(Jungle lodge accommodation) - 3 day trip

Royal Chitwan National Park introduces you to an unexpected aspect of Nepal. The Park covers 1431 square kilometres and is located 175 km south-west of Kathmandu on the Terai at the fringe of the Indian plains. It comprises forest and grasslands, with several rivers flowing through the park offering a variety of habitats for wildlife. It is one of the best areas in Asia for viewing wildlife, and days are spent venturing into the park on foot, by elephant back or dug-out canoe to see the abundant wildlife birdlife and with minimum disturbance. Alternatively, you may wish to relax around the lodge or take a swim at the nearby swimming hole.

Accommodation is at Chitwan Jungle Lodge, which is well located in the park and is of comfortable, simple design. There are twin-bedded bungalows with private facilities but no electricity (fuel lamps are used for lighting). There is a central lounge area and an attractive dining area. The food is excellent - a combination of Western and the traditional Nepali cuisine. It is well-located, deep in the jungle, with the night noises of the wildlife and waking to the early morning foraging of birds, monkeys and smaller animals.

Although there are many animals to be seen at Chitwan, it is not a zoo nor like the plains of Africa.. The jungle cover and grasslands effectively hide many animals and we must search for them quietly on foot or elephant-back. On some occasions we may not find many animals, on other occasions you will be rewarded for your patience with multiple sightings. Threshing usually occurs in mid-January for a period of two weeks. As this process involves cutting grass, the opportunities for viewing wildlife, in particular the one horned black rhino, are significantly diminished. Visits during this time and for two weeks after should be taken for the relaxation the park offers and the jungle atmosphere which is retained.

The one-horned black rhinoceros, once nearly extinct, is the most conspicuous of the large species, but the park is populated by at least four types of deer as well as other mammals such as sloth bear, leopard, fishing and jungle cats, several species of civet cats, jackal, wild boar, otter, langur and rhesus macaque monkeys, and mongoose. In addition, there are over 450 species of exotic birds, including the giant hornbill, lesser florican and paradise flycatcher.

The rarest animal in the park is the Royal Bengal tiger and to give ourselves the chance of viewing this magnificent animal, we use the Chitwan Jungle Lodge.

Early this century, the Terai was a rarely visited jungle expanse with few inhabitants, the only visitors being members of the Nepalese elite on hunting trips. During the 1950's, malaria was eradicated and the population increased rapidly, resulting in the jungle slowly cleared for logging and farming. Conservationists soon realised that if action was not taken, it wouldn't be long before all the animals of the Terai would be extinct. Thus in 1962, King Mahendra designated Chitwan a rhinoceros preserve and in 1973, it was finally gazetted in parliament as the first National Park in Nepal.

Today, there are only about 1000 one-horned rhinos left in the world and over 300 of these are in the Chitwan National Park; of the less than 2000 tigers remaining in the sub-continent, over 40 live in Chitwan. There are many other animals as previously mentioned and for a more in-depth study, we recommend reading "The Heart of the Jungle" by K.K. Gurung.

ITINERARY

DAY 1 : Arrivel Kathmandu

DAY 2-3 : Drive to chitwan,trekking safari ,drive back to kathmandu

Note : It is possible to book a stay longer than 2 nights.