Itinerary
Day 01: Arrival in Chitwan
Upon arrival at the bus park or airport (airport transfer costs additional fee), you are received by our local representative and you are transferred to the resort. Check in resort and after some rest, lunch will be served. After lunch, we will visit Tharu Village. Tharus are aboriginal inhabitant of Chitwan National Park whose lifestyle remains unchanged over hundreds of years. We will also visit the museum that has vast collection of arts and artifacts belonging to Tharu culture. We will also visit Park information Center and acquire information about the history, flora and fauna of the park.
In the evening, we will enjoy Tharu cultural program before dinner. Overnight bungalow or safari tent.
Day 02: Jungle Safari rides
After breakfast, we embark on dug out canoe trip in Rapti River of Chitwan National Park which offers opportunity to see the crocodiles. Chitwan National Park has two kinds of crocodiles-Marsh Muggar and Gharial. Our nature guide will also point out various residential and migratory aquatic birds of Chitwan National Park. The canoe ride lasts for about 45 minutes and then, we are picked up by jeep and we will visit Elephant Breeding Farm where we will get opportunity to see young elephants. We will also learn how elephants were captured in the wild, trained and tamed to work for the benefits of human being. We will ride through the villages and arrive resort around noon.
After lunch, we will embark on elephant back safari. Mounted high on the elephant back, we will venture into the dense forest of Chitwan National Park and we will be all the time on the lookout for the animals. The most commonly sighted animals are Rhinoceros, deer, monkeys, wild boar etc. The elephant ride lasts from 1 to 2 hour. When we return to our accommodation, it will be late afternoon. After tea coffee, you can stroll through the village and interact with the local. Overnight bungalow or tented accommodation.
Day 03: Departure
Before breakfast, we will take one hour long nature and birding tour. We will be accompanied by our nature guide, equipped with binocular and bird guide book. We will also get opportunity to learn the names and medicinal values of some local herbs. We will return to our camp or resort and have our breakfast. Now, its time for our departure from Chiwan. We are transferred to the bus park or airport for our trip back to Kathmandu or Pokhara.
Cost Includes
Round trip transfer from buspark
Bungalow accommodation or tent on twin sharing basis
3 meals a day
Chitwan National Park Admission Fee
All jungle safari activities as listed in the itinerary
Service of English speaking Naturalist
Cost Does Not Include
Transportation to Chitwan and return from. ( Approximately US$ 20 per person by tourist coach, US$ 250 roundtrip for a sedan car, US$ 125 per person by flight)
Extra expenses of personal nature such as drinks, tipping, laundry etc
Extra expenses or loss due to nature and unforeseen events such as flight cancellation, road blockade, illness, accident etc
Travel health insurance
Climate
Chitwan has a range of climatic seasons each offering a unique experience. October through February with average temperatures of 25 °C (77°F) offer an enjoyable climate. Winter lasts from October to the end of February. Migratory birds join the residential birds and create spectacular bird watching opportunities between September and November and February and April,. The northern winds are cool, coming down from the mountains, and this is the best time of the year to see the Great Himalayan Range, the air being particularly clear in November.
January is the coldest month, with temperatures falling almost to freezing-point, especially when it rains. From late November the relative humidity touches 100 percent in the mornings, and so there is dewfall during December and January nights and sometimes when you hear the drips pouring off the trees in the morning, it is often mistaken for rain. After an especially cold morning it is hard to believe that the temperature will rise to 20-25 Celsius in the afternoon.
In late January, local villagers are allowed to cut thatch grasses to meet their needs, which offer a better viewing of wildlife for visitors. While the monsoon rains bring lush vegetation, most trees flower in late winter. The palash tree, known as the "flame of the forest' and silk cotton tree have spectacular crimson flowers that can be seen from a distance.
What to Bring
Although the Terai can be cool during the winter, It can be stiflingly hot during the summer months. If you are headed there in winter, bring along a sweater or jacket. Summer months require cool clothes, good walking shoes, shady hat and sunscreen; Make sure your clothes are in colors-like brown and green-that help you blend into the background.
Carry along some mosquito repellant, anti-diarrhea tablets and anti-histamines. Meanwhile, along with photo equipment, a pair of binoculars will prove invaluable. If you are closer to the monsoon months, carry some water proof jackets and an extra pair of shoes. Just in case.
The Terai jungles are also famous for leeches that appear in the monsoon and are around for a few months after, Salt or a lighted cigarette will make them fall off, do not pull them off as the wound may get infected. Try an insect repellant to keep them away.
Park Facilities
The Park offers interesting sites and activities. The display at the visitor centre at Sauraha provides fascinating information on wildlife and conservation program. The women's user groups' souvenir shop offers a variety of handicrafts and other local products for gifts and souvenirs.
Elephant safari provides opportunity to get a closer view of the endangered one-horned rhinoceros. One may also get a glimpse of the elusive Bengal tiger. The Elephant Breeding Center at Khorsor, Sauraha gives you information on captive elephant and the calves born there.
The museum at Kasara, the Park headquarters, has informative displays- near the HQ visitors can see Bikram Baba, a Hindu religious site of archival value. A short walk (1km) from the Park HQ will take you to the Gharial Breeding Center, which is also a home to the Marsh mugger, gharial crocodiles and other turtles.
Inside the Park, there are 7 resorts run by Park concessionaires that can provide lodging and access to wildlife activities. Various resorts and lodges situated outside the park also offer variety of services.
How to get to Chitwan?
From Kathmandu: There are daily flights between Kathmandu and Bharatpur Airport of Chitwan which takes mere 25 minutes. From the airport, your lodges inside the Park or in Sauraha Village are 30-45 minutes drive. There are also daily tourist buses from Kathmandu to Chitwan which takes about 6 hours. You can also book a private car with driver and take the trip at your pace. By private car, it takes about 4-5 hours.
From Pokhara: From Pokhara, you can take public bus (5-6 hours) or private car (4 hrs)
Coming by rafting: From rafting take out point, your lodge at Chitwan National Park will lie in a distance of about one hour. You can arrange a private car to pick you up at take out point or rafting crews will put in a bus and you will get off at Narayangarh or Tadi Bazaar depending on which lodge you have chosen for. Local guide will pick you up at the bus park and will transfer you to the resort.
Coming from Lumbini: From Lumbini, Chitwan National Park is about 4 hrs drive to the east.
Coming from the east: If you are entering Nepal from the east, you should catch a bus that heads to Kathmandu but you will get off at Tadi Bazaar where we can arrange our guide to pick you up and transfer to the hotel.
