Bardia Jungle Safari (4 Days)

Overview

Bardia National Park (968 km²) is one of Nepal's largest tracts of untouched jungle. Deep sal forest and grasslands spread across the Terai lowlands of western Nepal, alive with wildlife. With far fewer visitors than the well-known Chitwan National Park, it is known as the place for those who want to experience a quieter, more serious jungle. Guides will tell you "if you want to look for tigers, go to Bardia" — the density of Bengal tigers here is among the highest in the country.

Walk through the forest and you'll find claw marks on the trees, tracks pressed into the sand, the distant alarm call of deer — here it feels less like "seeing animals" and more like "following the presence of the wild." With luck you may also encounter free-roaming wild Asian elephants, one-horned rhinos, gaur (Indian bison), and gharials. There are more than 500 bird species, and it's not unusual for birdwatchers to stay for days with binoculars in hand.

Access is about a one-hour domestic flight from Kathmandu to Nepalgunj, then roughly two hours by jeep. Safaris are mostly in small groups, so a real draw is the chance to walk the forest slowly alongside your guide. And while a "traffic jam" in Chitwan means cars, in Bardia an elephant blocking the road is a genuine possibility.

Highlights

• Nepal's highest density of Bengal tigers — the thrill of tracking prints and claw marks with your guide
• Encounters with herds of wild Asian elephants roaming free
• One-horned rhinos and a jeep safari across the grasslands
• A canoe ride on the Karnali River and gharial spotting
• Around half the visitor numbers of Chitwan — a wonderfully private safari
• A Tharu village visit and the rustic farming culture of western Nepal

Itinerary

Includes & Excludes