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Jungle Safari:
Nepal provides shelter to over 30 species of large wild animals and
approximately 180 species of mammals. The rare one-horned rhinoceros,
the Royal Bengal Tiger, crocodiles, snow leopards, red panda, Himalayan
lark bear and many other beasts are found in Nepal's jungles.
Nepal is also a haven for birds and over 800 species, representing
approximately 8% of the world's population, are found here. Nepal has
nearly as many bird species as the whole of North America.
Click on the thumbnails for a larger view
Chitwan National Park
Introduction:
Chitwan National Park stands today as a successful testimony
of nature conservation in South Asia. This is the first national park of
Nepal established in 1973 to preserve a unique ecosystem significantly
valuable to the whole world. The park covering a pristine area of 932
sq. km is situated in the subtropical inner Terai lowlands of southern
central part of Nepal. The park has gained much wider recognition in the
world when UNESCO included this area on the list of World Heritage Site
in 1984.
Formerly, the Chitwan valley was well known for big game and was
exclusively managed as a hunting reserve for the Rana Prime Ministers
and their guests until 1950. In 1963, the area south of Rapti was
demarcated as a rhinoceros sanctuary. In 1970, late King Mahendra had approved in principle the creation of Chitwan
National Park.
The park consists of churia hills, ox-bow lakes, flood plains of Rapti,
Reu and Narayani rivers. The Churia hill rises gradually towards the
east from 150 m to over 800 m. The lower but most rugged Someshwor hills
occupy most of the western portion of the park. The flood plains of
Chitwan are rich alluvial. The park boundaries have been delineated by
the Narayani and Rapti rivers in the north and west, and the Reu river
and Someshwor hills in the south and south-west. It shares its eastern
border with Parsa Wildlife Reserve.
Vegetation and Animals:
The Chitwan valley is characterized by tropical to subtropical forest.
70% of park vegetation is predominantly Sal ( Shorea robusta ) forest, a
moist deciduous climax vegetation type of the Terai region. The
remaining vegetation types include grassland (20%), riverine forest (7%)
and Sal with Chirpine ( Pinus roxburghii ) (3%), the latter occurring at
the top of the Churia range. The riverine forests mainly consists of
khair, sissoo and simal. The simal is with spiny bark when young and
develops buttress at the bottom in older stage. The grasslands form a
diverse and complex community with over 50 species. The Sacchrum
species, often called elephant-grass can reach 8 m in height. The
shorter grasses such as Imperata is useful for thatch roofs.
There are more than 43 species of mammals in the park. The park is
specially renowned for the protection of the endangered one-horned
rhinoceros, tiger, gharial crocodile along with many other common
species of wild animals. The estimated population of endangered species
of animals such as gaur, wild elephant, four horned antelope, striped
hyena, pangolin, gangetic dolphin, monitor lizard and python, etc.
Some of the other animals found in the park are samber, chital, hog
deer, barking deer, sloth bear, common leopard, ratel, palm civet, wild
dog, langur, rhesus monkey, etc.
There are over 450 species of birds in the park. Among the endangered
birds found in the park are Bengal florican, giant hornbill, lesser
florican, black stork and white stork, Few of the common birds seen are
peafowl, red jungle fowl, and different species of egrets, herons,
kingfishers, flycatchers and woodpeckers. The best time for bird
watching is March and December.
More than 45 species of amphibians and reptiles occur in the park and
some of which are marsh mugger crocodile, cobra, green pit viper and
various species of frogs and tortoises.
The park is actively engaged in the scientific studies of several
species of wild flora and fauna.
Seasons:
The park is under the tropical monsoon climate with relatively high
humidity. The winter, spring and monsoon are the three main seasons. The
cool winter season occurs from October to February. The spring begins in
March and is soon followed by summer that ends in early June. The summer
days are typically hot with 30 C on average day temperature. The monsoon
usually begins at the end of June and continues until September. The
mean annual rainfall is about 2150 mm and during this time of the year
rivers are flooded and most of the roads are virtually closed.
How to Get There:
The park is accessible by car or bus on the Pokhara-Mugling-Narayanghat
Highway and or through Mahendra Rajmarg Highway from Hetauda. It is
about 6 hour's drive from Kathmandu to Narayanghat and 4 hours drive
from Pokhara. Local buses are
available to Tadi Bazar which is about an hour drive form Narayanghat. A
6 km walk or bullockcart ride brings the visitors to Sauraha, the park
entrance. Also air services from Kathmandu to Meghauli for US$82 each
way and Bharatpur US$65 each way are available. Local buses are
available form Narayanghat to Park HQ. Kasara.
Park Facilities:
Display Center, Kasara
Library at Kasara Sauraha
Visitor Center, Sauraha
Machans (View tower)
Activities:
Elephant ride
Canoeing
Bird Watching
Guided jungle walk
Terai culture
Wildlife breeding projects (Crocodile)
4WD safaris
Enrty fees into Chitwan National Park:
National Park entry fee per person per day:
For Nepali Nationals Rs 20
For SAARC NAtionals Rs 200
For Foreign Nationals Rs 500
Children under 10 years Free
Elephant ride for about 2 hrs. - Rs 550 - (Nepali's Rs 100)
Fishing permit - Rs 300 - (Nepali's Rs 20)
Camping per night per person - Rs 300 - (Nepali's Rs 20)
Guided jungle walk - Rs 250/400 for half day/full day - (Nepali's Rs 20)
Canoeing - Rs 230 per person
4WD safari - Rs 650 per person
Gharial crocodile breeding centre - included in the park entrance fee
Elephant breeding centre - included in the park entrance fee
Lodges offer all-inclusive packages for 2 to 4 days for those who want
everything pre- organised by the lodge guides.
Bardia National Park
Introduction:
Covering an area of 968 sq. km, Bardia National Park is
situated in the mid-Far Western Terai, east of the Karnali River.
Originally set aside in 1968 as a Hunting Reserve, the area was
gazetted in 1967 as Karnali Wildlife Reserve with an area of 368 sq. km.
It was renamed as Bardia Wildlife Reserve in 1982 and extended to
include the Babai River valley in 1984. National Park status was
gazetted in 1988. The main objectives of the park are to conserve a
representative ecosystem of the mid-Western Terai, particularly the
tiger ad its prey species.
Details About the Park:
Bardia National Park is the largest and most undisturbed wilderness area
in the Terai, providing excellent habitat for the following endangered
species:
ENDANGERED ANIMALS : Rhinoceros , Wild elephant , Tiger , Swamp deer ,
Black buck , Gharial crocodile , Marsh mugger crocodile , Gangetic
dolphin.
ENDANGERED BIRDS : Bengal florican , Sliver-eared mesia , Sarus crane ,
Lesser florican.
More than 30 different mammals, over 250 species of birds and many
snakes, lizards and fish have been recorded in the park's forests,
grasslands and river habitats. The more commonly seen are:
MAMMALS: Langur monkey, Rhesus monkey, Common leopard, Jungle cat,
Fishing cat, Large and small Indian civets, Palm civet, Hyena, Wild dog,
Jackal, Sloth bear, Otter, Porcupine, Bandicoots, Blue bull (Nilgi),
Sambar deer, Hog deer, Barking deer and Wild boar.
BIRDS : Flycatchers , Babblers , Sunbirds, Drongols (7 species),
Eurasian thicknee ruddy , Shelduck, Warblers, Bulbuls (5 species),
Woodpeckers ( 10 species), Barbets (4 species), Bee-eaters (4 species),
Kingfishers (4 species), Parakeets (4 species), Doves (5 species),
Pigeons (3 species), Red-wattled lapwing, Common peafowl, Red jungle
fowl , Merganser duck, Black-necked stork, White-necked stork, Painted
stork, Egrets (4 species), Herons (5 species) and Cormorants.
The Geruwa, a branch of the Karnali River, forms the park's western
boundary, while the crest of the Churia range (Siwalik Hills) demarcates
the northern limits. Along the southern edge a forest road forms the
boundary, in the east it is formed by the Nepalgunj-Surkhet road. Part
of the very scenic Babair River valley is included within the park. The
approximately 1500 people who lived in this valley have been resettled
else where in Bardia District. Since agriculture increased in the Babai
valley, the regeneration of natural vegetation is increasing rapidly,
making it an area of prime habitat for wildlife.
About 70% of the park is covered dominantly with sal (Shorea robusta)
forest with the balance of mixture of grassland, savanna and riverine
forest. The altitudes vary from 152 meters on the Terai to 1441 meters
at Sukarmala on the crest of the Churia range.
Seasons:
As with the rest of Nepal the park's climate is affected by the summer
monsoon. The best times to visit are between October and early April
when weather is warm and dry. From April onwards the temperatures rise,
peaking at around 45 C in May and pre-monsoon thunderstorms continue
until late September. During this time most roads and rivers become
impassable.
Tourist Attractions:
Within the park are several open grassland areas (phanta) where game
viewing is excellent. Blackbuck, found in a wild state only in Bardia,
are frequently seen in Khairi Panditpur about 30 km south-east of the
park HQ. Many forest roads throughout the park also offer excellent game
viewing.
The great one-horned rhinoceros was reintroduced to Bardia from Chitwan
National Park in 1986. Indications of the success of this translocation
became obvious when a rhino calf was born early in 1988. The rhino's are
usually seen in the western part of the park. In 1991, 25 great
one-horned rhinos were also translocated to Babai valley from Chitwan
National Park.
The Karnali River, one of Nepal's largest, borders the western edge of
the park, providing excellent fishing for mahseer, a large game fish.
The endangered Gangetic dolphin is also frequently seen.
Sukarmala, the highest point on the crest of the Churia range, can be
reached on foot from Karnali, Chisapani or Khairbhatti. From here there
are excellent views north toward the Surkhet valley and south over the
Terai. Another high point, Telpani, can be reached from Danawatal.
How to Get There:
The park can only be entered by road. There are regular flights from
Kathmandu to Nepalgunj. Nepalgunj, from where public buses serve the far
Western Terai. To reach the park headquarters at Thakurdwara, it is
necessary to alight at Motipur and walk 8 km north of Lihalpur on the
Nepalgunj-Surkhet road and drive west along the fair weather road inside
the park to reach Thakurdwara. This usually takes 3-4 hrs. by 4 WD
vehicle. The Mahendra Rajmarg is the main highway which crosses the
park.
Important Points:
As there are no medical facilities so it is advisable to carry a
comprehensive first aid kit including medicines for intestinal problems.
There is a radio at the park headquarters for use in emergencies.
If you are travelling by your own vehicle make sure that you have ample
amount of fuel, as there are no filling stations in the park area.
Tourist accommodation within the park is at a tented camp on the banks
of the Karnali River, although it is not cheap, the price includes all
activities and meals. There are also lodges just outside the park at
Chitkaiya, near the park HQ.
Entry fees into Bardia National Park:
The park HQ. is at Tharkurdwara. There is also a sub-headquarters at the
eastern entrance to the park at East Chisapani. All visitors entering
the park must stop and pay an entrance fee.
National Park fees per person per day:
For Nepali Nationals Rs 20
For SAARC Nationals Rs 200
For Foreign Nationals Rs 500
Children under 10 years Free
Be sure to keep your permit as it might be checked later by park guards.
Langtang wild life reserve
Introduction:
Situated in the Central Himalaya, Langtang National Park is
the nearest park to Kathmandu. The area extends from 32 km north of
Kathmandu to the Nepal-China (Tibet) border. Langtang was designated as
the first Himalayan National Park in 1970-71, and was gazetted in March
1976. While the main reason for the park is to preserve the natural
environment, an equally important goal is to allow local people to
follow traditional land use practices that are compatible with resource
protection.
Details About the Park:
Langtang National Park encloses the catchments of two major river
systems. One draining west into the Trisuli River and the other east to
the Sun Koshi River.
Some of the best examples of graded climatic conditions in the Central
Himalaya are found here. The complex topography and geology together
with the varied climatic patterns have enabled a wide spectrum of
vegetation types. These include small areas of subtropical forest (below
1000 m) Oaks, chirpine, maple, fir, blue pine, hemlock spruce and
various species of rhododendron make up the main forest species. Above
these alpine scrub and grass give way to rocks and snow.
The variations in altitude and topography along with the existing forest
cover (approx. 25% of the total area) provide habitat for a wide range
of animals including wild dog, red panda, pika, muntjac, musk deer,
Himalayan black bear, Himalayan tahr, ghoral, serow, rhesus monkey and
common langur. The Trisuli-Bhote Koshi River forms an important route
for birds on spring and autumn migrations between India and Tibet.
About 45 villages are situated within the park boundaries, but are not
under park jurisdiction. In total about 3000 households depend on park
resources, primarily for wood and pasture lands.
Culturally the area is mixed, the home of several ethnic groups . The
majority of people are Tamang, an ancient Nepalese race. The Tamangs,
traditionally farmers and cattle breeders, are especially well known for
their weaving. Their religion is related to the Bon and the pre-Buddhist
doctrines of Tibet. Today this religion has merged with the newer
teachings of Tibetan Buddhism.
The Helambu area, immediately north of Kathmandu, has many scenic
villages inhabited by Sherpas and Tamangs who emigrated from Tibet.
Over the centuries the dependence of people on natural resources has
influenced the environment. Their settlements, cultivation patterns,
livestock grazing, and daily use of resources which, in combination with
the diversity of flora and fauna and views to the Ganesh Himal, make
Langtang an attractive national park.
Seasons:
From mid-October to mid-December and from mid-February until mid-April
the weather is usually clear but cold at higher elevations. From
mid-April to mid-June, it is warm but often cloudy with thunder showers,
spring flowers are at their best. Summer monsoon lasts until the
beginning of October. During the winter months daytime temperatures are
low and snow may occur even at low levels.
Tourist Attraction:
The Langtang Valley, which is reached from the road end at Dhunche or
Sybrubensi, offers an opportunity to explore villages and gompas
(monasteries) as well as glaciers, with magnificent views of the
mountains.
Permission from the lamas must be gained before visiting any gompas and
a small donation is expected.
The Langtang Valley is the most visited part of the park and for those
who do not wish to camp, accommodation in lodges is available.
Gosainkunda, an area of high altitude lakes, is reached either from
Dhunche or from Sundarijal in the eastern part of Kathmandu Valley.
Thousands of Hindu pilgrims visit these lakes during Janai Purnima
festivals in the month of August. Gosainkunda lake is believed to have
been created by Lord Shiva.
Simple lodging is now available along the routes from Sundarijal and
Dhunche to Gosainkunda. National Park fuel regulations are strictly
enforced so fuel and camping gear must be carried.
Outstanding views to Langtang Lirung (7246 m) , Himal Chuli (7864 m) are
visible from the trail. The route from Dhunche passes a Buddhist
monastery, Sing Gompa.
An alternative route from the Langtang Valley to Kathmandu crosses the
Ganja La pass (5106 m) This pass is difficult and dangerous when snow
covered. It is generally open from April to November, but unusual
weather can alter its condition at any time. Essentials for crossing the
Ganja La are a tent, alpine equipment, food and fuel as well as guide
who knows the trail.
The Helambu circuit, from Sundarijal to Tharepati, barely enters the
national park but is nevertheless an interesting route passing through
several Bhotia villages and without ascending to more than 3400 m. From
this trail it is possible to connect with Gosainkunda and eastern parts
of the park (Panch Pokhari).
How to Get There:
Public bus or taxi reach Dhunche (Park H.Q.) via Trisuli Bazaar from
Kathmandu (approx. 7-8 hrs. ) A seasonal road reaches Syabrubensi.
Alternative routes from Kathmandu are public bus to Sundarijal or
Melamchighat . From either point, trek through Helambu to Gosainkunda
via Laurebina pass or cross Ganja La pass (5106m) to reach Langtang
Valley .
Important Points:
Local customs should be respected and shorts for woman are not
acceptable attire.
Only local people are allowed to cut limited wood for fuel. Visitors are
required to use kerosene or similar liquid of gas fuel, purchased in
Dhunche or outside the park. Please make sure your porters also use
kerosene.
Mountain sickness can affect anyone and must be taken seriously. To
allow your body to become acclimatized to high altitudes, do not ascend
more than 300 m per day above 3000 m.
There are no medical facilities in the park. Carry a comprehensive first
aid kit including medicines for intestinal problems and chest
infections.
Bring sufficient warm clothing so that you do not have to rely on fires
for warmth.
There is a park sub-office in Shermathang on the south/eastern boundary
in the Helambu area.
The Park has two lodges in Langtang Valley: at Ghora Tabela and Kyanjin.
Both are run on a concession basis.
There is a radio at the Park headquarters at Dhunche and at the guard
post in Ghora Tabela. At the Yeti Guest House in Kyanjin Gompa there is
a satellite phone which can be used in an emergency. Helicopter
evacuation is possible, but not reliable, and is only arranged at the
patient's expense.
Entry Fees into Langtang National Park:
The park Headquarters is at Dhunche, and a check post at Ghora Tabela.
All visitors must stop at either place to pay an Entrance Fee, and are
required to show your passport.
National Park Fees per person per entry:
For Nepali Nationals Free
For SAARC Nationals Rs 100
For Foreign Nationals Rs 1000
Children under 10 years Free
Be sure to keep your Entry Permit as it might be checked later by the
park guards.
Further information and advice is available at the park HQ. and Entrance
Station.
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