NP · Bagmati Province · 27.50°N 84.33°E

chitwan national park

Rhinos, river canoes and sal forest in Nepal's warm southern plains.

Best time
October–March is comfortable, and February–March is best for sightings, once the tall grass has been cut back. April–May gets very hot, and June–September floods and mud close many trails.
How long
2–3 days
Getting there
Fly direct from KL to Kathmandu (about 4.5 hours). From there it's a 25-minute flight to Bharatpur and half an hour by road to Sauraha, or 5–7 hours all the way by road. Nepal is 2 hours 15 minutes behind KL.
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NP · Bagmati Provincechitwan national park27.50°N 84.33°Egowherelah.com
Dear group chat,Rhinos, river canoes and sal forest in Nepal's warm southern plains.— gowherelahTo: whoever’s drivingChitwan National ParkNP, Bagmati Province
KLchitwan national park
≈ 3,277 km from KL, as the crow flies
Chitwan National Park, Nepal. A swamp in the jungle.

Photo: Vadim Tolbatov · CC BY-SA 4.0

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Photos: Wikimedia Commons, credited on each.

Chitwan is Nepal's other side: warm lowland forest, tall grass and slow rivers instead of mountains. From Sauraha, at the park's edge, you head out by jeep, canoe and on foot to look for rhinos, crocodiles and, with a lot of luck, a tiger.

Makan

  1. Dal bhatRice, lentil soup and vegetable curry, refilled until you're full.Map ↗
  2. GhonghiFreshwater snails in a spicy broth, a Tharu speciality for the curious.Map ↗
  3. DhikriSteamed rice-flour dumplings, a Tharu staple, eaten with chutney or curry.Map ↗

Things to do

  1. Jeep safariHalf- or full-day drives through sal forest and grassland, looking for rhinos, deer and the odd sloth bear.Map ↗
  2. Rapti canoe tripA dugout canoe drifting downriver past basking crocodiles, kingfishers and storks.Map ↗
  3. Jungle walkA morning on foot with two licensed naturalists, reading tracks and keeping a careful eye out for rhinos.Map ↗
  4. Tharu villagesThe villages around Sauraha, with mud-walled houses decorated with painted patterns.Map ↗

Good to know

  • Elephant-back rides are still offered, but jeeps, canoes and walks get you just as close to the animals.
  • Halal is hard to find in Sauraha; vegetable dal bhat and fish are the easy choices.

Last checked October 2026. Things change, so check opening times, fees and transport before you go.