Jungle Safari

Nepal’s jungles are the home to some of the most unique and rare animals in the world. The warm sub-tropical Terai region of Nepal; the plains in the southern part of the country contain an amazing variety of flora and fauna. In contrast to the cold environment of the northern mountain regions, the south of the country is a tropical jungle teeming with wildlife and numerous species of birds. The Royal Chitwan National Park is the most popular destination for those in search of jungle adventure. The Park is home to the Royal Bengal tiger, the one-horned Rhino, Gharial Crocodile, Sloth Bear, Langur Monkeys, Leopard, Wild Elephant, four kinds of Dear and over 250 species of exotic birds. Jungle tours on elephant back offer opportunities for close-up views of rhinos in their natural habitat. Boating on the rivers to view gharial crocodiles and jungle walks for birds watching are other thrilling activities here. Trained naturalist guides conduct the tours. Walks in the surrounding villages also provide a fascinating experience of the local Tharu culture. Accommodation ranges from basic to luxurious, with almost all the resorts built in traditional styles. They possess solar heated showers, a well-stocked bar to relax in, and friendly staff willing to share their knowledge of the jungle with you. Other than the monsoon months (July to September), a visit to the Chitwan National Park is possible at any time of the year. Access to the area is easy as it can be reached by plane or by bus from any one of the Nepal’s main cities. It’s even possible to raft down the Trisuli or Kali Gandaki rivers. The Royal Chitwan National Park provides an escape from the polluted atmosphere and the noise of the big cities and is a great place to relax in and experience something different after a strenuous trek.

Let Churen Himal Treks & Expedition be your guide to the sub-tropical jungles of southern Nepal. We offer jungle packages that include transportation, accommodation, and a variety of jungle activities including elephant ride, jeep safaris, canoeing and nature walk. You might have the thrill of catching a glimpse of the elusive Royal Bengal tigers of Nepal. Our packages include everything from jungle activities to accommodations to transportation to and from the parks. Just E-mail a message to us and we’ll take care of all the details. So come join us on the ultimate Nepal jungle safari.

CHITWAN NATIONAL PARK

Chitwan National Park (‘Chitwan’ means “in the heart of the jungle’) covers 932 sq. km. in the flat lowland region of southern Nepal. It is one of the most important sub-tropical parks on the Indian subcontinent with populations of the endangered Royal Bengal tiger, Greater One-horned rhinoceros, Gangetic dolphin (Platanista gangetica), Wild Asian elephant, Gaur, Golden Monitor lizard, Gharial crocodile and many more.

The Chitwan region has had a long history of conservation. For many years it was the Royal hunting grounds for the Kings and dignitaries of Nepal and therefore was not hunted by the general public. It did however become a favorite spot for big game safari hunters in the late nineteenth and early to mid-twentieth centuries. This was coupled with a surge in local human populations following the development of anti-malaria medicines in the mid-twentieth century. The long-term effect was a drastic decrease in jungle habitat and animal populations in the Chitwan valley as jungles were converted to farmland and big game were hunted and poached to dangerously low numbers. The falling rhino (less than 200) and tiger (less than 30) populations in the present park region, focused attention on the Chitwan region and in 1963 the southern two-thirds of the park were declared rhino sanctuary. With sanctuary status came the relocation of 22,000 people from the Chitwan valley and a moratorium on hunting. Since 1963 wildlife populations and ecosystems have been rebounding. In 1973 Chitwan became Nepal’s first National Park. The relatively pristine state of the modern park and its unique ecosystems prompted UNESCO to declare the park a World Heritage site in 1984.

How to Get there?

By Air :

There are daily flights from Kathmandu to Bharatpur.

By Road:

Chitwan is easily accessible from Kathmandu being well connected by national highway to Bharatpur and Saurana.

 

BARDIA NATIONAL PARK

The Bardiya National Park covers 968 sq. km./ 363 sq. mi. of the Terai in Nepal’s far-West, and is the largest and least-disturbed wilderness area in the Terai. It provides an excellent habitat for over 30 different mammal species, including the endangered Royal Bengal Tiger, One-horned Rhinoceros, Wild Elephant, Swamp deer, and Black buck. The Great One-horned Rhinoceros was successfully reintroduced to Bardiya from Chitwan in 1986. Herds of elegant black buck in the open grassland are a stirring sight unique to Bardiya. Other common animals found in the Park include the leopard and lesser cats, the blue bull (Nilgai), several species of deer, the langur and rhesus monkeys, sloth bear, and the wild boar. The open grasslands within the Park, locally known as phantas, are ideal for game viewing.

The Karnali, one of Nepal’s largest rivers, forms the western boundary of the park. The endangered Gangetic dolphin is often seen in its waters. Other endangered riverine species include the fish-eating Gharial and Marsh mugger crocodiles. The Karnali also offers excellent fishing for masheer, a large freshwater perch. Over 250 species of birds have so far been recorded in the Park, including the endangered Bengal and Lesser Floricans, Silver-eared Mesia, and the Sarus crane.

Bardiya National Park is situated in the mid far Western Terai,east of the Karnali river.

 

KOSHI TAPPU WILDLIFE RESERVE

Koshi Tappu Wildlife Reserve (175 km2) lies on the flood plains of the Koshi River. The rectangular – shaped Reserve is contained within the east and west embankments of the Koshi Barrage. Therefore, the entire Reserve is subjected to seasonal flooding during monsoon. This Reserve was gazette in 1976, and established mainly to preserve the habitats for the last remnant population of wild water buffalo in Nepal. In addition, there are larger ungulates such as Gaur, Nnilgai, Hog deer and Wild pig, and medium sized predators such as Fishing cat, Jungle cat, and civets. The Koshi River also supports sparse populations of endangered species such as the Gangetic Dolphin and Gharial.

The Koshi Barrage at the border of the east Nepal and India, was completed by the Koshi Project, a Government of India undertaking, in 1964 to contain the monsoon floods as they had become more devastating, and to irrigate farmlands, creating abundant marsh and littoral habitat making it Nepal’s most important wetland. At 75m elevation, the Koshi Barrage is one of the lowest area in Nepal with 14 species of birds found nowhere else in Nepal have been recorded. Because of its great wetland importance, the Government of Nepal acceded to Ramsar Convention in 1987, and thus Koshi Tappu has been included in the list of Wetlands in International Importance.

Because of open access to the Koshi Barrage area from India, Koshi Tappu Wildlife Reserve is equally threatened with wildlife-related damages. Also, herders from both India and Nepal have set their bases for cross-breeding their domestic herds with the wild buffalo for vigor and for fodder. Today, feral cattle in the Reserve outnumber wild buffaloes.Both feral and wild buffaloes raid crops by wandering as far as 10 km from the reserve boundary into farmlands. The high incidence of crop raiding, and ensuring conflict, is a cumulative action of over 100 wild buffaloes, some 500 feral water buffaloes, and over 7,000 cattle.

Access:

To reach Bardia, take the daily air flight or public day or night bus from Kathmandu to Nepalgunj , from where it is five hour drive by jeep to the camp area. This nature sanctuary is best visit from October to April however it is hot during the months from April – August.

What to see ?

Vegetation: The Park contains 70% of shore Robusta and the remaining 30% is covered with the balance mixture of grasslands and reverie woods.

Animals: The wild Boar, Hog Deer, Blue Bull, Porcupine, sloth bear, wild dog, Mongoose, civets, jungle cats, Rhesus Monkey, Barking Deer, Sambar Deer Otter, Jackal, Hyena, Common Leopard. Fishing cat, Langur Monkey etc. are commonly seen.

Birds: The Woodpecker (10 species), Heron (5 species), Bulbul (5 species), Dove (5 species), Egret (4 species), Parakeets, King fisher, Bee Eater, Barbet, Pigeion, Stork, Sunbird, Babbler, Warble, flycatcher and Bar-headed Goose are seen in this park.

When to visit?

The best seasons to visit the park are fall (October – November) and spring (mid February – April).

How to travel?

There is a daily domestic flight to Nepalgunj from Kathmandu Airport. This national Park can be reached by surface route only. So after reaching Nepalgunj, Public bus services wait us to the far west Terai.

 

Duration : 2 Nights 3 Days

Safari Package Includes ?

Accommodation in lodge or tented camp, all sightseeing and outings (as per specific itinerary provided for different packages), park entrance fees and all meals for the duration of the package tour.