Ride through the silent jungle catching wildlife by surprise in the largest national park of Nepal in Bardiya. Take nature walks with eperienced naturalists with years of experience in Bardiya.
Go for white-water rafting on the Karnali the longest river in Nepal, where you can watch the Gangetic dolphins surface or gharials lazing in the sun. Meet the charming Rana Tharu and Dangora people of southern Nepal and learn about their coourful culture.
An hour’s flight from Kathmandu and a few hours on the road brings you to the jungles of Bardiya in west Nepal. Safari in the pristine jungles of Bardiya are an unforgettable experience that will remain with you for a lifetime. The national park is home to countless species of mammals, reptiles and birds, some of which like the Bluebull are not found in Chitwan.
Bardiya National Park is one of the most pristine conservation areas in the Tarai and is home to the endangered Royal Bengal tiger and Nepal’s famous One-horned rhinoceros besides the many other mammals and reptiles. The park located in the far western district of Bardiya, is bordered by Karnali River in the west, the Churia range in the north, while the Babai River flows right through.
The national park is covered in vast Sal forests, riverine jungles and tall elephant grass, making it an ideal habitat for all kinds os species that roam freely. The park hosts 30 different mammals, more than 250 species of birds, and several varieties of reptiles and water animals. There are more sightings of tigers here than in other national parks which attracts visitors who come repeatedly to catch a glimpse of the elusive animal.
Some of the other animals found here are elephants, swamp deer, blackbuck, gharial crocodile and marsh-mugger crocodile. The exotic Gangetic dolphin is also sometimes seen in the Karnali. Birds include endangered varieties of Bengal florican, lesser florican, silver-eared mesia and sarus crane.
The park offers opportunities for fishing at the Karnali and Babai rivers. The best time to visit is autumn, winter and early summer when the weather is warm and dry. but not too hot. Bardiya can be reached by road via Nepalgunj or by flight to Nepalgunj from where the park is only a two hour drive away.
More than a dozen safari lodges in Bardiya provide excellent accommodations and facilities for guests to enjoy wildlife activities. The nearest city is Nepalgunj and the Park headquarters in Thakurdwara is approximately an hour’s drive away from the Nepalgunj-Surkhet road. Activities in the park include elephant rides, jeep safari, rafting, sport fishing and bird watching accompanied by a naturalist.
