Jungle Safaris in Nepal ! Budget Travels & Tours (P) Ltd.

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Jungle Safari in Nepal

While the high Himalaya make up Nepal’s northern region, the southern lowlands known as the Terai are covered with dense tropical jungles teeming with diverse wildlife and exotic birds. Here you will find some of the most exciting safari destinations in the world. You will be going into deep jungle on elephant back or four-wheel drive vehicle to view wild animals in their natural habitat. Other thrills include canoe rides on the jungle rivers, nature walks, bird watching excursions and village tours.Among the 14 national parks and wildlife reserves in the Kingdom, Royal Chitwan National Park (932 sq. km.), Koshi Tappu Wildlife Reserve (175 sq. km.) and Royal Bardiya National Park (968 sq. km.) are equipped with wildlife safari tour facilities as well as tourist standard accommodation.

Royal Chitwan National Park:

The Royal Chitwan National Park is situated in the southern lowlands (the Terai) in Nepal. Chitwan (meaning 'heart of the jungle') is one of the finest wildlife reserves in Asia. It is home to more than 700 species of birds and over 70 species of wild creatures including the endangered Royal Bengal Tiger, elephants, one-horned white rhinos, sloths and garial crocodiles, for example.

The park is easily reached from Kathmandu and Pokhara (the two main tourist centres in Nepal). Visitors can travel by air, overland or combine an overland journey with rafting part of the way.

The local people belong to the Tharu tribe and there are opportunities to visit Tharu villages and to enjoy programmes of Tharu culture - as well as elephant safaris and canoe trips. The scenery is a mixture of dense jungle forest, savannah and open plains with some ravine wetlands.

Safari Programmes

(3 days, 2 nights stay)

Day 01 : Depart Kathmandu or Pokhara for Chitwan (5 hours by tourist coach). Collection & transfer to the resort / camp. Welcome drinks & introductory talk followed by lunch. Free time followed by visit to Tharu village. Dinner & retire for the night.
Day 02 : Wake up with tea in bed. Breakfast. Canoe trip. Jungle walk. Lunch and free time, followed by elephant safari and return to camp at dusk. Tharu music and stick dance. Dinner & retire for the night.
Day 03 : Early wake up with tea in bed. Rush to catch the sun rise and early morning chorus. Return to camp for a substantial breakfast. Farewells and transfer to catch the bus to Kathmandu or Pokhara.

(4 days, 3 nights stay)

Day 01 : Depart Kathmandu or Pokhara for Chitwan (5 hours by tourist coach). Collection & transfer to the resort / camp. Welcome drinks & introductory talk followed by lunch. Free time followed by visit to Tharu village. Dinner & retire for the night.
Day 02 : Wake up with tea in bed. Breakfast. Canoe trip. Jungle walk. Lunch and free time, followed by elephant safari and return to camp at dusk. Tharu music and stick dance. Dinner & retire for the night.
Day 03 : A day of rest, exploring or taking one of several optional programmes.
Day 04 : Farewells and transfer to catch the bus to Kathmandu or Pokhara.

Royal Bardiya National Park:

Situated in the far west Terai of Nepal, the Royal Bardia National Park offers similar wildlife, eco-systems and landscape to Chitwan.

Being further away from the main tourist centres, Bardia is relatively uncrowded and unexplored. It is less tainted by the influences of modernity - offering a more natural and authentic experience.

Safari Programmes

Standard Safari (4 days, 3 nights)

Day 01 : Bus from Kathmandu or Pokhara to highway meeting point. Collection by jungle guide & transfer to the resort. Arrive at the resort early morning. Free time followed by cultural tour and visit to Tharu village.
Day 02 : Full day walking Safari to view Gangetic Dolphins with the option of swimming.
Day 03 : Exploration of tiger territory on foot in the morning. Afternoon Safari on elephant back or by 4 wheel drive vehicle.
Day 04 : Early morning bird watching tour. Relaxation and the option to explore other nearby villages. Lunch. Departure & connection by bus for Kathmandu or Pokhara.

It takes 6 days for a round trip beginning and ending in Kathmandu or Pokhara.

Standard Safari (5 days, 4 nights)

Day 01 : Bus from Kathmandu or Pokhara to highway meeting point. Collection by jungle guide & transfer to the resort. Arrive at the resort early morning. Free time followed by cultural tour and visit to Tharu village.
Day 02 : Full day walking Safari to view Gangetic Dolphins with the option of swimming.
Day 03 : Exploration of tiger territory on foot in the morning. Afternoon Safari on elephant back or by 4 wheel drive vehicle.
Day 04 : Rafting in the (flat) Karnali River followed by visit to Baghurphanta grasslands and Watch Tower.
Day 05 : Early morning bird watching tour. Relaxation and the option to explore other nearby villages. Lunch. Departure & connection by bus for Kathmandu or Pokhara.

Koshi Tappu Wild Life Reserve:

Situated in the south east of Nepal, the Koshi Tappu Wildlife Reserve is a 'twitcher's (bird watcher's) paradise.

Established in 1996 and covering 175 square km., its numerous water holes, marshes and grasslands support a vast array of rare and endangered species of birds - as well as an important population of Asiatic Buffalo.

The Reserve can be reached overland or by air. By air the flight takes one hour (Kathmandu to Biratnagar) plus a one hour drive to the camp. Alternatively, you can follow the main East-West Highway eastwards from Kathmandu and divert from Jamuwa to the camp site (which is 2.5 km).

Typical Programmes

Standard Bird Watching & Safari Programme (3 days, 2 nights)

Standard Bird Watching & Safari Programme (4 days, 3 nights)

Day 01 : Arrival in the morning & brief introduction to the programme. Lunch. Ornithological Walk to see storks, ibeses, snipes, water fowl, birds of prey etc. Evening slideshow presentation on the Reserve's natural history followed by a Nepali dinner.
Day 02 : Early breakfast. Full day's excursion by boat & 4 wheel drive (with packed lunch) to see waders, water fowl, birds of prey, marsh crocodiles, otters, wild water buffalo and Gangetic dolphins. (Includes a vist to the Pink Tower.) Evening programme of traditional dance followed by BBQ meal.
Day 03 : Bird watching in scrub forest, grasslands and wetlands habitats with packed lunch to see swamp partridges, black-necked storks, buntings, bulbuls, etc. Afternoon (either) continue bird watching (or) take an optional elephant ride to see Arna the wild water buffalo, blue bulls, hog deer, species of fish etc. Evening: star-gazing followed by Chinese dinner.
Day 04 : Bird watching around the camp or leisure time. Breakfast. Farewells & departure.

Standard Bird Watching & Safari Programme (5 days, 4 nights)

Day 01 : Arrival in the morning & brief introduction to the programme. Lunch. Ornithological Walk to see storks, ibexes, snipes, water fowl, birds of prey etc. Evening slideshow presentation on the Reserve's natural history followed by a Nepali dinner.
Day 02 : Early breakfast. Full day's excursion by boat & 4 wheel drive (with packed lunch) to see waders, water fowl, birds of prey, marsh crocodiles, otters, wild water buffalo and Gangetic dolphins. (Includes a vist to the Pink Tower.) Evening programme of traditional dance followed by BBQ meal.
Day 03 : Breakfast. Bird watching in scrub forest, grasslands and wetlands habitats with packed lunch to see swamp partridges, black-necked storks, buntings, bulbuls, etc. Afternoon (either) continue bird watching (or) take an optional elephant ride to see Arna the wild water buffalo, blue bulls, hog deer, species of fish etc. Evening: star-gazing followed by Chinese dinner.
Day 04 : Breakfast. Full day's trip by four wheel drive to Chatara to see racquet-tailed drongos, golden-backed woodpeckers, pied hornbills, leaf birds, red-thighed falconets etc. (packed lunch). Continental dinner.
Day 05 : Bird watching around the camp or leisure time. Breakfast. Farewells & departure.