Chitwan National Park
Chitwan National Park the oldest national park in Nepal, is situated in the subtropical inner Terai lowlands of South Central Nepal. The park has an area of 932 square kilometers. The park was designated as a World Heritage Site in 1984. The park is just a short detour off the Prithvi Highway. The name Chitwan means heart of the jungle. In recent years has park has risen meteorically on the lists of the Things to do in Nepal.
The park covers a pristine area with a unique ecosystem of significant value to the world. It contains the Churiya hills, ox-bow lakes and flood plains of Rapti, Reu and Narayani rivers. The Sal forests dominate the vegetation of the park. The grasslands form a diverse and complex community with over 50 species, the Sacchurun species, often called elephant grass, can reach 8m in height. The park boasts of more than 43 species of mammals, 45 species of amphibians and reptiles and 450 species of birds in the park. The park is renowned for endangered animals along with many other common species.
Chitwan National Park Programs:
1. Chitwan at Glance – 01 Night 02 Days
2. Close up Chitwan – 02 Nights 03 Days
3. Explore Chitwan – 03 Nights 04 Days
THE WILDLIFE
Here where the famous elusive Royal Bengal Tiger prowls and the endangered Great One- Horned Rhinoceros you will also fine leopards, sloth bear bison, wild boar, dear monkey, crocodiles, pythons, freshwater dolphins and many other smaller animals and reptiles. For the bird watcher, it is a paradise island with over 450 species of exotic birds, many of which are migratory making Chitwan their winter home.
At Chitwan are a major attraction for all tourists. The elephant back safari through the park to see the animals is a special attraction. A canoe ride on the Rapti river with crocodiles passing by is unmistakably the greatest jungle experience. Visits to the elephant breeding farm, Tiger Tracing, Elephant Tracing, Jungle/Nature Walk, Bird Watching, Jeep Safari, Camping, Fishing, Study Tour, Cultural Tour, Hiking, Visit to Crocodile Breeding Center, Village Tour, Cultural Programme, the Tharu village and early morning bird watching And More… would leave you with memories to last forever.
Wildlife Activities
Other places to visit around Chitwan are: Ghatgain, Jagatpur, Twenty Thousand Lakes (Bis Hazar Taal) and Meghauli.
Accessibilities
Getting to the Park The many ways from Kathmandu to the Royal chitwan National Park are great thrills in themselves.
By Road:
The Six hour drive on the Kathmandu-Narayanghat Highway follows the Trisuli River or six hour drive on the Pokhara – Narayanghat Highway both offering you a continually changing landscape from the mountains of Himalayas to the plains of Terai through colorful Tharu Villages.
By Raft:
One of the most exciting ways to travel to the Park is to raft down the Trisuli River (from Kathmandu ) or Seti River (from Pokhara). For two or more days you can float down the river experiencing its numerous rapids and seeing a variety of village life, flora and funa along its banks.
By Air:
A 20 minute flight will bring you From Kathmandu to Bharatpur or Megauli where you will be meet by our naturalist and will be taken to the Park. If you are in a group there are charter flight from Pokhara, Biratnagar (Koshi Tappu), Bhairawa (Lumbini), Nepalgunj (Bardia).
What to bring with you?
1. Binoculars
2. Sun Hat and Sun Cream
3. Swim Wear
4. Light Clothes; Color should blend with natural surroundings
5. Light sweater or jacket for mornings and evenings during the winter season (Dec to Feb)
6. Shoes for easy movement
7. Flashlight
8. Swiss knife
9. Reading books
Accommodation
Several, well managed, jungle camps are available which offer tourists comfortable accommodations, elephant rides to view wildlife, canoeing and nature walks with highly trained naturalists. It is easy to fly, drive, bus or even raft to most of them and all you need is three days to sample the excitement of being in a true jungle wilderness. Excellent package tours, which include air/ground transportation, accommodation, safaris, and other jungle activities, are available.
The following package programme are suggested for Royal Chitwan National Park.
Itinerary: Chitwan at Glance (01 Night 02 Days)
Day 01 : arrival in Chitwan. visit Tharu village and National Park’s visitors’ center. Sun set view from the riverbank. Tharu dancing programs or slides-show on wildlife .Overnight in bungalow
Day 02 : Elephant Back Safari, Departure to onward destination. or your next journey.
Itinerary: Close up Chitwan (02 Nights 03 Days)
Day 01 : arrival in Chitwan. visit Tharu village and National Park’s visitors’ center. Sun set view from the riverbank. Tharu dancing programs or slides-show on wildlife. Overnight in bungalow.
Day 02 : At morning. Dugout canoe trip followed by a Nature Walk program or visit to the Elephant Breeding Farm.Take an ox-cart ride or jeep drive Elephant Back Safari programs.Overnight in bungalow.
Day 03: At morning go for bird watching tour. Departure to onward destination.or your next journey.
Itinerary: Explore Chitwan (03 Nights 04 Days)
Day 01 : arrival in Chitwan. visit Tharu village and National Park’s visitors’ center. Sun set view from the riverbank. Tharu dancing programs or slides-show on wildlife. Overnight in bungalow.
Day 02 : At morning. Dugout canoe trip followed by a Nature Walk program or visit to the Elephant Breeding Farm.Take an ox-cart ride or jeep drive Elephant Back Safari programs.Overnight in bungalow.
Day 03: At morninggo for bird watching tour. Leisure till noon . Afternoon Jungle Safari excursion by Jeep or bicycle ride to “Twenty Thousand Lakes or an additional Elephant ride program in Baghmara or Kumroj forest adjoining to National Park. Or A whole day trek in the dense jungle of Chitwan National Park Overnight in bungalow.
Day 04: Departure to onward destination or your next journey.
Given itineraries are tentative and subject to change depending on time factor, weather conditions and park’s policy. The total quality of program remains unchanged even in the case of alteration. Our Manager will brief you every evening about the following day’s activities.
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Chitwan National Park
The Park is spread over an area of 932 sq kms and located in the lowlands of the kingdom. The forest cover is predominantly sal, interspersed with tall grasslands, small bills, ox- bow lakes and flood plains. The best time to visit Chitwan is from October through February, when the temperature averages 25 degrees Celsius. The months of March – June can be extremely hot, while July- September is the monsoon season when rivers swell and parts of the park are inaccessible.
What To Bring ?
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Chitwan National Park is the most popular destination for tourists wanting to have a good experience of the region’s wildlife. It was declared a National Park in 1973. In 1984, UNESCO designated it as a Natural World Heritage Site. The Park offers protection to 50 species of mammals including the one-horned rhinoceros, Bengal tiger, leopard, sloth bear, wild elephant, striped hyena, Gangetic dolphin and wild bison. There are an estimated 50 species of mammals, over 526 species of birds, 126 species of fish,150 species of butterflies and 49 species of reptiles in the park! A recent study also points out that over a third of Nepal’s tigers are in Chitwan.