Jungle Safari
While the high Himalayas make up Nepal's northern region, the southern low land, known as the Terai, is covered with dense tropical jungles teeming with diverse wildlife and exotic birds. Here you will find some of the most exciting safari destinations in the world. You will be going into deep jungle on elephant back or four-wheel drive vehicle to view wild animals in their natural habitat. Other thrills are canoe ride, nature walks, birds watching excursions, and village tours and in the evening local Tharu people perform their cultural dance by the fire (depending on the lodge) or the expert naturalists introduce you with the history of parks, animals, birds etc through slide shows or orientation program. So JUNGLE SAFARIS in Nepal will provide you with thrilling experience as the national parks of Nepal are rated as probably the best parks in the Asia and in the World.
ACTIVITIES
Typical two-night/three-day jungle safari consists of the following activities. Special programs can be arranged with your tour operator.
Elephant Ride: The best and safest way to view wild animals is from the top of an elephant. Usually a number of elephants enter the jungle together.
Boat Ride: There are crocodiles in the rivers. Riding in a canoe allows you to see them from up close as they are sunning on the sandbanks. You will see a lot of water birds too.
Jeep Ride: Driving around the jungle in a jeep is another good (although noisy way to observe its denizens.
Jungle Walk: Walking in the forest puts you in the thick of things. Please note that it can be dangerous.
Bird Watching: A walkabout to view the colorful jungle birds is fun, even if you are no great enthusiast.
Village Tour: The Tharus are an indigenous people of the Terai plains. You can visit a Tharu village by ox-cart or on foot to observe their lifestyle.
WHERE TO GO
Chitwan: Located in south-central Nepal, the Royal Chitwan National Park consists of forests and grasslands. Animals include the rhino, tiger, wild elephant, antelope and hyena. Crocodiles, dolphins, cobras, kraits and pythons are also found here. There are 525 species of birds. Bharatpu, the gateway to Chitwan, is 146Km from Kathmandu or 313Km from Pokhara.
Koshi Tappu: Located in south-eastern Nepal, the Koshi Tappu Wildlife Reserve consists of wetlands and forests. Wild buffaloes, spotted deer and blue bulls are the common animals here. Dolphins and crocodiles are found in the river Koshi. It's a great place for bird watching (over 350 species).
Bardia: The Royal Bardia National Park is located in south-western Nepal. The animals to see here are mostly deer, tiger, rhino, leopard and wild elephant. Dolphins, crocodiles, a variety of snakes and over 400 species of birds are found here. To get there from Kathmandu, fly to Nepalgunj (one hour 10 minutes) and then drive 95Km (three hours). Kathmandu to Nepalgunj by bus is 531Km (12 hours)
Suklaphanta: Located in Nepal's south-western corner, this wildlife reserve contains the world's largest herd of swamp deer. Other animals seen here are wild boar, blue bull and hog deer. Tigers and wild elephants have also been sighted. Rani Tal (lake) is a great place for bird watching. Suklaphanta is accessible from Mahendranagar (695Km from Kathmandu, fly or drive)
ACCOMMODATION
You will be staying in resort hotels or tented camps, inside or near the jungle. The hotel will take care of all the arrangements like transport, accommodation, meals and guided tours. The safari is conducted by naturalist guides who will explain everything to you. It is necessary to follow their instruction. You have to understand that you are in an actual jungle where wild animals roam free. Therefore, proper precautions need to be taken.
CLIMATE
Safari parks are located in the southern tropical plains known as the Terai. October through April is pleasant. In the summer, the maximum temperature is between 40-50 degrees Celsius. The rainy season lasts from July to September.
Royal Chitwan National Park
Among the 14 national parks and wildlife reserves in the Kingdom, the Royal Chitwan National Parks (932 sq. Km) is the most popular safari destination. More than 43 species of animals are found in Chitwan. The endangered One Horned Rhino, Royal Bengal Tiger, Gharial Crocodile, four-horned antelope, striped hyena, and the Gangetic dolphin are the main attractions here. The best part is that it is close to Kathmandu and easily accessible (only 165 km over land), and Bharatpur airport adjoining the park is a mere 25 minute flight away (there are daily flights form Kathmandu). Many adventures also choose to go down by raft. However you go, a jungle safari is an experience you will remember for a long time.
The Normal program for Chitwan is for 2 nights and three days. From Kathmandu it takes only half and hour to reach the park by flight, 4 hours by car or 7 hours by raft. In fact rafting is the most thrilling way of reaching the park if you are not afraid of water and love adventure. The rafting river (TRISHULI) follows the road to Chitwan after 90 minutes of drive from Kathmandu.
The Standard Programs:
Your program start from your arrival in the lodge or resort you are staying in. After your arrival you are served with the hot lunch and after lunch, depending on the location of the resorts, you are taken for an exciting tour of elephant breeding centre or Tharu village walk or jungle ride.
You will be spending next full day in the park with activities like elephant back safari to view the animals, dug out canoe ride, bird watching tour, jungle walk, tharu village walk etc. In the evening the resort will organize you tharu cultural dance or slide shows or other forms of entertainment (depending on the lodges).
Next day waking up early in the morning you will proceed to jungle walk to encounter the animals and the birds early. After breakfast if you are traveling back to your destination transfer is provided or if you are extending the stay other program follows
Activities: Elephant ride, Jungle walk, Bird watching, Land rover drive, canoeing, Tharu cultural dance.
Accommodation:
The location of the hotels are at different parts of the park or inside of the park and outside the park. If you are looking for budget option or easy option you should head for Sauraha as the village is situated outside but at the central entrance gate of the park. There are lots of hotels/lodges in Sauraha so the accommodation will not be a problem. But Sauraha is now becoming concrete jungle with the ultra modern style hotels that does not suit the environment of the park. However there are some very good lodges which are built using local materials and are worth staying.
There are also some nice lodges and the resorts just outside the park boundary which provide good services and program. But if you are also looking for budget options we recommended the later option and there are plenty of budget lodges.
Access: 20 Minutes of flights from Kathmandu to Bharatpur and 45 minutes of drive from the Bharatpur will take you to the door of National Park. If you wish to travel by road it will take 6 hours from Kathmandu by normal car/coach.
Best season: October - May,
Koshi Tappu Wildlife Reserve
Situated in Eastern part of the country, Koshi Tappu Wildlife Resort covers
175sq.kms and it was established in 1976.
Rapid and complete inundation of the reserve to depth ranging from 10 to 300cms occurs during the monsoon. The Sapta -Koshi river also changes its courser from one season to another. The vegetation is mainly tall Khar -patter grassland with a few patches of Khair -sisso, scrub forest and deciduous mixed reverie forest.
The reserve offers important habitat for variety of wildlife. This reserve is one of the best habitats for bird in Asia (probably in the world). A Total of 280 different species of birds have been recorded here. These include 20 species of ducks, 2 species of ibises, storks, egrets, herons and the endangered swamp partridges and the Bengal Floricans. In the winter bird as far as from Siberia and Tibet come to stay in this reserve. So if you are looking for bird watching tour this may be the best option in entire Asia. That's why the reserve is called he bird watcher's paradise.
A trip to Koshi is best for at least 3 nights and from 3 nights it will be better to have as many times as you can manage to get into the deep grassland to view rare species of birds and animals.
The endangered gharial, marsh crocodile and Gangetic dolphin are also recorded in the river Koshi.
Activities: Game viewing, Bird watching.
Accommodation: Tented camp
Access: 45 Minutes of flights from Kathmandu to Biratnagar and 45 minutes of drive from the Biratnagar will take you to the door of National Park. If you wish to travel by road it will take 12 hours from Kathmandu by normal car/coach.
Best season: October - March, April to June (hot),July - Sep (rainy)
Royal Bardiya National Park
Situated at south eastern side of Nepal and close to the Indian border, the park (968 sq km) is the largest and most picturesque and unexplored national park in Asia. It consists of sal forests and tall grasslands. It is a regenerated habitat for endangered species like the rhinoceros, wild elephant, tiger, swamp deer, black buck, gharial crocodile and Gangetic dolphin. Cobras, kraits and pythons are also found here. Endangered birds include the Bengal florican, lesser florican, silver-eared mesia and Sarus crane. The local people are mainly Tharus.
Activities: Jungle safari on elephant-back, boat ride, jeep drive
Accommodation: Jungle lodges
Access: One hour of smooth flight to Nepalgunj and 4-5 hours drive from there will take you to the park. The park is best known
for the largest wild tusker in Asia. The other activities in the park include, rafting, Bird watching and Jungle excursionwith swimming and fishing.
Best season: Oct-Mar; Apr-Jun (hot, up to 45 degrees Celsius),Jul-Sep (rainy)
Park headquarters: Thakurdwara
It is better to plan the trip for at least 3 nights to Bardia National Park so as to view more wildlife and to get the maximum of the trip.
Royal Shukla Phanta wildlife Reserve
This Wildlife reserve (305 sq km) was until recently a royal hunting domain. It is dominated by sal trees associated with asna, semal, karma, khair and sissoo sub-species and phanta grasslands, A prime habitat for the swamp deer, it is also home to the wild elephant, tiger hispid hare, blue bull, leopard, chital, hog deer and wild boar, along with over 300 species of birds. Reptiles include the marsh mugger, Indian python, monitor lizard, cobra, krait and rat snake.
Activities: Wildlife viewing on elephant-back
Accommodation: Jungle lodges
Access: Fly or drive to Mahendranagar (695 km from Kathmandu)
Best season: Feb-Mar (22-25 degrees Celsius); Dec-Jan (cold, foggy),Apr-Jun (hot, up to 42 degrees)
Reserve headquarters: Majhgaon, Kanchanpur
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