Overview

While the high Himalayas make up Nepal’s northern region, the southern lowland, known as the Terai, is covered with dense tropical jungles teeming with diverse wildlife and exotic birds. This region offers some of the most thrilling safari destinations in the world. Visitors can venture deep into the jungle on elephant back, by four-wheel-drive vehicle, or even on foot to view wild animals in their natural habitat. Other exciting activities include canoe rides on jungle rivers, nature walks, bird-watching excursions, and village tours.

Nepal boasts 14 national parks and wildlife reserves, providing one of the world's major habitats for endangered species like the one-horned rhino, Royal Bengal tiger, snow leopard, red panda, blue bull, blue sheep, and the long-snouted fish-eating gharial crocodile. The Sagarmatha (Everest) National Park and the Royal Chitwan National Park are listed as UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

The country is also a bird watcher’s paradise, hosting almost 10% of the world’s bird species with over 800 varieties of wetland, migratory, and resident birds. These include koklas, giant hornbills, red-headed trogons, paradise flycatchers, herons, kingfishers, Tibetan snow cocks, and many species of pheasants, herons, egrets, warblers, and babblers.

Here is more information about two of Nepal’s most famous national parks for wildlife safaris:

Royal Bardia National Park (968 sq km)

Royal Bardia National Park is the largest and most undisturbed wilderness area in the Terai. It is thickly forested with sal trees and is carpeted with grasslands, savannah, and riverine forests. The park is a regenerated habitat for endangered species like the rhinoceros, wild elephant, tiger, swamp deer, blackbuck, gharial crocodile, and Gangetic dolphin. Endangered birds include the Bengal florican, lesser florican, silver-eared mesia, and Sarus crane.

Royal Chitwan National Park (932 sq km)

Listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Royal Chitwan National Park is Nepal’s most popular safari destination. It features a unique ecosystem with hills, oxbow lakes, and floodplains. Dominated by sal forests, the park is home to 50 species of grasses and 43 species of animals, including the endangered one-horned rhino, Royal Bengal tiger, gharial crocodile, gaur, wild elephant, four-horned antelope, striped hyena, pangolin, Gangetic dolphin, monitor lizard, and pythons.

Jungle Resorts and Lodges

Visitors can enjoy excellent package tours that include air or ground transportation, accommodation, safaris, and other jungle activities, available from Kathmandu and Pokhara. Comfortable lodges and resorts with modern facilities are located both within and outside the jungle, offering a perfect blend of adventure and comfort.

Explore the untamed beauty of Nepal's Terai region and embark on an unforgettable wildlife safari experience!