Kasara Gharial Breeding Center
घडियाल प्रजनन केन्द्र, कसरा
A gharial conservation base at the park headquarters, where you can get close to these long-snouted crocodilians at every stage, from hatchling to adult.
The gharial is a critically endangered crocodilian with a slender snout that feeds on fish, and its wild population once declined sharply. Since 1978, Chitwan National Park has run a breeding center at its headquarters in Kasara. It collects wild eggs for artificial incubation and raises the hatchlings to a certain body length before releasing them into the Narayani and Rapti rivers, making it a key base for gharial conservation. Inside, visitors can see gharials and mugger crocodiles of different ages, as well as turtle conservation ponds. Next door are the park visitor center and a small museum introducing the park's plants and animals. Kasara is a considerable distance from Sauraha, so it is usually visited as a midway stop on a full-day jeep safari, or reached by car from the Bharatpur direction. A small additional entrance fee applies.
Opening hours
approx. 07:00–17:00 (check park notices)
Nearby sights
- Chitwan National Park
- Meghauli
- Bishazari Tal
- Elephant Breeding Center
- Baghmara & Kumroj Community Forests
- Sauraha
- Rapti River (East Rapti)
- Narayani Riverside, Narayangarh