Nepal's first, established in 1973 and inscribed by UNESCO in 1984. It protects 952 sq km of sal forest, tall elephant grass and the floodplains of the Rapti, Reu and Narayani rivers at roughly 150 m elevation. It holds the country's biggest greater one-horned rhino population, with the last national count around 694 animals, plus a Bengal tiger population estimated near 128, sloth bear, gaur, gharial crocodile and more than 500 bird species. Activities run from Sauraha on the northern boundary: jeep safaris, guided walking safaris with two armed naturalists, and dugout canoe drifts on the Rapti. Elephant-back safaris have been phased out on welfare grounds and reputable operators no longer sell them. Tharu villages surround the park and stick-dance performances are a fixture of most evening programmes. Chitwan is hot — April and May regularly exceed 40 degrees Celsius — and parts of the park close during the monsoon floods.
Twelve months, rated honestly. We would rather lose a booking than sell you a month that does not work.
Three UNESCO squares, one lake and one jungle, at a pace that leaves room to breathe
From, per person
$620$735
$90/day
High. With roughly 694 greater one-horned rhino in a 952 sq km park, most guests on two or more safari activities see at least one, and sightings from the Rapti canoe are common. February to April is best because the grass has been cut. Tiger sightings are a different matter — perhaps one visitor in twenty gets one.
No, and you should not want to. Elephant-back safaris have been phased out on welfare grounds and responsible operators, including us, stopped selling them years ago. Jeep safaris cover more ground, and guided walking safaris with two armed naturalists get you closer to birds and smaller mammals than an elephant ever did.
Either a 20-minute flight to Bharatpur (BHR) plus a 30-minute drive to Sauraha, or five to six hours by road on the Prithvi and Mugling highways. Most itineraries drive it, because Chitwan sits roughly halfway between Kathmandu and Pokhara and the stop breaks a long transfer in two.
Not really. July to September brings heavy rain, flooded river crossings, leeches and closure of much of the park interior. Canoe trips are suspended when the Rapti runs high. The forest is beautifully green, but if wildlife is the point of the trip, move it to the October to April window instead.
Send us the days you have and what you care about. You will get a real itinerary with the exclusions spelled out, not a brochure.
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