The Bardia National Park
Jungle Safaris of a different kind…
The Royal Bardia National park is really an area of 968 sq. km. in the mid-far Western region and is thickly forested by sal trees (Shorea Robusta). The Park has the largest and most conserved wilderness area in Nepal, home to a plethora of extraordinary jungle fauna; an area of 327 sq. km belonging to the park was turned into a buffer zone in 1997. This park is home to blue bulls, deer, wild boars the langur and rhesus monkeys, civets, hyenas, rhesus macaque, jackal wild dogs, sloth bears, otters, tigers, rhinoceros, mongoose, wild elephants, black buck, the gharial and marsh mugger crocodiles, the gangetic dolphin and many other rare and endangered species. Passionate bird watchers and naturalists find this park a paradise for sightseeing exotic bird species like the Bengal florican, silver-eared mesia, lesser florican, and the saurus crane etc. On your wildlife safaris, you will get awesome views of six different species of deer, namely: the Chital or spotted Deer, Hog Deer, Sambhar deer, Swamp Deer, Barasingha deer and the Barking Deer all cheerfully hopping around the high grasslands. While in the park, you get abundant opportunities to enjoy the famous elephant safari, bird watching, rafting alongside the Karnali River, & an interesting village tour. This will also include a visit to the crocodile breeding center. Your fun in the wild is ultimately concluded with a scintillating cultural dance performed by the local belles in the area. Wildlife tour in these parks gives you a whole lot of fun, adventure, excitement and pleasure. It’s almost mandatory to visit parks when on holiday to Nepal. Your holidays are never complete without this trip into the wild.
Bardia National Park is a world of a different kind that takes you far out from the pandemonium that’s the hustling of Kathmandu today. This area of exceptional beauty and an abundance of wildlife gives you the kind of rest & recreation that today’s worldly pressures bring. Annapurna Travels recommends guests for a unique visit to Tiger Top’s Karnali Lodge in the Bardiya National Park, which is an odyssey of adventure and an opportunity to reconnect with sublime nature that will give you an experience never known before…
Travel Tips
- always ensure that you are well informed about the routes of the park
- Consult a doctor before you leave for the trip, it will make sure whether you are suited for such an environment.
- Do not disturb the animals and birds in the park; they are best of left alone
- always make sure that you remain with the group; loitering of track can be fatal
- Make sure to take a guide along with you while exploring the park. Never explore the park without a guide
Things you need to bring for your safari holiday: It puts more spice into your jungle forays…
- Clothes of a Neutral color are much recommended. Avoid wearing anything red as this color tends to aggravate the animals
- Light clothing is needed in the day time with a light sweater and warm jacket for the evenings from November to February.
- Pants / Trousers of the loose kind, half or full, are recommended for elephant safaris.
- Comfortable walking shoes, a sun hat, sunscreens & sunglasses etc. are essential. Insect repellents and personal medical requirements should be carried.
- It is highly advisable to travel light with only one small suitcase or a duffle bag. After all, it’s a trip into the wild.
- During the warmer months, swimming suits are recommended.
- A Small flash light is recommended.
Binoculars can be real handy & adds to the zing in your enjoyment for bird and wildlife viewing.
(In case of rafting and Jungle Safari combination trips, please visit our ‘rafting in Nepal’ section for more details on Rafting and its necessary information.
Getting To the Bardiya National Park or the Chitwan National Park:
By Road
There are several overland routes available to reach the park. You can either reserve a private transport or use the local bus for your travel destination. It takes 15 hours from Kathmandu and 11 hours from Pokhara and Chitwan to reach Ambassa. On your drive, you will cross Dhangadi, Mahendranagar or Karnali depending on your selected route. At the end of your journey, a representative from your resort will receive you at Ambassa from where you will be driven to the resort. For the Chitwan National Park, it’s a 4 hr drive through a lush green belt on the Kathmandu-Narayanghat Highway. We then drive on the Pokhara - Narayanghat Highway which takes you to the park.
By Raft
you can reach Bardia National Park after a Rafting trip on the Karnali River. (Visit our Rafting section for detailed information on ‘Karnali River Rafting’. it’s also possible to raft down the Trisuli River (from Kathmandu) or Seti River (from Pokhara) to reach the Chitwan park. It’s a good experience to do it this way; gives you the feel of adventure & prepares you for the green wild.
By Air
Regular charter or domestic flights are available from Kathmandu, Pokhara, Biratnagar (Koshi Tappu), Bhairahwa (Lumbini), & Nepalgunj (Bardia).
Experience an outing in the wilderness of the flatlands with Annapurna Travels. We will show you tigers yawning in the glades & take you on elephant back rides. We’ll go canoeing on the River Rapti or Karnali, it’s a great experience boating on these calm rivers as we see the sun setting over the Churia Mountains; it’s the kind of venture that will go into your personal notebook & talk about for a long, long time to come.
Outline Itinerary
Day 1: Your arrival in Kathmandu & then fly or drive to the Park
Day 2: In the heart of the Park
Day 3: Jeep safari
Day 4: Your Jungle Safari concludes on a merry note