Nepal’s first national park: one-horned rhinos, wild tigers, gharials and the Tharu villages at the edge of the sal forest.
Chitwan protects 952 km² of sal forest, tall grassland and river floodplain in the Inner Terai, and it is the most reliable place in Nepal to see a greater one-horned rhinoceros — often on the first afternoon. The park also holds Bengal tigers, gharial and mugger crocodiles, sloth bears, leopards and more than 500 bird species, and it has done it with a genuinely community-based model: the buffer-zone forests are managed with the Tharu villages that ring the park.
Most visitors base themselves in Sauraha, on the northern edge, or in the quieter western sector near Kasara and Ghatgain. Days here are structured around dawn and dusk: a jeep or canoe safari early, a jungle walk or elephant-breeding centre visit at midday, and a Tharu cultural evening. It is a completely different Nepal from the mountains, and it pairs naturally with Pokhara or Lumbini.
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Trekking & Expeditions
October to March. The grass is cut in January, which improves visibility dramatically; February–March is the best window for tiger sightings. April–June is hot (40 °C) but good for wildlife concentrated at water. The park’s interior closes during the monsoon.
From Kathmandu, a 5–6 hour tourist bus or a 25-minute flight to Bharatpur then 20 minutes by jeep. From Pokhara, 4–5 hours by road; from Lumbini, about 4 hours. Sauraha is the main gateway village.
Park entry is NPR 1,500 for foreign visitors per day, plus a buffer-zone fee. All safaris inside the park need a licensed guide; jungle walks must go in groups with an armed guard. Book through your lodge — prices are fixed across operators.
Lodges run USD 25–150 a night. A full-day jeep safari is USD 60–90 per vehicle, a canoe trip USD 15–25 per person, and a guided jungle walk USD 25–35. Packages of two nights with all activities are the usual way to buy it.
Do not walk alone in the buffer zone, keep distance from rhinos (they are fast and unpredictable), never approach a mother with a calf, and follow your guide’s instructions instantly. Leeches and mosquitoes are a monsoon issue; tigers are a real but small risk.
Two nights minimum, three is better — that gives you two dawn safaris and one dusk drive. Day-trippers see far less.
Probably not — tigers are solitary, nocturnal and cover huge ranges. Rhinos, deer, monkeys, crocodiles and birds are near-certain; tigers are a bonus. Two to three days in the western sector in February–March is your best shot.
Elephant-back safaris are increasingly criticised for animal welfare and many lodges have dropped them. Jeep safaris, canoe trips and guided walks are the better choice, and the elephant breeding centre at Khorsor is a visit rather than a ride.
Chitwan is easier to reach and better for a first safari. Bardia in the far west is wilder, quieter and arguably better for tigers, but it needs a flight and more days.
Yes — the standard Nepal circuit is Kathmandu → trek → Pokhara → Chitwan → Kathmandu, which flows with the roads and avoids backtracking.
Start with the permits, pick your season, then choose the trek that fits your days. Our guides are updated for 2026 and written from the trail, not from a brochure.