Chitwan Jungle Safari Tour – Reconnoiter the tropical jungles of Nepal

If you are after rich culture, incredible wildlife, and breathtaking scenery, you won’t be disappointed with the Chitwan Jungle Safari Tour!

Nepal’s biodiversity, like its many cultures and diverse physical environment, is essential. Each with its own distinguishing features, Nepal is dedicated to protecting and conserving its local wildlife. Henceforth, the government has 20 protected areas for flora and fauna. Among 20, Chitwan National Park is one of the famous national parks of Nepal. With an area of 952.63 sq. km, it is the first national park of Nepal. Like Sagarmatha National Park in the Khumbu area, Chitwan National Park is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

It has been almost four decades since the establishment of Chitwan National Park in 1973 AD. The park has a long history of preserving wildlife and mitigating animal poaching. Also, with the cooperation of locals, the national park holds many corporate workshops empowering the community and advocating the importance of the conservation of natural vegetation. Besides being one of the successful national parks of Nepal for the preservation of natural resources, the national park is a top travel destination in Nepal for nature lovers.

Chitwan National Park allows nature and safari enthusiasts to see rare and beautiful animals and varieties of bird species in their natural habitat. Travelers can join in various activities that permit them to dive deep into the forest and witness animals. Moreover, the national park is not only about exceptional animals. It is also about learning and immersing in the fascinating cultures prevalent in the national park area. The surrounding of the national park is home to the Tharu community, an indigenous group of Nepal with their distinct culture, tradition, language, and customs.

Given its enchanting aura, amazement only escalates with each activity in Chitwan National Park. Here are the top engaging activities to do in Chitwan National Park.

Go on Nature Walk

Also known as a jungle walk, a nature walk is one of the favorite things to do in Chitwan National Park. It is a thrilling experience that creates an opportunity to encounter animals face to face. Nature walks are guided journeys with nature experts or park rangers. These people are familiar with every corner of the jungle and take you to the jungles’ principal point. They know when animals come out of their shed and the best places to observe them without disturbing their habitation. Nature Walk is a splendid thing one can do while in Chitwan to witness wild vegetation without disturbing them.

Explore the Beeshazari wetland of Chitwan National Park

There are more than 40 lakes in Chitwan National Park. Exploring all at once won’t be possible as it is challenging to map them as well. But Beeshazari Tal, a vast wetland in the central part of the national park, is a center of attraction. The wetland is a habitat for several animals, including the Bengal tiger, sloth bear, smooth-coated otter, wild boar, crocodiles, birds, one-horned rhinos, and many more. The lake is one of the most extensive wetlands in the central Terai region and offers visitors a quiet and enigmatic time. Make sure to go on a quaint and thrilling canoe ride on the waters of Beeshazari Lake.

Exciting Jeep Safari while on the Chitwan Jungle Safari Tour

Chitwan Jungle Safari is not complete without a jeep safari. Drive through the well-marked road trails for jeep, and as you move along, observe animals hidden behind bushes or tall grasses. Jeep Safari is about a 1-2 hour tour that allows you to spot animals from a distance.

Bird Watching

Chitwan National Park is an Eden for bird lovers. The park lies close to the Himalayas; thus, migratory birds often make their way back to the jungles of Chitwan. Besides, the park is home to more than 600 recorded species of bird.  Indigenous and migrant species like the Great Hornbill, Pied Kingfisher, Ruddy Shelduck, and Red-headed trogon can also be found. The park’s alluvial grasslands are essential habitats for many critically endangered birds. Also, the park is a breeding site for globally threatened birds.

Canoe Ride

Canoe rides are a combination of therapeutic at the same exhilarating. The wooden boat slowly flows down with rippling sounds of water and birds chirping, making pleasant music. As you glide down the picturesque Rapti Rivers enjoying beautiful views of the jungles in your surround, do spot the innumerable rhinoceroses, gharials, and birdlife as well.

Connect with Tharu people through the Tharu Village Tour

Tharu community is the indigenous people of Chitwan. Tharu communities are made up of many endogamous groups that are linguistically and culturally different. They primarily inhabit the lowland plains of Nepal, commonly known as the Terai region. The Tharu are often described as one people, but various subgroups reside all across the Terai region of Nepal. They are the natives of Chitwan but were forced to relocate before the establishment of Chitwan National Park in 1973.

The forced relocation disrupted the social and cultural institutions and ultimately declined their presence in Chitwan. Although most have relocated, few communities of the Tharu ethnic group are still sparsely scattered in the buffer zones of the national park. They lived a semi-nomadic life and practiced shifting cultivation. Tharu communities have strong interconnection with their environment and see the forest and the village as one entity. They depend on the forest for food, wood, medicines, and many more things but are restricted from using forest resources by the authorities.

Engage in interesting Tharu Cultures

Besides the worshiping nature of the Tharu community, their culture, traditions, and life skills are other exciting aspects of the ethnic community. With having a distinct language, the community also possesses traditional dances, attires, and customs. Tharu are known for their traditional fishing skills and many other survival skills. The Tharu cultural dances are also the highlight of the ethnic communities. Through their dances, they tell the tales of their cultures. Also, their traditional dress reflects the relationship between their people and the environment. Therefore, do make sure to participate in Tharu cultural shows while you are in Chitwan.

Visit the Elephant and Crocodile Breeding Center

Along with one-horned rhino and royal Bengal tiger, crocodiles and elephants are few other well-looked-after animals of Chitwan national park. The breeding center is suitable for educational tours as the animals are conserved in a makeshift environment. Gharial Breeding Center of Kasara of Chitwan National Park protects the natural egg-laying sites of gharials to hatch eggs in artificial conditions. They rear the young until they are ready to get back into the natural habitat to re-establish a viable population in the wild.

On the other hand, Elephant breeding centers look after elephants and prepare them for the protection of the jungles. Wild elephants have long-range dispersing behavior, frequently coming into contact with human beings during their movement. And because of this recurring problem, especially in areas outside protected areas and forest habitats, wild elephants pose a significant threat to the local communities because of their crop-raiding tendency. Although their poaching is not a threat in Nepal, elephant conservation is challenged by habitat fragmentation, obstruction of migratory routes, and human-elephant conflict. Therefore, elephants raised in the breeding are prepared for the protection of the jungle from wild elephants.

Hire a bike and ride around the Tharu village

Chitwan has flatlands, so cycling here is a different delight. You may hire a bike and ride around the town, observing people and occasionally say hi as well. In Chitwan, a bicycle is the most common means of transportation, and you wouldn’t be the only one on the two-wheelers. Men, women, kids, everybody rides cycle around here, so it is the most local thing to do on your own.

Catch the magical sunrise and sunset over the calmly flowing Rapti Rivers

Sunrise and sunset over the Rapti River are beguiling to watch. One may start or end their day by watching the golden rays of the sun glistening the calm waters of the Rapti river and making its perfect mirror image on its surface. It is calming and relaxing to watch the sun dispersing its color and making the horizon vibrant in orange shade.

Elephant briefing program

The elephant briefing is an informative program to share information and understanding regarding elephants. The naturalists will teach you about the gentle giant and their existence in the wild, their domestication, the distinctions between African and Asian elephants, and much more. The program also includes interacting with mahouts, the elephant’s keepers, and learning how they train and communicate with the elephants.

Special Tours

If anyone would like to dive more into the jungle and see the uncommon and elusive species, go on a day-long trek to the Churia Hills or other sections of the park.

Given all the exciting options, there is no shortage of fun things to do in Chitwan. The list extends beyond the options mentioned here. However, it is also equally important to visit the park at the right time.

An overview of Chitwan National Park during Four Seasons

The best time for Chitwan national park is anywhere between October to April. This timeframe experience autumn, winter and spring season in Nepal. Also, during this time range, the average temperature is 25°C. However, the best time to see the animal is from January to March. It is the winter season, so the weather is also bearable.

Similarly, animals often come out of the den to soak up warmth from the sun. Villagers also cut down the tall grasses during these months, so the possibility of animal sightings is high. The grasslands of Chitwan national park grow as tall as eight meters at other times, making it difficult to spot the animals. The monsoon, which is from June to August, is heavy in the Terai region, and Chitwan is no exception to its pouring rain. Due to rain, jeep trails get affected by the flood, making it difficult for jeep safari activities. Also, the weather becomes unbearably hot with the temperature rising to over 40°C.

Conclusion

On the whole, Chitwan Jungle Safari Tour is an accumulation of everything. From engaging with the locals to seeing wild animals so close, the activities include experiencing incredibly exciting and awesome feels. All the activities listed here are animal cruelty-free, so you may join in without feeling any guilt. Do add the Chitwan jungle safari tour to your things to-do list while visiting the tropical region of Nepal.