Chitwan

A jungle national park on the Terai plains of southern Nepal, with one-horned rhinos, Bengal tigers and elephants – jeep and canoe safaris make it the perfect complement to a Kathmandu–Pokhara route.

Chitwan lies on the Terai plains of south-central Nepal at just 100–200 m above sea level. In sharp contrast to the high mountain scenery around Kathmandu, it is a subtropical lowland of sal forest, tall grasslands and riverine wetlands. At its heart is Chitwan National Park, established in 1973 as Nepal's first national park and inscribed as a UNESCO World Natural Heritage Site in 1984. It is home to several hundred greater one-horned rhinos, Bengal tigers, Asian elephants, sloth bears, gharials and more than 500 bird species. The visitor base is Sauraha, a small town on the Rapti River at the park's northern edge, where hotels, tour agencies and restaurants are concentrated; to the west, Kasara is the site of the park headquarters and the gharial breeding centre. The best season is October to March, when the weather is dry and wildlife is active; in January–February locals cut the tall grass, opening up the views and giving you better odds of seeing rhinos and tigers. April–May is hot, and during the June–September monsoon some areas close and leeches appear. Getting there: tourist buses run daily from Kathmandu or Pokhara to Sauraha (about 5–7 hours); alternatively, fly from Kathmandu to Bharatpur (about 25 minutes) and take a taxi from there (about 30 minutes). Plan on 2–3 nights: Day 1, sunset by the Rapti River in the evening and a Tharu dance show at night; Day 2, an early-morning canoe trip and jungle walk, then a jeep safari in the afternoon; Day 3, the elephant breeding centre or Twenty Thousand Lakes. Good to know: entering the park requires a ticket and a licensed guide, and foreign visitors pay a per-day entry fee (check the park's official notices for current rates); animal welfare groups urge visitors not to ride elephants – choose a jeep safari or a walk instead; wear earth-toned clothing, and bring warm layers, as winter mornings are foggy and cold.

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