National park safari tour
Chitwan National Park:
Area 932 sq.kms.
One of the oldest and most popular National Parks in Nepal is situated within the inner subtropical Terai lowlands of Southern-Central Nepal. The park was designated as a World Heritage Site in 1984.
The Park covers a pristine area with a unique eco-system of significant value to the world. It contains the Churia hills, ox-bow lakes and flood plains of the rivers Rapti, Reu and Narayani.
There are more than 43 species of mammals in the park. The Park is famous for the
endangered and elusive “Royal Bengal Tiger”. The park is home to the one horned Indian Rhinoceros, fresh water Gharial crocodile along with many other common species such as gaur (Asian bison) wild elephants, four horned antelopes, striped hyenas, pangolins, Gangetic dolphins, monitor lizards and pythons.
Other animals found in the park include sambars, chitals (spotted deer) barking deer, sloth bear, palm civets, langurs and rhesus monkeys.
The park is also famous for over 450 species of birds. Among the endangered birds are the Bengal florican, the Giant Hornbill, the Lesser Florican, the Black Stork and White Stork.
Common birds seen in the park including Peafowl, Red Jungle fowl, and different species of Egrets, Herons, Kingfishers, Flycatchers and Woodpeckers. The best time for bird watching is around March and December.
The park can be reached via a 190 km road, a drive of approximately 5-6 hours and by air about a 20 minute flight to Megauli or to Bharatpur including a short ride by elephant or by a four wheel drive.
It may also be reached by the ultimate way with a surge of adrenaline and scenic floats Rafting on the Trisuli River.
The Bardiya National Park:
Area 968 sq. Kms.
This Park located in Nepal’s Far South Western Terai, east of Karnali River, and it is one of the largest undisturbed areas of wilderness in the Terai region. About 70 % of the park is covered with sal forest with the remaining, a balanced mixture of grassland, savannah and riverine forest.
Since farming has ceased in the Babai Valley, natural vegetation is regenerating, making it an area of prime habitat for wildlife. The park provides excellent habitat for endangered animals like the rhinoceros, wild elephant, tiger, swamp deer, black buck, ghariel crocodile, marsh mugger crocodile and Gangetic dolphin. Endangered birds include the Bengal florican, lesser florican, silver eared mesia and Sarus crane. More than 30 different mammals, over 200 species of birds, and many snakes, lizards and fish have been recorded in the park’s forest, grassland and river habitats. A good number of resident and migratory birds are found in the park.
Kosi Tappu Wildlife Reserve:
Area 175 sq. kms
Located on flood plains of Sapta-Kosi River at Saptari and Sunsari districts of Eastern Nepal, this reserve is defined by the eastern and western embankments of the river.
The Sapta – Koshi River also changes its course from one season to another, the vegetation is mainly tall khar pater grassland with few patches of khair-sisso scrub forest and deciduous mixed riverine forest, the reserve offers important habitat for a variety of wildlife. The last surviving populations (about 100) of wild buffalo or arna are found here. Other mammals are the hog deer, wild boar, spotted deer, and the blue bull.
The reserve also assists the local economy by providing fishing permits and allowing the collection of edible fruits and ferns in season. A total of 280 different species of birds have been recorded in the reserve. These include 20 species of ducks, two species of ibises, many storks, egrets, herons and the endangered swamp partridge and Bengal florican.
The Koshi Barrage is extremely important as habitat for migratory birds. Many species recorded here are not seen elsewhere in Nepal. The endangered ghariel crocodile and Gangetic dolphin have been recorded in the Koshi River.
Shuklaphanta Wildlife Reserve
Area 305 sq. kms
Shuklaphanta Wildlife Reserve, located in the Far Southern West of Nepal in Kanchanpur district, predominant sal associated with asana, simal, karma, khair and sisso are found along the river side. Main grass species of the phantas are Imperata cylindrical and Saccharun heteropogon, used extensively by the local people for thatching.
The reserve provides prime habitat for swamp deer. An estimated population of 2,000 to 2,500 of this species is found in the reserve. Other wild animals in the reserve are the wild elephant, tiger, hispid hare, blue bull, leopard, chital, hog deer, and the wild boar.
A total of 200 species of birds have been recorded in the reserve. Many grassland birds along with the rare Bengal florican can be seen in the phantas. Marsh mugger, Indian python, monitor lizard and snakes like cobra, krait, and rat snakes are recorded in the reserve.
