“An exciting safari in the Himalayan Kingdom of Nepal”

After visiting temples and monasteries in Kathmandu and around the Valley, you still have a few days to spend in the country before the end of your trip, but the idea of a trek does not appeal to you – up and down the steep steps of the mule tracks is not for you, well then the winning option is an exciting safari in Chitwan National Park, the most famous nature reserve in Nepal.

The journey from Kathmandu down the winding and scenic Tribhuvan Highway to Mugling and then via Narayanghat to the village of Sauraha takes 5/6 hours, depending on the road conditions.

In Sauraha there are lodges and resorts, from elegant structures to simple guesthouses. Sauraha is surrounded by small Tharu villages. The Tharu people are the original tribe of the Terai region and they probably descend from the Rajputs of Rajasthan.

So the first thing to do is to take a horse and cart ride through these villages, this will allow you to have an insight into daily life in the plains of Terai. Many of the houses are decorated with Mithila paintings in shades of white and ocher.

It is also worth attending an evening show of traditional Tharu music and dance, particularly impressive the stick dance and exhilarating the peacock dance.

After a well-deserved rest, early in the morning, accompanied by an expert local guide, you will be ready for your jungle adventure, which starts by crossing the Rapti River by dugout canoe to reach the clearing where the jeeps are parked.

Chitwan National Park is covered with forests of sal trees, but there are also vast areas of prairie and more than 50 species of mammals live inside the park, among them tigers, leopards, juggling bears, deers, wild boars, and the famous gaida, the rhino with a single horn. In 1984, the park has been declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.

During the jeep safari you will also get the chance to climb a machan, one of the many observation towers scattered along the way and to visit the gavial breeding center near Kasara. We cannot promise you that you will have a close encounter with Lady Tiger, this depends on your luck or as Nepali people say on your karma, but for sure you will see a lot of animals.

To have another opportunity to admire the natural scenery of the park and meet the nice but irascible gaida, do not miss the exciting experience of an elephant safari and enjoy also a wonderful sunset on the river in one of the many bars and restaurants along its banks.

You cannot leave Chitwan National Park without visiting the elephant breeding center, the elephant babies are so cute and if they are twins (we saw them once), they are fantastic!

Our suggestions: 

• Sapana Lodge for a stay in a refined environment with attention to detail. All the furniture and decorations are typical of the Tharu people.
• Tharu Cultural Program at the New Sauraha Tharu Cultural House
• Eco Bee Products – Honey House for the famous wild Nepali honey

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