Once known as Royal Chitwan National Park, today Chitwan National Park is a protected jungle area filled with wildlife located in the mid-south
Terrai area of Nepal.
Chitwan used to be a hunting ground that royalty used for big game. Established in 1973, conservation orders were put in place to protect the remaining endangered animals found there. In 1984, it became a UNESCO World Heritage site.
Chitwan is about 4-6 hours by bus from Kathmandu or Pokhara. The nearest airport is located in Bharatpur, 10 kilometers away.
Sauraha
Sauraha is a small town located just outside of Chitwan National Park. Sauraha has a large selection of accommodation, tour agencies, and restaurants. This is most likely your first stop when visiting Chitwan National Park.
Tourist buses leave once daily every morning from both Kathmandu and Pokhara to Sauraha at 7am and 7.30am respectively. Likewise, there are once daily buses from Sauraha to both Kathmandu and Pokhara with tickets starting from 700 rupees. The journey time is approximately 6 hours.
Local buses also depart from other cities, and there's a nearby airport. Private car or jeep transport can be arranged with ease, though it's not so budget-friendly.
Here's my complete travel guide in getting to Chitwan National Park, including bus times from different cities, transfers, and costs: How to get to Chitwan National Park.
Chitwan National Park is open year-round with most wildlife visible. However, during the end of the dry season in October to December, there is a greater chance of seeing tigers and other wildlife as they come out to the waterholes. Local guides also mention November and December as being good times, though it's not that hot.
From June to September, it is both Nepal's Hot season and Monsoon season. It can get very hot and humid in Chitwan at this time of year, making trekking uncomfortable for many.
All prices below do not include Chitwan Park's entrance fee (2,000rps per day). The prices below are subject to travel agent fluctuations. Do please see the section further below for full details on Chitwan park fees.
White-headed Capuchin Monkeys are plentiful on a jungle walk
Jungle walks/trekking
Choose between half day, full day, two/three day, one week or private jungle treks. You can go in a group or alone. Costs may or may not include meals. In many cases, a guesthouse will provide a packed lunch/dinner.
Prices start from around 1400 rupees for a half day tour to 1800 for a full day jungle trek based on 4 people. Overnight treks usually include accommodation. If traveling alone, prices double - but do shop around as you will get cheaper rates.
What you can expect to see? Depending on the time of year. Half day tours usually only end up seeing jungle, Rhesus monkeys, and a few birds. If lucky, a Rhino. Full day tours will have a greater chance at seeing a Rhino, birds, and other wildlife. Overnight tours that go deeper into the jungle have very good chances at seeing Rhino and a fair chance at seeing a tiger.
Jeep Jungle tours
Jeep tours are offered for those wanting to go deep into the jungle quickly. They are often mixed with day excursions and packages. Prices are generally around USD $180 per day inclusive of accommodation and food.
Elephant and two Rhinos meet in Chitwan on a jungle safari
2/3 day package tours are often better value but only if you book in person in Chitwan rather than online where the prices are slightly crazy.
Elephant ride jungle treks
Elephant treks in Chitwan are offered by all lodges and tour agencies. They generally last between 1 and 1.5 hours. Elephant jungle tours usually have three times: early morning, mid morning, and late afternoon. Elephant tours cost between 1800 and 2500+ rupees. These tours are run by people who either own or hire out their elephants.
Government Elephant Safari costs: There is a government elephant tour available which costs 2500 rupees, however, since 2016, it has become very hard to arrange. This tour takes place in a separate part of the jungle, and additional fees go to fund the upkeep of the National Park and local communities. Elephants are also only taken out twice a day. Government elephants are becoming harder to hire out from their official office. It's easier to find them at the NTNC office. Though most are now used for park patrols by rangers.
There are separate fees for Nepali, SAARC, and foreigners from the Government center. Generally speaking, the fee for an elephant jungle trek is: Nepali 200, SAARC 1000, foreigner 2500.
Note: The above fees for both regular and government elephant safaris do not include park entrance costs. However, it's permitted to buy a Chitwan park ticket after 2pm, take an afternoon elephant jungle ride, and then use the same ticket for a full day trek the next day.
What you can expect to see? Elephant riding is probably your best way to see Rhinos in Chitwan. Early morning or late afternoon are the ideal times. There are many birds on show along with game.
Elephant cruelty? A lot has rightfully been publicized about elephant cruelty throughout Asia. However, do note that Nepal's elephant tourism industry has taken the opposite approach to most of Asia and been used to directly support conservation. Elephant tourism in Chitwan helps to support jungle patrols to prevent poaching. Nepal has the most successful anti-poaching programs in the world and the most successful tiger conservation programs in the world. Do read more about elephant tourism in Nepal before making your own decision.
Elephant breeding center
Elephants at the elephant breeding center in Chitwan
Located in Sauraha, the Elephant breeding center was set up to protect the endangered elephants in the region. There are often many baby elephants there and a small museum. The center is walkable from Sauraha but it will take 1 hour depending on the heat and road conditions. Tours or rickshaw transport are available part of the way.
Entrance prices are 50/60 rupees for a foreigner (westerner), 25 SAARC, 10 Nepali. Opening hours are 6am to 6pm though generally, it starts to close around 5pm.
There is a new suspension bridge that crosses the river just before the breeding center which has made reaching it a little easier.
River boating and canoeing in the Chitwan
Be careful to keep your arms and legs inside the canoe when canoeing in Chitwan as you will be surrounded by crocodiles!
Many agencies either rent out
canoes or offer half day canoe rides in the Rapti river.
Package tours often include 1-2 hours canoeing and then a
half day trek back through the jungle as part of the full
day jungle trek.
Costs are often the same as trekking tours. 1400 half day to 1800 full day.
River dolphins are rarely seen anymore.
Local canoes are quite thin and feel unstable, though accidents rarely occur.
What you can expect to see? River boating often highlights the many crocodiles that inhabit the river. There are a wide range of birds also found along the river.
Asides from jungle activities, there are some other things to do around Sauraha, which is where you'll be staying. Keep in mind that Sauraha is a large village but is not built up like Pokhara and Kathmandu. Things generally close up by 9pm.
Visit a Tharu Village
The Tharu are an ethnic group indigenous to the Terrai region of Nepal, which includes Chitwan. While many Tharu have adopted a modern Nepali lifestyle, there are still traditional villages throughout the region.
Visiting a Tharu village is not difficult, but finding an “authentic” one is. There are several tours to a Tharu village near the elephant breeding center (watch out for high prices) and in Kumroj.
Genuine Tharu village in Chitwan
The easiest way to find an authentic Tharu village is to take a walk out to the Elephant breeding center. As the hotels and resorts in Sauraha start to thin out, you'll spot open fields and farmlands. You'll also spot some mud Tharu villages. Keep in mind these are peoples' homes when visiting. Cost of a Tharu village tour is about 1,000 rupees, while going by yourself is free.
Tharu Cultural Centre
There are two Tharu Cultural Centers in Sauraha. One is along the main Sauraha road, while the other is on a ride road behind the Rhino statue. Each night from 7pm, there is a traditional dance and cultural display. These include singing traditional Tharu songs, a comedy act, various Tharu dances, and an occasional not so traditional fire dance along with a peacock dance on special occasions. The peacock dances and is trained to hand out flowers to an audience member. Both shows take place in an air-conditioned hall. Cost: 200 rupees.
Ox cart rides
If you fancy something more rustic than a minivan tour to the Elephant breeding center, Tharu village, and elephant bathing area or simply want to sit back in a traditional cart, then you might consider an ox cart tour. Available at most jungle trekking agents. Cost: 1500 rupees for 2 hours.
National Trust Nature Conservation (Biodiversity Centre)
The National Trust Nature Conservation offices and compound were established in 1982 as an autonomous and not-for-profit organization working to ensure conservation in Nepal. There are several large elephants living here. To see the elephants, you'll need to be here before 9am or after 5pm.
National Trust Nature Conservation (Biodiversity Centre) Display
Visiting the NTNC elephants is free, though there are only a few there. These elephants are used as part of ranger patrols around the park and are only males. The reason there are only males here is to prevent trouble, as male elephants can cause a lot of trouble if there are females nearby. They also have to be chained up when they return to prevent them from trying to reach the females at the breeding center. Keep in mind these are the elephants that protect other wildlife from poachers and have contributed to the increase in the tiger population in Nepal. Cost: free to enter.
National Trust Nature Conservation (Biodiversity Centre) Display
At the NTNC office junction, you’ll see a raised octagonal-shaped building opposite it. This now houses the Wildlife Display and Information Center. Inside, you’ll be surrounded by rather macabre displays. From trays showing different types of animal feces to a glass-enclosed tiger skin. There are tanks displaying elephant and rhino fetuses and rooms with jars displaying preserved snakes and reptiles. The filthy river dolphin preservation tank is a sad reminder of how this near-extinct mammal is still treated in Nepal. Cost: 100 rupees.
Elephant washing
You can buy a ticket to wash an elephant in the Rapti river from many guesthouses or travel agencies. Tickets can be 200 rupees, however, you are expected to pay the mahout an extra 100 rupees. For a cheaper option, head down to the river in the evening where the Mahout (Elephant riders) come to bathe their elephants after a long day's work. They'll often do some showing off and accept tips. Then sit back and enjoy the sunset over the river! Cost: 200 rupees. In 2024, much of the elephant washing has been curbed due to animal cruelty activists. Most of the bathing now takes place within high-end private resorts.
At first glance there may not seem
like there's a lot of shopping opportunities in Chitwan.
Most of the souvenirs in Chitwan are located along
Sauraha's main road.
Souvenirs from Chitwan
include:
Elephant dung paper
Traditional & locally made clothes
Organic honey
Local handicrafts.
Store selling honey in Sauraha
Elephant Dung Paper
You'll find this aesthetically
pleasing paper across Nepal's main souvenir shops. You can
buy notebooks, drawing paper and sheets of thick paper
made from the dung of elephants. Cost: small notebook 200
rupees.
Traditional and locally made clothing
Down towards the Rhino statue are
several clothing stores selling locally made dresses and
clothing. Not everything is traditional Tharu style
with several tye dye and light clothing also available.
Organic Honey
There are now a couple of honey
shops in Sauraha along the main road. They
stock locally produced honey in a variety of flavors. Top
tastes include jungle honey, mustard honey, butter honey
and Nepal’s famous rock honey. Costs 250-1000 rupees.
Local
Handicrafts
There are several local handi
craft stores in Sauraha. The most famous is Happy House fair trade center just behind the rhino statue. Here they offer locally made
souvenirs from bamboo flutes to woven bags and jewelry.
More details and maps to the
location of these stores are available in my guidebook
below.
By far the easiest way to spot the one-horned Indian Rhinoceros in Chitwan is to take an Elephant jungle tour. They last about 1.5 hours. Do not settle for 40 minute tours as some operators cut tours short.
One-horned Rhino bathing in a river in Chitwan
The best times to see a rhino is early in the morning or late in the afternoon when they come out to the watering holes. They generally disappear into the jungle during the mid-day heat.
Elephants are very quiet unlike trekking by foot so Rhinos are easier to find. Rhinos will only charge people on the ground and not elephants whom they are afraid of. You are safe from Rhino's on top of an Elephant.
Jungle treks to spot a rhino
There's little chance of seeing a Rhino with a half day trek though it does happen. Full day treks increase your chances significantly. As do two day or more tours.
Note: though elephant tours are best first thing in the morning and late afternoon it's my experience that the second tour in the morning will get the best results as they will know if the Rhinos were spotting by the first trip or not. Generally Rhinos in this area stick to one or two locations.
Despite many
assurances from jungle guides, online promotions and out
of date guidebooks spotting Royal Bengal Tigers in Chitwan is not easy.
Three Royal Bengal Tigers in Nepal
Yes, it's true that
the tiger population in Chitwan has grown in recent years.
Chitwan has the most successful tiger conservation record
in the world. Some of this is accredited to park ranger
elephant patrols who can reach parts of the jungle people
and vehicles cannot. However, Chitwan National Park is
large and borders India so the tigers have plenty of
places to hide.
A tigers presence is often seen via tracks and waste
when on jungle treks. Indeed one should always be aware
that there's a greater chance that a tiger is watching you
than of you spotting them. They are predators and do not like people
so they try to stay as far away as possible. The danger
lurks when a tiger is hungry, thirsty, nursing cubs or
wounded. So stay alert at all times.
For those intent on
spotting a tiger you have a few choices. The first is
dedicate more time in Chitwan National park. A
deep jungle safari are the best chances at spotting a tiger. Though no guarantee is ever made.
These safaris can take up to 2 nights and 3 days. Many
start with a jeep safari to bring you closer to the remote
jungles, after that you go on foot.
Finally it's worth
pointing out that if all you want to do is see a tiger
then there is a higher chance of spotting a Royal Bengal
Tiger in Nepal at
Bardia National Park than Chitwan. The reason is
because Bardia National Park is much smaller so finding a
tiger is easier. The downside to visiting Bardia is that
it's a rather arduous journey compared to Chitwan and it
has no restaurants or other activities other than wildlife
watching.
The current
cost of a Chitwan National Park permit is 2000 rupees
for a foreigner. 1000 rupees for SAARC. 150 rupees for
Nepali.
There's some confusion over ticket prices into Chitwan National Park
which I'll try to clear up here.
Jungle plains in Chitwan National Park
You do not need a ticket to enter Sauraha
Sauraha is a town outside of the park. There has never been a fee to enter the village. Sauraha is where the majority of people stay when visiting Chitwan National park.
Chitwan National Park ticket prices
The current cost of a Chitwan National Park permit is 2000 rupees for a foreigner. 1000 rupees for SAARC.
150 rupees for Nepali. The prices increased in mid 2018 and are reflected here
and include taxes.
A Chitwan
National Park ticket is valid for only one day. However, if you buy your ticket after 2pm with proof or a next day half/full day jungle trekking ticket you can take a late afternoon Elephant jungle tour on the day you buy your ticket.
People staying within the park on package tours will often have the ticket prices included in their tour packages
- do ask to confirm.
Official tickets are available at the National Park ticket office which is on the Sauraha side of the park just along side the river. If walking there be prepared to be asked questions and offered many treks by guides and touts. Generally speaking it's easier to have your guesthouse or tour guide to purchase the ticket for you. Though there is a small and interesting museum beside the ticket office.
Again, as guides
into Chitwan National Park are mandatory it's far easier
to let your jungle guide purchase the tickets for you -
they don't charge extra for this service.
Contact telephone number of Chitwan National Park tourist office: 056-620405/580072
Should you stay inside Chitwan Park or outside Chitwan Park?
Lodges are banned from operating inside the park so don't believe anyone who tells you that their accommodation is inside the park.
There has been a lot of changes to this over the years
with decisions being reversed and countered. For now,
the best place to stay is in Sauraha. Many lodges are
located next to what is known as community forests which
is especially jungle. And yes, rhinos and other wildlife
can be spotted quite easily from there. In 2021 it was
announced that lodges were once again allowed to open
within the park, however local conservationists are trying
to prevent this from reoccurring.
Most travelers stay in accommodation within Sauraha and arrange jungle treks or excursions from there.
Do check out my personal reviews on accommodation in Chitwan. Or use my search below. It will search all the major booking sites, is free to use and will find you the best prices!
Up until recently
restaurants in Chitwan were all relatively the same.
Having a meal beside the river in Chitwan
Thankfully in things have changed quite a bit over the past
couple of years. This all started with Jalapeño
restaurant
which is located on the first floor in a building to the
right of the elephant statue. The local chef had his
training in the Middle East and came back to a great
little restaurant. Try the roast pork chop and the mashed
potato. After this several other restaurants followed suit
and upped their game.
KC's
Restaurant is
the oldest and still a popular place for tour guides to
take their clients. The best thing about the restaurant is
the huge open garden.
Friends
Restaurant is one of the better places to go for
breakfast with a nice Hand-drawn menu to help you along.
Opposite it is Bayleaf which is great for
a full on Indian/Nepali meal.
All along the
riverside area in Sauraha are a sprawl of restaurants and
cafes. Most are owned by large hotels or start up cafes.
The tables face the river under umbrellas. Although it's a
wonderful place to spend during sunset it can be difficult
to navigate the maze of mini fences they've put up.
Due to the global
pandemic restaurants and cafes were greatly
affected by low tourist numbers. Over the past few
years restaurants and cafes have taken out loans,
and relocated. Some took on a completely local menu.
Do keep this in mind when looking for a place to eat or
drink in Sauraha.
A full listing of
the best restaurants in Chitwan and maps to find them can
be found in my
guidebooks to Nepal.
Common sense is important considering Chitwan National Park is a tropical jungle with active wildlife.
Fresh tiger paw print in Chitwan National Park
Dangerous animals in Chitwan
Tigers, elephants, crocodiles, snakes and rhinos
top the list of dangerous animals in Chitwan. But it's the
Sloth Bear that's at
tacked more tourists than any other animal. It's aggressive and does not retreat. The only defensive against a Sloth bear attack is to stay in a close group and stand tall. Better yet, avoid them at all cost.
Good trekking guides will advise you on what to do in the event of an encounter with a wild tiger, crocodile, elephant, snake, rhino and sloth bear. Take note, seriously.
Avoid trekking alone in the jungle at all costs. Avoid bathing in the rivers. Stay quite in the jungle when on an elephant and do not shout. I've heard many a guide complain that bringing very small, and / or loud children into the jungle or on elephant treks is not a good idea. I would agree.
Malaria and Dengue in Chitwan
Mosquito's are ever present in Chitwan and Sauraha. Outbreaks of Dengue do happen and Malaria though not prevalent does exist. Take precautions not to be bitten and try to ensure your bed has a mosquito net.
What's cheaper: arranging everything independently or taking tours to Chitwan?
It's cheaper and easier to take guesthouse tours or tour agency packages once you arrive in Sauraha. Chitwan National Park now ensures that all guides be accredited. That said, there are still some “independent” guides lurking around.
Boat and boatman during sunset in Chitwan National Park
I've spoken with several “independent guides” and, though what they offer seems good, they'll often cite the money is for their family or the trekking agencies rip them off. It's hard to tell who is telling the truth. But going with them without tickets, etc., may end up with you getting into trouble as they may not be qualified, may take you to dangerous areas, and may end up with park rangers arresting them. Keep in mind poaching is a real threat to Chitwan, and park rangers are there to ensure laws are upheld.
Is it cheaper to get a package tour to Chitwan from Kathmandu/Pokhara/Online or get one once I arrive?
It's cheaper to just arrive in Sauraha in the morning, spend some time locating a nice guesthouse based on their room and tour prices, and go with them.
It's also possible to stay in one guesthouse and take tours with another or an agency in Sauraha. It might annoy the guesthouse owners a little though. But there's nothing saying you cannot do this.
Read the tour itinerary carefully
A prime example is the half-day river tour. Essentially, you are put on a canoe, paddled down the river, and then left off at the side of the road to walk back. There are jeeps around and the odd bus, but they'll charge you 100-200 rupees.
A better option would be to take the full-day jungle tour which includes an hour on the river. Or, to rent a canoe for the day. You could arrange this by just going down to the river and speaking with one of the boat men and haggling them to a good price.
Buy your full-day Chitwan Park ticket after 2pm and get a few hours extra
Take advantage of the unwritten rule that your full-day Chitwan ticket can be used to take a late afternoon Elephant tour on the day you buy the ticket.
There's also another (slightly harder option) of going on a full-day jungle trek and then using the same ticket to go on a next-day first-morning Elephant tour. Best to speak to the same tour operator or guesthouse owner you bought your tour from for this so they can have a “word” with the Elephant safari people.
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Available in print or digital editions - the best guidebooks for visiting Nepal.
