NEPAL’ S NATIONAL PARKS
Chitwan is the most easily accessible of Nepal’s national parks, but for the adventurous traveller there are other incredible sites to add to the bucket list.
1Bardia National Park
Established in 1888 as the Royal Bardia National Park, it covers more than 950sq km and is the country’s largest national park, and was thankfully untouched by the 2015 earthquake. Like Chitwan, Bardia has amazing opportunities to see tigers, wild elephants and one-horned rhinos, as well as more than 250 species of birds, some endangered. Although around 70 per cent of the park is forest, there are also many open grassland areas, excellent for game viewing.
2Sagarmatha National Park
A Unesco World Heritage site, Sagarmatha is the highest national park in the world, at the base of Mt Everest. It features dramatic mountains, glaciers and deep valleys. Wildlife found within the park includes the Himalayan tahr, ghoral, musk deer, and black bears. Also there, but less likely to be spotted, are wolves, lynx, and snow leopards. Access isn’t easy — you’ll need to fly into Lukla from Kathmandu, then trek for two days — but once you’re there accommodation options range from resort hotels, lodges and camping.
3Langtang National Park
Langtang was established in 1976 as the first protected area of the Himalayas. Visitors are able to explore local villages — there are about 45 within the park’s boundaries — as well as glaciers with incredible views of the mountains. To visit a gompa (monastery), tourists must get permission from the lamas and make a small donation. Gosainkunda lake is believed to have been created by Lord Shiva and as such is visited by thousands of Hindu pilgrims during August’s Janai Purnima festivals. The park headquarters is at Dhunche, which can be reached by bus from Kathmandu.
4Koshi Tappu Wildlife Reserve
Koshi Tappu is the smallest of the Terai’s national parks but is a sought-after destination for birdwatchers thanks to the 493 species there. It’s also the last habitat of the endangered arna — a type of water buffalo — with only about 100 left. You won’t find tigers or rhinos here but you will see weird and wonderful species, including fishing cats, mongooses and gangetic dolphins. Koshi Tappu’s elephant stable is home to eight females who are visited by a semi-wild male, named Ganesh Maharaj by locals, after the Hindu god. The best time to visit is between October and March.