Wildlife (Jungle) Safari in Nepal

If you are a lover of wilderness and wildlife, then a wildlife safari in Nepal is one of the most incredible experiences that you can ever undertake. It means to say that while Nepal may be surrounded by mountains, it still has a number of interesting animals.

Some of the natural attractions that are included are the jungle, where one can be privileged enough to see tigers, rhinos, and elephants. Whatever you like- being outdoors, taking photos, or seeing nature- once you come to visit, you will be specially catered to with a feel of the safari here.

This astonishing creation can be witnessed in Nepal, either in Chitwan or Bardia National Park. You may avail yourself of either a jeep tour or an elephant-back tour with professional tour guides who ensure that your safety is guaranteed.

Whether you are solo or headed as a family, every person will surely have a great time. Maybe a lifetime, a wildlife safari in Nepal is one thing you will never forget.

Best Wildlife Safaris in Nepal

Chitwan National Park Jungle Safari

Chitwan is the first national park in Nepal, and it was declared a national park in 1973. Established in the subtropical lowlands of south-central Nepal, the park occupies a land surface area of 952.63 square kilometres. For more than 25 years, the park has been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since the year 1984. 

Safaris in the Park

Chitwan is full of tourist attractions, and visitors can engage in different types of safaris. Wildlife found here consists of over 700 species. Hence, it is a breeding ground for the endangered one-horned rhinoceros, Royal Bengal tigers, Asiatic elephants, and several species of deer. 

Birdwatchers in particular can also sight over 525 species of birds and therefore will attract lovers of the natural world. There are several ways to explore the biological diversity in the park, such as the jeep wildlife safari in Nepal, elephant back safari, and walking with a guide.

Besides wildlife, guests will be able to witness Tharu dance and culture in the form of homestays and wooden demonstrations. There the park has facilities such as a visitors center and breeding centres for gharials, which primarily serve the purpose of providing knowledge to the tourists about conservation.

Best Time

The best tourist season to visit Chitwan National Park is during the months of October, November, December, January and February. Precipitation is between 200 to 250 mm per month, and the average temperatures are from 10°C during the nighttime to 25°C in the daytime. 

However, the temperatures range from March to June and reach up to 43 degrees, which is quite hot. The rainy season is from June to September every year, but this is the peak travel season as well. Because of the monsoon rainfall, the land becomes flooded.

Bardiya National Park

Bardiya National Park is one of the most striking wildlife destinations in Nepal which is situated in the Far western region of Nepal. Stretching out over about 968 sq km, it is the largest lowland Terai national park.

Located along Ring Road since its creation in 1988, the park was previously a hunting ground for the royal family. Today, it stands for the preservation of various kinds of environments and species threatened with extinction.

Safaris in the Park

Bardia National park is best known for sustaining the Royal Bengal tiger, one-horned Rhino, and Asian elephants. Tourists often come to hunt a number of attractions such as swamp deer, gharial crocodiles, and well over 400 different bird species. Due to the variety of wildlife found in the area it plays host to many photographers and wildlife enthusiasts.

Visitors can do several things during their stay. Jeep safaris provide unique means of viewing the large expanses of the park while at the same time increasing opportunity to spot wildlife.

Jungle walks would enable individuals to have a close feel of the forest with a guide who explains some features about the trees and animals. For the birds and living aquatic creatures, tourist who are more adventurous can go for canoe rid for the Karnali River.

Some of the cultural activities that one is privileged to watch in the evening include the Tharu dance of lodge experience. It also brings into the wildlife the cultural aspect to enable the tourists to learn of the other people of the country who live with wildlife.

Best Time

It is recommended that you visit Bardiya in the season from March to May and then again between August and November to see wildlife. There is a variety of places to stay in the park, from very basic lodges to high-end resorts; however, the cost is mostly above $30 per night.

Koshi Tappu Wildlife Reserve

Koshi Tappu Wildlife Reserve is one of the best wildlife tourism sites in the kingdom of Nepal, with different ecosystems that comply with the country's natural resources.

The reserve was set up in 1976 and lies over an area of 175 square kilometres in the floodplains of the Sapta Koshi River. It was originally conceived to conserve and restore the population of the Wild Water Buffalo, locally called Arna, and expanded to protect a host of other species.

The reserve is most popular for birding, which means over 400 species of birds have been sighted in the area. Tourists can undertake bird watching, which gives the visitor a chance to view the marshes, river banks, and streams within the reserve. Bird watching is best done around the migratory period of October to March, since most species will flock to the site.

Safaris in the Park

Another fascinating thing that tourists can do in Koshi Tappu is go on jeep safaris. These guided tours allow guests to discover the jungles and the river edges, where you can meet various birds, deer, gharial (crocodile), and, of course, Wild Water Buffalo.

The jeep safari usually lasts a few hours, during which guests get a great opportunity to see animals and admire the magnificent scenery of the reserve.

For the vaguer spirits, those willing to take a slight risk can also enjoy a mild wildlife rafting down the Koshi River. It enables a person to float around beautiful terrains while enjoying the elaborate water birds and other wildlife along the riverine zones.

Sighting animals such as the kingfisher diving to catch fish or even the Gangetic River dolphin is easily possible, though rafting offers quite an entwined view of the reserve's ecosystems.

Wildlife safaris in Koshi Tappu bare different packages depending on the client interests or the time available to undertake the activity. One of the many packages available is the 3-Day Safari and some of the things a visitor is likely to engage in include: bird watching, jeep safaris, white water rafting and village walks. 

This package is perfect for those people who want to explore everything in Koshi Tappu but have limited time to do it. Bird enthusiasts in particular can take advantage of the 4-Day Safari, which has an additional day focused on the great birding station.

Best Time

The best time to do a wildlife safari in Koshi Tappu is between autumn and summer. Since during the Summer season the heat is really extreme and during the monsoon season there is a high risk of flood in the region.

Parsa Wildlife Reserve

Parsa Wildlife Reserve is another adventurous destination for wildlife safaris in Nepal and is relatively distinct from the most famous national parks.

This wildlife reserve was set up in 1984 and has an area of 499 square kilometres, consisting of lowland Terai stretching over the Parsa, Bara, and Makawanpur districts.

It is for this reason that the park is near the busier Chitwan National Park; however, the place is not as crowded, giving tourists a more private encounter with animals.

Its wildlife comprises of the endangered Royal Bengal tiger, one-horned rhinoceros, wild elephants, Asiatic wild dogs, sloth bears and leopards to name but a few.

Bird lovers will also have reason to smile as data shows that there are over three hundred bird species that can be sighted at this location. Due to such rich bio-diversity Parsa is perfect for wildlife lovers who want to watch the wildlife in action.

Safaris in the Park

Safaris in Parsa can be done by either a jeep or the jungle tour on foot. Jeep safaris are especially common since they enable tourists to get more info within a shorter duration of time and cover more areas of the reserve regularly while observing wildlife frequently. 

Some of these kinds of tours take between 3-4 hours and entail moving through different zones in the park, such as subtropical regions and grassland, among others. The opportunity to come face to face with a pride of lions, wild elephants, or even tigers increases the excitement of the trip.

For those tourists who wish to sample something more adventurous, there are guided jungle walks; these enable a slower examination of the reserve.

Within the park, tourists can use the opportunity to see and understand the jungle more closely while being accompanied by experienced naturalists pointing at a particular plant or animal and explaining the specificities of their work and existence. 

Parsa over the years province has several accommodations ranging from budget friendly guest house and lodge. Almost all of these facilities provide dining services with meal and safari tour deals. About four days of the packages are usually provided on the average for ample discovering and unwinding in this lovely environment.

Best Time

October and March are considered the best months to visit Parsa National Park for a safari. During these months, it is dry in Nepal; the weather conditions are cool and pleasant. 

These seasons see very good wildlife viewing in the wild and other outdoor sports such as hiking and birdwatching. These months also are an advantageous time because most of the time, the skies are clear, and hence visibility to spot animals is better. 

Oppositely, between June and September is usually heavy during the monsoon period, due to the heavy rainfall, which may impede journeying or outdoor experiences.

Shuklaphanta Wildlife Reserve

Shuklaphanta Wildlife Reserve is a perfect destination for the wildlife safari in Nepal, which is home to the world's largest growling grasses, rhinoceros, wild pigs and many more wild animals. 

Extending to 305 sq kilometres in the Far-Western Region of Nepal, this reserve was made in 1976 and was the hunting reserve of the kings. It has been declared a wildlife sanctuary to protect a large number of swamp deer populations in Asia as well as numerous species.

The reserve provides an environmental adventure that gives a first-hand taste of the real deal by touring the majestic reserve. 

Safari in the Park

Jeep or elephant back can be used for carrying out jungle safaris, and each mode exposes travellers to different wildlife and terrains. Jeep safaris are preferred by travellers since they allow more area to be covered and get to diverse regions of the reserve. 

The usual group tours covering forest areas take anywhere between 3-4 hours and enable participants to come across a number of animals such as the Royal Bengal tigers, Indian leopards, sloth bears and wild elephants.

To those that prefer the Macho type, then the elephant back safaris are available for those willing to pay. Elephants are used to get close to the animal while observing its behaviors without interfering with the animals. This kind of safari is most fruitful for seeing large cats like the tiger and other bears in the jungle and grasslands. 

They have jeep and elephant backs, and also jungle walks with guides. These walks not only offer a controlled experience with the flora and fauna but also enable visitors to better explore the area. In the company of the leaders, participants can acquire information on the existing ecosystems, the footprints of animals, plus samples of plants in existence. 

Best Time

Park safaris are most advisable in the months of October to April as the areas surrounding Shuklaphanta are warm and there is more wildlife. The extreme temperatures are reasonable for touristic events, which the reserve hosts large tracts of grasslands and forests.

There are a kindly basic lodges and comfortable hotels to stay near Shuklaphanta. Several places have meal plans incorporated into their safaris, as well as other full packages that are provided by a tour guide. Safari is usually a multiple-day activity where there are one or several excursions per day.

Sagarmatha National Park

This is a measure that will inspire more adventure lovers to visit this wonderful park that hosts jungle safaris apart from having avalanche-like mountains, including Mount Everest.

Though the park may be well-renowned for trekking, it adjoins several ecosystems that would naturally host different animals, making it an interesting park for safari.

Safari in the Park

Traditional jeep tours are substituted by hikes through the jungle in the Sagarmatha National Park, as this area does not consist of flat and plain territories. These treks enable people to hike in the forest and in the meadows dominating the region, as well as viewing wildlife in its natural habitat. 

The park houses a number of different wildlife, such as the snow leopard, which is rare, the red panda, the Himalayan tahr, deer, etc. For bird watchers, the number of birds one can view includes the Himalayan Monal and many types of eagles.

There are possibilities to arrange a trek for days groups and highly demanding trekkings can also be shortened to a half day trekking. 

Another feature that should be noted in a jungle safari in Sagarmatha is the accent of the night Sherpa culture.

Trekking through many of them will get a chance to interact with indigenous people in the areas where they reside, known as the Sherpa people and learn about their culture. However, this cultural immersion gives an extra dimension to the safari ventures.

Best Time

Jungle safaris in Sagarmatha National Park is also most favorable during the spring season (March to May) and the autumn season (September to November) since the climatic conditions are ideal for exploring wildlife. Trekking during these periods is characterized by better conditions to sight the animals and look at the nearby mountains.

People who wish to visit the Sagarmatha National Park normally fly to Lukla from Kathmandu and then trek into the park. The distances from Lukla to such places as Namche Bazaar act as a sort of starting point for further penetration into the territory.