Terai
Chitwan National Park
In the hot Terai plains of southern Nepal, the country's most famous national park: one-horned rhinos, crocodiles, hundreds of bird species and, with a lot of luck, a tiger.
- Region: Terai
- Time needed: 2–3 days
- Entry: 2,000 NPR (≈ €12) per day
- From Kathmandu: 6 to 7 h by bus
At a glance
Nepal isn't just mountains. About 160 km by road south-west of Kathmandu, the Terai plain, less than 200 m above sea level, is home to Chitwan National Park, a UNESCO site: sal forests, tall grasslands and rivers inhabited by nearly 700 one-horned rhinos, over a hundred tigers, leopards, sloth bears, two species of crocodile and more than 500 bird species.
Most visitors stay in Sauraha, a tourist village on the Rapti river, facing the park. Two nights are the norm (three to take your time): a jeep safari, a canoe trip, a jungle walk with guides, sunset over the river. Seeing rhinos is almost guaranteed; seeing a tiger remains exceptional.
Everything is done with licensed guides: you don't enter the park alone. Sauraha's agencies and hotels sell activities individually or as packages with accommodation.
Don't miss
- A rhino crossing the river a few dozen metres from your canoe.
- The dawn jeep safari, in the mist and birdsong.
- Sunset over the Rapti from the riverbank in Sauraha.
- The villages of the Tharu, the people of the plains, and their painted mud houses.
Less good
- Hot and humid from April to September; parts of the park closed during the monsoon.
- Sauraha is very touristy, and activities quickly add up.
- Tigers are very rarely seen.
In pictures
What to see
The park entry fee (2,000 NPR (≈ €12) per day and per entry for non-SAARC foreigners) comes on top of activity prices, which always include licensed guides. Typical 2026 prices in Sauraha, varying with season and agency.
The classic
Jeep safari
≈ 2,500 to 3,500 NPR (≈ €14 to €20)
Half a day in a shared jeep (4 to 5 hours) through forest and grassland. The full day (≈ 4,000 to 6,000 NPR (≈ €23 to €35)) goes further, often as far as the breeding centre of the gharial, the long-snouted, critically endangered crocodile, where the animals are less disturbed. Private jeep: ≈ 10,000 to 15,000 NPR (≈ €58 to €87) for the vehicle.
- When
- Departures early morning or mid-afternoon
On the water
Canoe on the Rapti
A silent trip in a dugout canoe, just above the water: mugger crocodiles and gharials on the sandbanks, kingfishers, and often rhinos on the bank. Usually combined with a walk or a jeep ride back.
- Time
- 1 to 2 hours on the water
On foot
Jungle walk
≈ 2,500 to 4,000 NPR (≈ €14 to €23)
Half a day or a full day on foot with two guides armed with sticks: for the tracks, the birds and the atmosphere of the forest. You see fewer animals than by jeep, but much closer. Follow the instructions: a startled rhino can charge.
- Time
- half a day to a full day
Outside the park
Tharu villages and the elephant breeding centre
The Tharu have lived in the plains for centuries: cycle or stroll through the villages around Sauraha, visit a small Tharu museum, and in the evening, watch a stick dance. The elephant breeding centre (entry ≈ 300 NPR (≈ €1.7)) lets you see elephants up close without riding them.
- Time
- half a day
Planning your visit
In 2 nights
Day 1: arrive in the early afternoon, walk through the Tharu villages, sunset over the Rapti. Day 2: canoe and walk in the morning, jeep safari in the afternoon. Day 3: leave after a last dawn walk along the river.
In 3 nights
Add a full-day jeep safari, or the Bis Hazari Tal area (the “twenty thousand lakes”), a paradise for birds, north of the park.
Away from the crowds
The lodges of Meghauli and Barauli, west of the park, are more isolated and more expensive than Sauraha, but their safaris meet far fewer people.
Getting there
Tourist bus from Kathmandu
Departs from Kantipath, arrives at Sauraha bus park, 15 min on foot or by cart from the village. Hotels often pick up their guests.
Tourist bus from Pokhara
Morning departure from Pokhara's tourist bus station. See Pokhara.
Plane to Bharatpur
Then 30 to 40 min by taxi to Sauraha (about 15 km).
Getting around locally
On foot or by bike
Sauraha is walkable; bikes can be rented to visit the Tharu villages. In the park, only with guides, by jeep, canoe or on foot.
Where to stay
Sauraha
The widest choice, from guesthouse to resort with a pool, many sold as “nights + activities” packages. Riverside hotels look out over the park.
Meghauli and Barauli
Upmarket lodges or Tharu homestay villages west of the park: quieter, less crowded safaris, but further from transport.
When to come
bestpossiblenot advised
From October to March the climate is pleasant (winter mornings are misty and cool). In late January and February, villagers are allowed to cut the park's tall grass: visibility improves markedly. March and April, hot, are the best time to see animals, which gather near water.
From May to September it's 35 to 40 °C, the humidity is crushing, mosquitoes and leeches abound, and some tracks are closed or flooded during the monsoon.
Festivals
| Maghe Sankranti | mid-January The Tharu New Year: celebrations, dances and family meals in the villages. |
| Chhath | October–November Offerings to the sun on the banks of the Rapti and the ponds, especially at dusk and dawn. |
Dates change every year; ask in Sauraha.
Good to know
You get your visa on arrival, at Kathmandu airport or at the border: form, fees and pitfalls to avoid on our dedicated site.
Visa Nepal →Fancy a few days of walking? Poon Hill, Mardi Himal, Langtang… permits, guides, transport and day-by-day itineraries on our trekking site.
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