Chitwan is located in the subtropical region of the Terai lowlands in south-central Nepal. Discover Chitwan National Park in Nepal and explore the jungle that covers an area of 950.000km². It is the first national park in Nepal. The park is situated 200 metres above sealevel. The rivers Rapti, Narayani en Reu form a natural border at the north, west and south border. Chitwan is listed as UNESCO World Heritage site. The Asiatic rhinoceros lives in Chitwan. Another resident of the jungle is the Bengal tiger.
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History
In the 19th century Chitwan was named the Heart of the Jungle. It used to be the favourite hunting grounds of the Nepali ruling class at that time. The area was only reachable by foot and the journey took several weeks from Kathmandu. Hunters and their entourage set up comfortable camps. They stayed for a few months during the cool winter months. The hunters were shooting rhinos, leopards, sloth bears and tigers. The British King George V, his son and the later King Edward VIII were guests during these hunting parties.
The hunting parties were not the largest threat for the flora and fauna. It was the expansion of agriculture. After a successful elimination of malaria in the 60s farmers moved to the fertile Terai region. This lead to large scale cutting of wood in Chitwan. The natural eco-system was destroyed and the animals were threatened with extinction. In 1964 King Mahendra proclaimed the area as rhino reserve. He moved the Tharu to another area. In 1973 Chitwan became a national park.
Flora
Chitwan is the most dense forest area in Nepal. The subtropical vegetation exists for 70% from sal forests, shorea robusta. Medicinal plants are popular among locals. Tharu visit Chitwan in February and pay a symbolic amount of one rupee to cut elephant grass for a few weeks. The grass is used to feed animals and as roofing. After pruning down the grass the fields are burned down to stimulate the grow of new grass.
Animals
In Chitwan live 60 species of mammals, 55 types of fish and around 400 bird species. The king of the jungle is the Bengal tiger. Since Chitwan became a national park the population increased from 25 to 110 in 1980. Researchers setup camera traps in 2010 and 2011 and discovered less activity of tigers during the day when humans are more active in the park.
The most striking resident is the Asiatic rhino. The rhino is an endangered species because of poaching. They sell the horns for the valuable ivory. The rhino population increased the last few decades. To make sure the rhino survives they move some of them to Bardia National Park and Sukla Phanta Wildlife Reserve.
Other animals living in Chitwan are jungle cats, fishing cats, leopard cats, golden jackals, foxes, otters, hyenas and much more. The most common apes are langurs and rhesus monkeys. In the rivers lives a fish eating crocodile that were almost extinct. Because of a special breeding program they saved the crocodiles. Chitwan is a bird paradise with a recorded amount of 543 species.
Tip: The best time to spot animals is in the early morning or in the late afternoon. The Asian animals are more shy and don’t life in groups compared to the wildlife in Africa. Because of this it’s more difficult to spot them.
Activities
There are several options to explore the jungle. A drive with a jeep gives you the opportunity to go deep into the jungle. Most visitors hope to see a Bengal tiger but the chances are small. It’s more likely to see rhinos, deer’s, monkeys and wild pigs. A more adventurous option is to go for a walk. You can choose a half- or full day hike through the jungle. The guides show you the tracks of all kinds of animals. Don’t go for a walk in the park alone. In the past tourists died or got injured after rhinos attacked them. A less active option is to go for a canoe trip on the Rapti river. You can spot many birds and explore the habitat of the crocodiles.
Sauraha Village
In and around Chitwan are many options of accommodations. There are remote lodges in and outside the national park. Sauraha is a village at the entrance of the park. The village offers many options of guest houses and lodges. It’s also a great opportunity to walk around the village and rice fields and see how the Tharu live. It’s safe to walk around in the area on your own. Check if there is a Tharu cultural show.
Best time to go
The best time to visit Chitwan National Park is in winter, from October to March. During the day the temperature is around 25°C. The elephant grass is low from March to May which makes it easier to spot wildlife. In May the temperature is increasing and it can get extremely hot and be around 40°C. Monsoon season starts in June and ends in September. The monsoon in Chitwan is hot and humid. The strong currents in the river makes it difficult to cross and the nasty mosquitos will eat you alive. It’s best not to visit Chitwan during the monsoon. And many of the guest houses and lodges are closed during the monsoon.
What to wear
Don’t wear colourful clothes. It scares the animals and in the worst case they panic and go on the run. Wear long sleeves and long pants to avoid sunburn and mosquito- and tick bites. I have learned from my mistake to wear a tank-top when I went for a hike in the jungle. If you are going for a hike in Chitwan I recommend to wear sturdy (hiking) shoes. The guides take you into the jungle and most of the time you don’t follow a path. The evenings can be cold so bring a sweater. Bring sunglasses, sunscreen, a hat (or similar), mosquito spray and binoculars.
How to get there
By air
Sauraha and Chitwan are connected by air through Bharatpur Airport. There are daily flights to Bharatpur from Pokhara and Kathmandu. The airport is located 15km west of Sauhara. You can take a bus, jeep or taxi to Sauraha.
By bus
Buses arrive at Bharatpur or Tadi Bazaar from Kathmandu, Pokhara and Sunauli. Try to book a direct or express bus. They are not more comfortable but they are (hopefully) faster.
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