About this trip
Chitwan National Park is Nepal's oldest national park, a stretch of subtropical lowland forest and floodplain in the Terai, about 200km from Kathmandu. Over three nights and four days you base yourself here to explore the park on foot, by canoe and on elephant back, looking for one-horned rhinos, and if you're lucky, signs of Bengal tiger.
This is slow, immersive wildlife travel rather than a checklist safari. Days are built around guided jungle walks and river time, with long stretches of Sal forest, elephant grass floodplain and riverbank to take in along the way.
The park's species list is long, from sloth bears and leopards to gharials and marsh crocodiles, so sightings vary day to day. It suits anyone happy to go at nature's pace rather than expecting guaranteed close encounters.
What you'll do
- Guided jungle walks through Sal forest tracking rhino and other wildlife
- Canoe trip along the park's rivers
- Elephant ride through the grassland and forest
- Wildlife watching for Bengal tiger, sloth bear, leopard and gaur
- Birdwatching across the park's 450 recorded species
- Time on the floodplains of the Rapti, Reu and Narayani rivers
- Wildlife sightings are never guaranteed — this is a genuine national park, not an enclosure
- Suits travellers happy with an unhurried pace built around walks, canoeing and waiting for animals to appear
- Family-friendly but involves real walking and early starts typical of wildlife tracking
Worth it if you want genuine wildlife encounters and don't mind basic lodge facilities. Think twice if you need seamless arrival logistics and pristine bathrooms.
- Guides are genuinely knowledgeable and passionate; tiger, rhino, elephant sightings happen regularly here.
- Canoe trips and night walks deliver real adventure; bird watching reveals colourful species you won't see elsewhere.
- Arrival coordination can be loose; one group had no name sign and weren't told their lodge beforehand.
- Lodge bathrooms may have poor drainage issues; check room condition on day one and flag problems immediately.
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Getting there
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Where to stay
A night before your tour in Kathmandu · 19 Jul – 20 Jul
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