Pokhara, set against the dramatic backdrop of the Annapurna range, is a relaxed lakeside city in Nepal where visitors come to enjoy boating on Phewa Lake, stroll along the waterfront, and use it as a gateway for treks into the Himalayas.
Nepal: Chitwan National Park & Reserve
At the foot of the Himalayas, Chitwan is one of the few remaining undisturbed vestiges of the 'Terai' region, which formerly extended over the foothills of India and Nepal. It is home to one of the last populations of single-horned Asiatic rhinoceros and Bengal tigers.
First our first full day in Chitwan we’d be spending time exploring the Chitwan National Park.
Chitwan National Park is a preserved area covering 952.63 km2 in the subtropical Terai Lowlands of south-central Nepal, known for its biodiversity. Its dense forests and grassy plains are home to rare mammals like one-horned rhinos and Bengal tigers. It was established in 1973 as the Royal Chitwan National Park and was granted the status of a World Heritage Site in 1984.
Our first activity of the day was going to be a jungle walk. Just after breakfast, we gathered outside the gate of the Sapana Lodge, where we’d be getting a ride to the National Park.
It was only about ten minutes to the drop-off point, which was at the base of a large footbridge that crossed from the village to the edge of the National Park.
For the next two-and-a-half hours we wandered through the verdant forest of Chitwan National Park. We had two local guides with us, who carried long sturdy sticks to fight off any wildlife that might get too close. I was not convinced the sticks would be useful against a marauding rhino, a hungry Bengal tiger, or even a grumpy sloth bear. The good news is that, at least in the case of the latter two, they are shy animals and would most likely run away unless you accidentally surprised them. That said I think we’d have loved to have seen any of these three magnificent beasts despite any potential danger – but we didn’t – instead we saw some birds, lots of spotted deer, and a few leeches.
Despite not seeing much in the way of wildlife it was a pleasant walk through the forest.
In the afternoon we headed back to Chitwan National Park. This time we were going to be touring in a safari vehicle and covering more ground than we had done in the morning – and hoped to see more in the way of wildlife.
Firstly, we had to cross the river. This we did in a dugout canoe, which we shared with about a dozen other people. Getting in and out was a little awkward, but we managed to do it without falling into the water.
Once over the river, we clambered aboard an open 4×4 truck. There were 12 of us sitting in the bed of the truck as we set off.
Chitwan consists of tropical and subtropical forests. Sal forests cover 70 per cent of the park. Sal leaves are used locally for plates in festivals and religious offerings. The Sal forest is dominated by a single plant species, which is commonly known as the Sal tree.
Grasslands cover 20 per cent of the park. There are more than 50 different types of grasses, including the elephant grass, renowned for its immense height. It can grow up to 8m in height. All of this makes it quite tricky to spot the wildlife!
The park is home to more than 50 mammal species, over 525 birds, and 55 amphibians and reptiles.
We had not gone too far when we met a couple of other safari vehicles parked on the road adjacent to a small river. There was a one-horned rhino wading in the river. From where we stopped, we couldn’t see it, so we had to wait for the other vehicles to move. Eventually, it was our turn. The rhino was at some distance and was moving away. It was magnificent. After about five minutes, the rhino decided it had had enough and climbed the bank into the grass, and then it disappeared as if it had never been there.
The greater one-horned rhinoceros, also known as the Indian rhinoceros, is found mostly in Nepal and Northeastern India. An adult rhino usually weighs between 2-2.5 metric tonnes. These rhinos usually lead a solitary life, but they may also graze and wallow together. It is believed about 600 of these wonderful beasts live in Chitwan National Park.
The population of these rhinos in the 1950s dropped from around 1000 to 100 in the area, as more people moved here as malaria was eliminated and their habitat was reduced. Recognizing the need to halt the decline of the rapidly diminishing rhino population, the Government of Nepal established the ” Gainda Gasti “, an armed Rhino Patrol Unit in 1961, and declared the remaining prime rhino habitats, about 544 sq km along Rapti, Narayani and Reu rivers, as the Chitwan National Park (CNP) in 1973. The park was later extended to encompass a total area of 932 sq km and was listed as a World Heritage Site in 1984 for its high biological diversity.
Our journey through Chitwan continued. There were long periods of driving with the occasional stop to look at lizards and monkeys in the trees.
We made a stop at the gharial breeding centre to have a look around.
The gharialalso known as gavial or fish-eating crocodile, is a member of the crocodile family and is easily recognised by its very long snout. The gharial is among the longest of all living crocodilians. Mature females are 2.6 to 4.5 m (8 ft 6 in to 14 ft 9 in) long, and males 3 to 6 m (9 ft 10 in to 19 ft 8 in). Adult males have a distinct boss at the end of the snout, which resembles an earthenware pot known as a ghara, hence the name “gharial”. The gharial is well adapted to catching fish because of its long, narrow snout and 110 sharp, interlocking teeth.
In the 1970s gharials were on the verge of extinction in their natural range in India and Nepal. In response to this, the Government of Nepal established the Gharial Breeding Center in 1978 in Kasara of Chitwan National Park to protect the natural egg-laying sites of gharials to hatch eggs in artificial conditions; and rear the young until they are released into the rivers to reestablish a viable population in the wild.
After leaving the Gharial breeding centre we pulled up to a tree with some monkeys setting up to roost for the night. I was getting ready to take some pictures when our truck shot forward a couple of hundred metres and stopped behind another truck. Up ahead another couple of hundred metres was a Bengal tiger walking on the road. It was heading away from us. On the road, a further two hundred metres was a foot patrol of about a dozen Nepalese soldiers who had come to a stop. About 30 seconds later the tiger took a sharp right turn into the bush and was gone. It was a tantalising and fleeting glimpse of a wild tiger – our first ever (we’d been on three tiger safaris in India and never seen a tiger … they are elusive! – nonetheless, it was very exciting. Our guide, who has seen tigers many times, was also visibly excited. Sadly, it all happened too quickly to get a photograph.
Not too much further on we came across another rhino wallowing in a river. This time we had a much better view and got some good photographs before it headed off into the long grass.
We’d been lucky to see these magnificent beasts, but it was now time to start heading back.
Chitwan is an amazing environment for many rare and endangered animals. It is a challenging place to spot wildlife and you have to be patient – this is not like the Serengeti or the Masai Mara, but we enjoyed exploring this very special place.
Planning your visit to Chitwan National Park
There are several ways to get to Chitwan National Park. The most popular one is to take a bus. Air travel is also an option especially if you are short of time. You can also book a tour package that includes private transport to Chitwan National Park, which is more flexible.
Note that to reach Chitwan National Park, you must first travel to Sauraha, a small town outside the park that serves as a tourist hub with hotels and restaurants.
Getting to Chitwan/Sauraha from Kathmandu
By bus
Duration: 5–7 hours
Traveling by bus is the easiest way to get to Chitwan and there are two options:
Option 1: take a tourist bus that leaves the Thamel end of Kantipath in Kathmandu at 7 am. Hotels or travel agents can help make the booking.
Option 2: take an AC bus operated by Greenline, a local bus company that runs routes to/from Kathmandu/Pokhara. It departs from Kathmandu at 7:30 am. Always ask before planning as its service is intermittent or suspended during monsoon.
By car
Duration: about 5 hours
Private car transfer from Kathmandu to Chitwan can be arranged by travel agents or hotels. It is a more comfortable and relaxing experience than by bus.
By air
Duration: 30 minutes
There are daily flights offered by Yeti Airlines and Buddha Air between Kathmandu and Bharatpur Airport (10 km from Chitwan), from which you can take a taxi to Chitwan/Sauraha. or your hotel in Sauraha can arrange a transfer. During low season, flights are usually postponed until the next day. You can make the booking through travel agents or hotels.
Getting to Chitwan/Sauraha from Pokhara
By bus
Duration: 5-7 hours
Option 1: take a tourist bus to Sauraha at Pokhara’s tourist bus stand. The earliest one leaves at 7:30 am. Bachhauli tourist bus park is the final stop, which is a 15-minute walk from Sauraha. Tickets can be booked with the help of travel agents or hotels.
Option 2: take an AC bus operated by Greenline, which departs daily from Pokhara at 7:30 am. Always ask before planning as its service is intermittent or suspended during monsoon.
By air
Duration: about 20 minutes for direct flight; 1 hour 20+ minutes for connecting flight
There is only one daily direct flight from Pokhara, starting at 8:35 am. It reaches Bharatpur at 8:55 am. Two daily connecting flights are available, with a stopover in Kathmandu. During low season, the flight from Pokhara to Bharatpur often stops operating. Again, tickets can be purchased via travel agents or hotels.
By car
Duration: about 5 hours
At your request, travel agents or hotels can arrange a private car to transfer you from Pokhara to Chitwan.
The best time to visit Chitwan
Winter is an ideal season to visit Chitwan and specifically, Chitwan National Park. The Chitwan National Park apart from being one of the world’s second-largest protected areas for the rhino and the Bengal tiger also gives shelter to exotic species like sloth bears, endangered gharial crocodiles, leopards, and hundreds of other bird and animal species. In winter, because of the cold atmosphere and the dry season, it becomes optimum to watch wildlife in their natural habitat. The levels of humidity in Chitwan remain high even during the winter months, December, January, and February. As a result, the mornings in Chitwan during these months are often foggy with dewdrops hanging around in the misty atmosphere. Even though the nights and mornings are particularly cold, the afternoon temperatures stay pleasantly warm, ranging between 20-25ᴼC. Among these three months, January and February are the coldest months with temperatures reaching single digits, sometimes even reaching the freezing point at night. During the months of January and February, Locals cut the grass in the jungle which greatly improves the visibility of the animals. During this time if you visit the national park, you will observe animals, sometimes as close as a few feet away.
2. FALL (SEPTEMBER, OCTOBER, NOVEMBER)
In Nepal, fall typically begins in mid-September and lasts through November. During the months of September, October, and November, the temperature in Chitwan is mild and nights are clear. Comparatively, the days in fall are more pleasant than in Summer and spring. Due to the gentle temperature, it’s easy travelling in Chitwan during the fall as you will not sweat a lot and experience a lot of hustle and bustle touring.
3. SPRING (MARCH-MAY)
You might consider travelling to Chitwan during Spring like any other destination to travel in perfect weather with flowers and sun. But, in Chitwan, you might want to think about travelling during Spring again. Humidity is at its lowest in March, April, and May but the temperatures gradually get super hot with each progressing day, with the period from May to early June being the hottest days. The animals can be frequently seen trying to cool themselves in water holes, rivers, and lakes. However, the days can get extremely sunny and hot with temperatures that may reach up to 40ᴼC.
4. SUMMER(JUNE-SEPTEMBER)
While the Summer (pre-monsoon) sets in during May, by the time June begins, the south-easterly winds from the Bay of Bengal bring heavy precipitation with extremely high humidity. If you are thinking about taking jeep safaris in Chitwan national park during these months of June, July, August, and September, good luck. Jeep safaris become increasingly problematic during these months due to heavy rain and the flooding of tracks in the forest.
Where to stay in Chitwan
Sapana Village Lodge
I had booked us into Sapana Village Lodge for four nights on either side of a trekking expedition, that we had also organised through the Lodge.
When we arrived at Sapana Village Lodge, we got a lovely welcome and were taken to the restaurant to get a bit of late lunch while they finished getting our room ready.
This place is amazing! The dining room is mostly outside, on a large deck overlooking some natural, unfarmed pastures with a river running through them. Adjacent to Sapana Lodge is an elephant sanctuary, run by the lodge, and as we sat there settling in, we could see the elephants being taken for some exercise and a play in the river. We were so excited to see the elephants!
For a more detailed review of Sapana Village Lodge click here.
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