During this 15-day nature trip you will go on safari in the South of Nepal. Nepal has several nature parks and wildlife sanctuaries where you can visit wild animals.

During this fascinating safari in Nepal, you will visit several national parks in the South of Nepal. First you go to the Chitwan National Park. This national park is one of the most beautiful and famous wildlife parks of Asia. Literally translated, Chitwan means “in the heart of the jungle”. The park is located in the lowlands of the Terai, bordering India. The park has an area of 932 square kilometers. Because of the great diversity of flora and fauna, the park has been included on the UNESCO World Heritage List. There are as many as 50 different species of mammals and 450 different species of birds!

Afterwards you go to the beautiful and less known Bardia National Park. Even though this is the largest national park and nature reserve in Nepal, it is still one of Nepal’s best kept secrets. Because there are few visitors, you have very good chances to see endangered species such as the Bengal tiger. Bardia is also the habitat for the Asian elephant and the Indian rhino.

Both Chitwan and Bardia National Park are surrounded by idyllic villages inhabited by the Tharu people. The Tharu have a colourful culture, with their own traditions and customs.

On the way to the Sukla Phanta National Park, you stop to spot birds at the beautiful Ghodaghodi Lake. This lake is an important wetland site in western Nepal. The lake consists of several lakes and ponds and is the habitat of many birds!

You end your safari in Sukla Phanta Park. The park is named after the gigantic open grassland, which is called ‘Phanta’ in Nepali. This park consists of the largest grassland of Nepal and is home to the largest population of swamp deer in Nepal. There are also many other mammals, such as tigers, rhinos, crocodiles, wild elephants and migratory birds. To this day, this park has not yet been fully explored.

Your search for wild animals goes by jeep, by traditional boat, by raft and by jeep. Moreover, during your safaris in the park there will always be a local English-speaking nature guide and a park ranger.

————————————-

Would you like to customize your Nepal trip?

Let yourself be inspired by this trip. You can adjust the trip to your individual preferences and wishes.

Highlights

Itinerary

What's included?

Overview

The imposing rhinoceros and resting crocodiles along the river in Chitwan National Park

Bird watching at the beautiful Ghodaghodi lake with its purple water lilies
The largest herd of swamp deer in the world in the grasslands of the Sukla Phanta National Park

Day 1 :

Arrival in Kathmandu

Namaste and welcome to Nepal.At the airport you will be welcomed by one of our employees. He or she has a sign with our logo on it. After a warm welcome a private driver will bring you by car to your accommodation in Patan. Our staff will accompany you and will help you with your check-in. Depending on your arrival time in Kathmandu, you will have free time to go on an adventure. Discover the lively old part of Kathmandu like the streets of Asan. Admire also the nice markets and colourful temples and stupas. During a short `meet & greet` with Maaike and/or Chuda you will get useful tips and can ask questions. You will spend the night in a standard hotel in Kathmandu.

Day 2 :

Drive to Chitwan National Park (approx. 5 hours) - free time

After breakfast you will leave by private car in the direction of Chitwan National Park, the first National Park of your trip. The Royal Chitwan National Park is one of the most beautiful and famous wildlife parks in Asia. The park has extensive forests, large bare grass plains and marshy terrain with creeks and pools. There are more than 50 different species of mammals and 450 different species of birds! On arrival in Chitwan you will have free time to explore the area. Take a look along the river: you'll see the local Tharu people at work and animals coming to drink.You'll spend the night in a lodge in Sauraha.You'll stay in a lodge in Sauraha.

Day 3 :

Chitwan National Park : jeep safari

Today you go into the park! Today you will go on a jeep safari in Chitwan National Park. With the jeep you can go further into the park so you can see other parts of the park. You will stop at watchtowers, watering places and at the riverside. This jeep safari is in a shared jeep, so there are also other participants.You will stay in a lodge in Sauraha.

Day 4 :

Chitwan National Park : canoe tour and jungle walk

Today you will go back into the park with a guide! In a traditional boat, made of a hollowed-out tree trunk, you'll go up the river. Along the shore you'll see crocodiles, birds and possibly an elephant. At the end of this boat trip you are in Chitwan National Park. In the park you make a jungle walk. This is a very good way to spot the wildlife in the jungle of Chitwan. An experienced nature guide will take you and follow the tracks of the wild animals. This is not a private excursion, there are other (international) participants.You will spend the night in a lodge in Sauraha.

Day 5 :

Chitwan National Park : jeep safari to the Twenty Thousand Lakes

One last day in Chitwan National Park! With a jeep you drive to the more distant area of the Twenty Thousand Lakes. This area is also called Bishazari Tal and is an extensive lake system in the buffer zone of Chitwan National Park. It is part of the Inner Terai Protected Area of central Nepal. This wetland consists of 3,200 ha. It lies between the Mahabharat Mountains in the north and the Siwalik Mountains in the south.You will see many different birds here! You will spend the night in a lodge in Sauraha.You will stay in a lodge in Sauraha.

Day 6 :

Drive to Bardia National Park (approx. 8 to 9 hours) - free time

Today you drive by private car from Chitwan to Bardia National Park. It's a long drive, but because you're travelling in a private car, it's easy to make a few stops and stretch your legs.Bardia National Park is one of Nepali's best-kept secrets! Not only is it the largest national park in Nepal, it also offers the best chance to spot the rare Bengal tiger! It is also home to the wild elephant and the rhino.You'll spend the night in a home stay in Bardia.

Day 7 :

Bardia National Park : jungle walk

A jungle walk is a great way to see wildlife and birds in the wild. The local nature guide knows how to see wildlife from a safe distance; by listening carefully to the sounds of the jungle and following the paw prints on the ground. You'll walk along narrow paths and regularly cross the river. In watchtowers and on the banks of the river, you wait for animals to go to the water to drink. You'll walk a total of 15 to 20 kilometres.You'll spend the night in a home stay in Bardia.

Day 8 :

Bardia National Park

Today you will enter Bardia National Park by jeep. By jeep you can go further into the park so you can see less accessible parts of the park. You will stop at watchtowers, watering places and at the riverbank.You will spend the night in a home stay in Bardia.

Day 9 :

Bardia National Park: half day bird watching & free time

After breakfast you walk from the homestay to a tributary of the Karnali River. Between Bardia National Park and Katharniagat Wildlife Sanctuary in India there is an important passageway through which animals can move freely from one park to another. In this zone there are several community forests where you can spot a lot of birds and maybe even a rhino next to the river. A community forest is a forest managed by the local community. The aim is to reduce forest degradation, promote sustainable forestry practices and above all improve the livelihood of the community.Afterwards you will have lunch with a local Tharu family. Around 1:30 pm you will be back in the homestay.The rest of the day you are free to relax and let the impressions of the past days sink in.You will spend the night in a homestay in Bardia.The rest of the day you are free to relax and let the impressions of the past days sink in.

Day 10 :

Bardia National Park : wildlife rafting

Do you think right now: rafting that's way too wild and adventurous for me? The Karnali River is a quiet river on which you slowly sail in a rubber rafting boat. So no white water rafting but a very suitable way to watch the wildlife along the river! You will be taken to Chisapani and spend the day sailing slowly downstream in the Karnali river. If the raft sails silently, the animals won't hear you coming and you can admire them up close and personal. If the water level is not high enough, you will spend half a day on the river and half a day hiking in the jungle.You will spend the night in a home stay in Bardia.

Day 11 :

Drive to Sukla Phanta National Park via Ghodagodhi lake

After breakfast you leave in the direction of Sukla Phanta. On the way you will stop for 2 hours at the beautiful Ghodaghodi Lake. Ghodaghodi Lake consists of a system of 13 large and shallow lakes and ponds with associated marshes and meadows. There are beautiful lilies in the water and along the edge you can spot birds! You have lunch on the way. In the late afternoon you'll arrive at your lodge near Shukla Phanta National Park.You'll spend the night in a simple lodge in Shukla Phanta.

Day 12 :

Sukla Phanta National Park: jeep safari

The Sukla Phanta National Park is a protected area in the far west of Nepal. It consists of 305 km² of open grassland, forests, riverbeds and tropical swamps. The jeep takes you to different locations in the park: through grassland and along a number of smaller lakes such as the Rana Tal.There are 46 mammal species living in this park: the Bengal tiger, the Indian leopard, the leopard bear, the marsh deer and the wild elephant... By the way, the group of marsh deer in Shukla Phanta's grassland is the largest herd in the world!You will spend the night in a simple lodge in Shukla Phanta.

Day 13 :

Sukla Phanta National Park: jungle walk

You walk through the wooded jungle to the beautiful vast grasslands of Sukla Phanta. Did you know that the name Sukla Phanta refers to one of the grasslands in the protected area? The most important and largest grassland, called Sukla Phanta, is the largest piece of contiguous grassland in Nepal with an area of about 16 km². This is the habitat of a large herd of swamp deer, beautiful to see! This is also a true paradise for bird lovers: you can spot more than 420 different animal species here! You will spend the night in a simple lodge in Sukla Phanta!

Day 14 :

Domestic flight to Kathmandu - free time in Kathmandu

<From your accommodation in Sukla Phanta your guide will take you to Dhangadi airport. From there you will fly back to Kathmandu on a domestic flight.The rest of the day you can spend freely in Kathmandu. If you want to continue to enjoy the peace and quiet, take a look at the green oasis of the Garden of Dreams: a neoclassical garden in the centre of Kathmandu.You will stay in a standard hotel in Kathmandu.You will stay in a standard hotel in Kathmandu.

Day 15 :

Leasure time in Kathmandu

The end of your journey is unfortunately in sight. Depending on your flight time, you may still have some time to score some souvenirs or discover some nice spots. At least 3 hours before the departure time of your flight, you will be picked up at the reception of your accommodation. The driver will take you to the airport.We hope you'll bring home a lot of great memories!