Plan my trek
Plan my trek
About 150 m
About 950 sq km
NPR 2,000 per day
5–7 hr bus / 25 min
October to April
2–3 nights
Chitwan is where Nepal stops being about mountains. Down in the hot, flat Terai, about 150 km south-west of Kathmandu, sal forest, tall elephant grass and slow, muddy rivers make up the country’s oldest national park. It is the best place in Nepal, and one of the best in Asia, to see the greater one-horned rhino on foot or from a jeep, and it holds one of the densest tiger populations anywhere.
Chitwan National Park was set up in 1973 as Nepal’s first national park and was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1984. The park covers roughly 950 sq km, with a buffer zone of community forests, farmland and villages around it. Rhino, gharial and mugger crocodiles, sloth bear, gaur (Indian bison), four kinds of deer, wild elephant, leopard and the Bengal tiger all live here, along with more than 540 recorded bird species.
The numbers are going the right way. The 2026 national tiger survey counted 145 tigers in Chitwan and its buffer zone, up from 128 in 2022, out of 429 across Nepal. The last completed rhino count, in 2021, found 694 rhinos in Chitwan, out of 752 nationally.
Most visitors base themselves in Sauraha, a small, relaxed tourist town on the north bank of the Rapti River. Across the water is the park itself. Days start early with mist on the river and jeeps and canoes heading out, then a hot, quiet middle of the day, and sunset drinks on the riverbank while rhinos sometimes wander past the hotels. Evenings bring Tharu dance shows and simple dinners. It is busy in the main seasons but never frantic, and a strong contrast to Kathmandu.
The quieter, more upmarket alternative is the western side of the park: Meghauli, near the Rapti–Narayani confluence, and Barauli and Amaltari across the Narayani in Nawalparasi. Lodges there are more spread out, more expensive and closer to fewer people.
Think of the park as a long block of forest running east to west, with the Rapti River along much of its northern edge. Sauraha sits on that northern bank towards the east. The district centre, Bharatpur, with its domestic airport, is about 15–20 km west of Sauraha by road. Further west, the Rapti flows into the larger Narayani, with Meghauli on the east bank and Barauli/Amaltari on the west. The East–West Highway runs north of the park through Tandi (Ratnanagar), the turn-off for Sauraha. To the south, the park borders Parsa National Park and, across the border, India’s Valmiki Tiger Reserve. Together they form one large wildlife landscape.
Most activities in the national park itself require the daily park entry ticket and licensed guides. Hotels and agencies in Sauraha sell them individually or as two- and three-day packages. Prices below were collected from 2025–2026 sources, but they vary with season, group size and operator, so treat them as a guide and agree exactly what is included before you pay.
The jeep safari is the classic way to cover ground and your best chance of a tiger, sloth bear or gaur. Half-day trips (about 3–4 hours) usually cross the Rapti by canoe from Sauraha and drive the grassland and forest tracks around the Kasara and Bis Hajari areas. Full days (roughly 7am–5pm) go deeper towards the remote central and western forest.
Only park-registered jeeps with licensed guides can operate, and the park charges a vehicle fee, reported as NPR 5,000 per jeep. That fee is usually built into tour prices. Shared half-day seats have generally cost around USD 20–35 per person plus the NPR 2,000 park entry. A private full-day jeep has been quoted at roughly USD 200–250 for the vehicle, including permits and lunch. Tip: leave at opening, take a scarf for dust and expect long gaps between sightings.
Drifting downstream in a dugout canoe, often carved from a single silk-cotton trunk, is the most peaceful thing you will do in Chitwan. Trips last around 30–60 minutes and usually start near Sauraha. You float past kingfishers, egrets, storks and basking mugger crocodiles. With luck you will also see the rare, slender-snouted gharial. Many trips then continue as a guided walk back or to the breeding centre.
The canoe is usually sold with a walk or jeep safari as part of a package rather than on its own, and you also pay the daily park entry. Best time: early morning, when mist sits on the water and birds are most active. Keep quiet, keep hands inside the canoe and do not stand up.
Walking safaris are the most intense way to experience Chitwan. You track rhino by their dung middens, listen for alarm calls and read pugmarks in the sand. Walks run from about two hours to a full day. Two licensed guides normally lead each small group, and you cannot walk in the park without guides or between sunset and sunrise.
Walking is not risk-free. Rhino, sloth bear and wild elephant are more dangerous on foot than tigers. Listen to your guides’ briefing on climbing trees, moving behind them and never running. Guide fees vary by length and group size. Expect a half-day walk to cost a few thousand rupees per person plus park entry, and agree the price in advance. Tip: wear neutral colours and closed shoes. Avoid the hottest months of the year if the heat bothers you.
With more than 540 species recorded, Chitwan is one of the richest birding sites in South Asia. Highlights include the great hornbill, Bengal florican, lesser adjutant, several kingfisher species, paradise flycatcher and, in winter, many migrants from the north. The riverbanks near Sauraha, the Bis Hajari Tal wetlands and the forest around Kasara are all productive.
The best months are November to March, when migrants are present and the air is cooler. Spring brings breeding plumage and calls. Book a specialist birding guide rather than a general naturalist if birds are the priority, and bring good binoculars. Three to four hours from first light is the sweet spot. By late morning activity drops sharply.
The government elephant breeding centre at Khorsor, a few kilometres west of Sauraha across the Budhi Rapti, is where the park’s working elephants are kept and calves are raised. Visitors can see mothers and calves and learn how elephants support anti-poaching patrols and wildlife counts.
From August 2026, entry to the elephant and crocodile breeding centres was reported to be free. The centre is often combined with a jungle walk or cycle ride. Allow one to two hours including travel. You will see chained elephants here, and opinions differ on welfare standards. Go with open eyes, keep your distance and do not feed or touch the animals. See our safari ethics notes below.
The gharial is critically endangered and found in only a handful of river systems. The breeding centre near the park headquarters at Kasara raises young gharials for release into the Rapti and Narayani, along with turtles and mugger crocodiles. Seeing dozens of these long-snouted crocodilians at close range helps you spot them from the canoe later.
Kasara is inside the park and is usually reached on a jeep safari or a longer drive from Sauraha. Plan around 45 minutes on site. Entry was reported free from August 2026, but park entry rules still apply, so carry your ticket. Tip: combine it with a full-day jeep safari heading west, rather than making a separate trip.
Bis Hajari Tal, the ‘20,000 lakes’, is a network of oxbow lakes and marshes in the buffer zone between Sauraha and Bharatpur. It is a Ramsar-listed wetland and an important corridor between the park and the hills. It is excellent for waterbirds, mugger crocodiles and, occasionally, rhino and deer coming to drink.
It can be visited on some jeep safaris, on a guided walk, or by bicycle with a guide. The ride from Sauraha takes about 40 minutes on flat roads through villages and fields. Go early morning or late afternoon. Buffer-zone and park rules mean you should not wander the forest edges alone, so hire a guide.
The Tharu are the Indigenous people of the Terai. They are known for their mud-plastered houses decorated with relief patterns, their fishing and farming traditions and their resistance to malaria. A guided walk through villages around Sauraha shows daily life: rice paddies, buffalo, grain stores and community homestays.
The small Tharu Cultural Museum in Sauraha gives useful background in under an hour for a modest fee. A village walk takes two to three hours and works best in late afternoon, when farm work slows. Ask before photographing people or homes. Read our guide to culture in Nepal for wider etiquette.
Most evenings in Sauraha, local groups perform Tharu dances at community halls and some hotels. The best known is the sakhiya stick dance, where dozens of performers strike bamboo sticks in fast, rhythmic patterns. Fire and peacock dances are often included. Shows last about an hour and tickets are inexpensive, typically a few hundred rupees.
It is touristy, but it is run by and for local performers and is a fun, family-friendly evening. Shows usually start around 7pm. Your hotel or guide will know the current schedule, which changes with the season.
The free activity everyone does is to watch the sun set over the Rapti from the riverbank road in Sauraha. Restaurants and bars along the bank put out chairs, the light turns gold over the grassland, and it is not unusual for a rhino to wade across or graze on the far bank.
Keep a sensible distance. Rhinos do occasionally walk into Sauraha, and they can charge. Do not approach them for photos. In the dry season the river is low and you can see a long way. During monsoon, keep well back from the edge.
Renting a bicycle is a cheap, gentle way to explore the farmland, villages and community forests around Sauraha. Roads are flat, traffic is light away from the main street, and there are mustard fields in winter and rice in summer. Bikes are rented by the hour or day from shops in town.
Stick to roads and village tracks. Wild animals use the buffer zone too, and you should never cycle into the forest unguided. Popular rides go west towards Bis Hajari Tal or east through Tharu villages. Ride early or late, take plenty of water and avoid the midday heat from April to June.
Do not leave without trying Tharu dishes. Look for ghonghi (river snails cooked in a spicy, ground-lentil gravy), dhikri (steamed rice-flour dumplings), fish curries, freshwater crab and smoked pork. Some homestays and Tharu-run restaurants serve full thalis. Ordinary dal bhat is easy to find everywhere.
Restaurants on the Sauraha riverfront serve Nepali, Indian and Western menus at moderate prices. Choose freshly cooked food, drink filtered or treated water and refill a bottle rather than buying plastic.
Chitwan is not the African savannah. The grass can stand several metres tall and the forest is dense, so sightings are close but brief, and patience matters more than horsepower. Choosing the right mix of safari types makes a big difference.
| Type | Duration | Best for | Approx. cost (per person, plus NPR 2,000 entry) | Trade-offs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jeep (shared, half day) | 3–4 hrs | Rhino, deer, crocodiles; first taste | Around USD 20–35 (£15–27) | Dust, engine noise, other jeeps |
| Jeep (private, full day) | 8–10 hrs | Tiger, sloth bear, gaur; photographers | Around USD 200–250 per vehicle | Long, hot day; tiger still not guaranteed |
| Canoe | 30–60 min | Birds, gharial, mugger crocodile | Usually packaged with a walk | Short; low water in late spring |
| Walking safari | 2 hrs – full day | Tracking, immersion, birds | A few thousand rupees (around £10–30), varies | Real risk from rhino and sloth bear; you see less ground |
| Community forest tower overnight | 1 night | Dawn and dusk wildlife at a waterhole | Reported around USD 60–110 (2022–23 prices) | Basic, hot, no guarantees |
Two nights gives you room for one jeep safari, one canoe and walk, and a cultural evening. Three nights allows a full-day drive, which noticeably improves your chances of the rarer animals.
Elephant-back safaris used to be Chitwan’s signature activity. Rides have been barred inside the national park for well over a decade. They now take place only in buffer-zone community forests, on privately owned elephants. In 2025 there were reported to be around 45 safari elephants around Sauraha, down from about 90 at their peak, as more visitors and international operators turned away from riding.
In December 2025, Nepal’s Supreme Court directed the authorities to reconsider elephant rides on welfare grounds and suggested alternatives such as observing elephants at a distance and ‘elephant walks’. At the time of writing, rides are still offered and there is no finalised transition plan.
Our stance: Get Lost Forever does not include elephant rides or elephant bathing in its trips, and we encourage travellers not to book them. Riding and close-contact activities depend on training methods and living conditions that welfare experts have widely criticised. Jeep, canoe and walking safaris give you better wildlife viewing anyway. If you want to see elephants, watch them from a respectful distance, for example during a walk or at the breeding centre, without riding, feeding or bathing them.
Your choice of base shapes your trip more than any hotel name. Sauraha is convenient and affordable. The western side (Meghauli, Barauli, Amaltari) is quieter and generally pricier. Air conditioning or at least a good fan and mosquito nets matter here: from March to October, daytime temperatures are high.
Sauraha has dozens of guesthouses, mid-range resorts and a few upmarket lodges along the Rapti and its side lanes. It is the easiest place to stay: walk to the canoe point and park entrance, choose from many agencies and restaurants, and arrive straight off the tourist bus. It suits first-timers, budget and mid-range travellers and families.
Typical prices: simple guesthouse rooms around NPR 1,500–4,000 (£9–23), mid-range resorts with a pool around NPR 6,000–15,000 (£35–85), higher-end riverside lodges more. Many sell two-night packages including activities and meals. Check exactly which activities, how many hours and whether park fees are included.
Meghauli lies near the confluence of the Rapti and Narayani on the western side of the park. It is home to a handful of long-running upmarket jungle lodges, most of them sold full board with their own naturalists and activities. You get fewer jeeps, more grassland and river scenery, and good birdlife.
It suits couples, honeymooners and wildlife enthusiasts who want a lodge experience rather than a town. Packages typically run from around USD 150 to well over USD 400 per person per night, all-inclusive. It is about an hour’s drive from Bharatpur airport.
Across the Narayani on the Nawalparasi side, Barauli and Amaltari offer Tharu community homestays, small eco-lodges and a few high-end properties near the park edge. Amaltari’s community homestay programme has been running for years and lets you stay with Tharu families.
This side suits travellers who want quieter villages, river views and cultural depth. Homestays cost from roughly NPR 2,000–4,000 (£11–23) per person with meals, while lodges are priced like Meghauli. It is also a good stop if you are heading on west towards Lumbini.
Some community forests around Sauraha run basic overnight towers overlooking waterholes. You sleep in a simple room on stilts and watch for animals at dusk and dawn. Prices reported by travellers in 2022–23 were around USD 60–110 per person including guides and meals. Facilities are very basic and conditions change, so book through a reputable local agent.
Tharu homestays in villages around Sauraha are another option for people who value culture over comfort. Expect a simple room, shared bathroom and home-cooked meals.
Prices are approximate at the time of writing and rise sharply around Dashain and Tihar (October–November) and Christmas–New Year. Book ahead for October, November and the spring holidays.
Sauraha is about 150–170 km from Kathmandu by road, via the Prithvi Highway to Mugling and then down the Narayani valley to Narayangadh and Tandi. It sits on the classic Kathmandu–Pokhara–Chitwan triangle, so most travellers arrive by tourist bus or private car, or fly to Bharatpur.
| Route and mode | Time | Approx. cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kathmandu – Sauraha, tourist bus | 5–7 hrs | NPR 800–1,600 (£5–9) | Leaves around 7am from the Thamel/Sorhakhutte area; stops at the tourist bus park outside Sauraha |
| Kathmandu – Sauraha, premium bus | 5–7 hrs | Around USD 10–25 | Air conditioning, fewer stops, better seats |
| Kathmandu – Sauraha, private car | 4.5–6 hrs | Around USD 70–120 per car | Flexible; split between up to three or four people |
| Kathmandu – Bharatpur, flight | About 25 min | Roughly USD 80–170 one way (foreigner fare) | Buddha Air was the main operator in 2026, with several daily flights |
| Pokhara – Sauraha, tourist bus | 5–6 hrs | NPR 700–1,600 (£4–9) | Leaves Pokhara tourist bus park early morning |
| Lumbini – Sauraha, bus or car | 4–5 hrs | Bus a few hundred rupees; car more | Local buses often need a change at Bhairahawa or Narayangadh |
| Bharatpur airport – Sauraha, taxi | 30–45 min | Around NPR 1,000–2,000 (£6–11) | Agree the fare first, or arrange a hotel pick-up |
The tourist bus is the standard choice. It is cheap, reliable and safer than local minibuses. Road works and landslides on the Mugling section can add hours, especially in the monsoon. Tourist buses arrive at the bus park about 2–3 km outside Sauraha. Most hotels will collect you if you ask, otherwise take a jeep or rickshaw. Ignore touts offering free lifts to their own guesthouses. UK FCDO advice is to avoid overcrowded buses and night travel.
Flying saves half a day and the Mugling road. All Nepali airlines are on the UK Air Safety List because none meets international safety standards, so weigh that up, and allow for weather delays, especially with winter fog in the Terai. Allow plenty of time if you are connecting to an international departure.
Sauraha is compact and walkable. Bicycles and rickshaws cover the rest. Park activities include transport. Private vehicles cannot drive themselves in the park, and all jeep safaris use registered jeeps with park guides. To reach Meghauli or Barauli, lodges arrange transfers from Bharatpur. For the onward trip, see our Pokhara guide and Lumbini guide.
Chitwan is good for most of the year. The main trade-off is comfort against visibility. The best all-round months are October to March. The best months for wildlife viewing are February to April, after the grass is cut and as the heat builds.
| Months | Weather | Wildlife and trade-offs |
|---|---|---|
| October – November | Clear, warm days around 25–30°C, comfortable nights | Peak season, green landscape, tall grass makes big mammals harder to spot; busiest months for the park |
| December – January | Cool; thick morning fog is common, nights can drop below 10°C | Excellent birding with winter migrants; fog can delay flights and blank out early safaris; pack warm layers |
| February – March | Warming, mostly dry, clear | Locals’ annual grass-cutting opens up the views; strong rhino and tiger odds; very good all-round |
| April – May | Hot, often 35°C or more, hazy | Animals gather at water, best visibility; midday is exhausting; fewer tourists |
| June – September | Monsoon: humid, heavy rain, high rivers | Lush and quiet, but jeep safaris are usually suspended from about July to September; leeches, flooding, road disruption |
For how Chitwan fits with trekking seasons, see our guide to the best season to travel in Nepal. Autumn and spring suit both a trek and the jungle.
Two nights is the sweet spot for most visitors. One night is too rushed once you count travel time. Three nights or more is worth it if wildlife is a priority or you want a full-day safari.
Rushed but workable if time is tight. You will very likely see rhino, but tiger odds are minimal.
The best balance for most travellers and the shape of most Sauraha packages.
Ideal from February to May, when a full-day drive gives the best chance of tiger, sloth bear and gaur.
A natural route if you are combining Chitwan with Lumbini.
The essentials to sort out before you go, from park fees to mosquitoes.
The park entry fee is per person, per day:
Activities such as jeep safaris, guides and canoes are charged separately, and a vehicle fee applies to jeeps. In October 2026 the park launched online ticketing, where you pay online and show a QR code at the gate. In practice, most visitors still have their hotel or guide buy tickets as part of the activity. Fees change often, so check the current rate at the counter or with your operator. Children’s rates may differ.
You must have licensed guides to enter the park on foot, and walking in the park between sunset and sunrise is prohibited. Park hours run roughly from 6am to dusk. Jeeps must be park-registered, and you cannot self-drive. Do not feed animals, pick plants or take drones without permission. Buying or carrying wildlife products is illegal under Nepali law and international CITES rules.
Sauraha has a few ATMs, but they can run out of cash or reject foreign cards, and they charge withdrawal fees. Bring enough Nepali rupees from Kathmandu or Pokhara for activities, tips and meals. Larger hotels may take cards, often with a surcharge of around 3–4%. Small guesthouses, guides and dance shows usually want cash.
Ncell and Nepal Telecom both have 4G coverage around Sauraha, Bharatpur and Meghauli, though signal fades inside the park. Buy a tourist SIM at Kathmandu airport or in town with your passport. Most hotels offer wi-fi, but speeds vary and power cuts still happen.
In September 2025, youth-led protests in Kathmandu turned deadly and led to a change of government, followed by an interim administration and new elections. Life in tourist areas has largely returned to normal, but the UK FCDO notes that protests are fairly common in Nepal and can escalate quickly. Avoid demonstrations, follow local news and obey any curfews. In 2026 the FCDO also warned of flooding and landslides in some hill districts.
In Chitwan, the main risks are on the road and with wild animals: respect your guides’ instructions and do not walk unguided near forest edges at dusk. Crime is low, but watch your bags at bus parks. Always check the latest FCDO travel advice for Nepal before you travel, and read our things to know before travelling to Nepal.
Chitwan is at only about 150 m altitude, so altitude sickness is not an issue, but heat and insects are. Drink plenty of water, use sunscreen and rest at midday from March to June. Mosquito-borne diseases, including dengue, occur in the Terai, and there is some malaria risk. Use repellent, sleep under a net and cover up at dusk. Check TravelHealthPro or your GP or travel clinic about vaccines and antimalarials several weeks before travel.
Make sure your travel insurance covers safari activities and, if you are also trekking, high-altitude trekking and helicopter evacuation. See do I need travel insurance for trekking?
Bring neutral-coloured (green, khaki, brown) lightweight long sleeves and trousers for safaris and mosquitoes, closed shoes for walks, a hat, sunglasses and a buff or scarf against jeep dust. Pack binoculars, a torch and a refillable water bottle. In December and January, bring a fleece and warm layer for foggy mornings and open jeeps. Dress modestly in villages, with shoulders and knees covered.
Choose operators who use licensed guides, keep group sizes small and do not offer elephant riding or bathing. Spend money locally on Tharu homestays, community dance groups and local guides. Avoid single-use plastic and never buy wildlife souvenirs. Ask before photographing people, and dress modestly in villages.
Chitwan slots easily into a wider Nepal trip. These are the most common combinations:
Start at the Nepal hub for more ideas.
Want Chitwan built into a trek, with transport, licensed safari guides and well-chosen lodges sorted for you? Tell us your dates and interests and we will put together a plan. Plan your trip or send us a booking inquiry.
Two nights (three days) is ideal for most visitors. It allows a canoe trip, a jungle walk, a jeep safari and a Tharu cultural evening. Three or four nights lets you add a full-day jeep safari, which improves your odds of seeing tigers and other rarer wildlife.
At the time of writing it is NPR 2,000 (around £11) per day for foreign nationals, NPR 1,000 for SAARC nationals and NPR 150 for Nepalis. Activities, guides and jeep fees are extra. Online tickets with a QR code became available in October 2026.
Low, even though Chitwan has around 145 tigers. They are shy and the vegetation is dense. Your best chance is a full-day jeep safari from February to May. Most visitors see rhino, deer, crocodiles and many birds, but not a tiger.
Very likely. Chitwan holds most of Nepal’s greater one-horned rhinos (694 at the 2021 count), and most visitors on a two-night stay see at least one from a canoe, jeep or even the Sauraha riverbank.
Generally yes, with licensed guides, who are required. Walks are led by two guides who brief you on what to do if you meet rhino, sloth bear or elephant. There is real risk, so follow instructions exactly and do not walk in the park without guides.
Rides are banned inside the national park, but private operators still offer them in buffer-zone community forests around Sauraha. In December 2025 Nepal’s Supreme Court asked authorities to rethink rides on welfare grounds. We recommend choosing jeep, canoe and walking safaris instead.
October to March is the most comfortable. February to April offers the best wildlife viewing after the grass is cut. Avoid July to September if you want jeep safaris, as they are usually suspended for the monsoon.
Most people take a tourist bus (5–7 hours, around NPR 800–1,600) or a private car (around USD 70–120). The fastest option is a roughly 25-minute flight to Bharatpur followed by a 30–45 minute taxi to Sauraha.
Choose Sauraha for convenience, choice and budget-to-mid-range prices. Choose Meghauli or the Barauli/Amaltari side for quieter, more exclusive lodge stays and Tharu community homestays, usually at higher prices.
Advice depends on your itinerary and the season, so check TravelHealthPro and speak to a travel clinic several weeks before travel. Whatever you decide, protect yourself from mosquito bites with repellent, long clothing and nets, as dengue also occurs in the Terai.
Yes, a few, but they can run out of cash or decline foreign cards. Bring enough rupees from Kathmandu or Pokhara to cover activities, tips and meals.
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