The Chitwan National Park lies in the Lowlands of the Terai (150 m) in the south of Nepal at the border of India. It is only 100 km far away from the eight thousand meter high mountain peaks of the Annapurna Massif.
The attractions of the park are the rhinos, which guides ferret up for you in the reed and during the elephant rides. You can also see crocodiles, birds, monkeys and other animals.
The best time to visit the park is in spring, when the grass of the reed is short and you therefore can see the rhinos better; but you will enjoy the park also in other times of the year.
Arriving
If you don't have booked the more expensive lodges midst the Park, your starting point for the Chitwan will be Sauraha seven kilometer south of the Mahendra Highway. Tourist busses leave from Kathmandu and Pokhara to the Chitwan NP in the early morning, but you can also take the local bus from Pokhara or Mugling (coming from Kathmandu). Drop out in "Tadi Bazaar", where a Taxi takes you the remaining seven kilometer to Sauraha. It is possible you have to cross a riverbed on foot. If necessary, walking takes one hour.
Accommodation
Many lodges in Sauraha are waiting for guests ( 5-10 Dollar). The capacity was not even half-booked in late November. The lodges direct at the river are nice for watching the sunset above the park.
Park Activities
Entrance permit is 7 Dollar per day, which includes the elephant ride ( 8 Dollar) at the next morning. It is not allowed to enter the park without a guide. Local people offer several tours, which all begin with a boat ride of half an hour. With luck you see crocodiles at the riverbed. If you take the first boat in the morning, you increase the likelihood seeing crocodiles and rhinos. Get up early!
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The half a day trip and also the full day trip ( 8 Dollars without entrance fee) is a walk through reed grass trying to ferret some rhinos. I unfortunately started too late and was unlucky not to see any rhino. Maybe the next time!It is not at all circumstances safe to ferret rhinos, which rarely, but still attack people sometimes! You can climb a tree, hide behind a big tree or run in zigzag, your advantage is that Rhinos smell well, but have bad eyesight. Running away is useless, rhinos run faster than men. In winter, when local people are allowed to cut reed for their animals or for roof building, fatal accidents with rhinos often happen, but I haven't heard of fatal occurrences with tourists. If you want to go very safe, take an elephant ride, you can do it in the morning or afternoon.
If you have nice tasting blood, small leeches will be happy to clink at you. Don't panic, they are harmless. Wait until this small Draculas have enough of your blood and fall off. Crocodiles are at most of the time lazy. I approached them at about 2 meters. My guide assured to me, that crocodiles don't like German males but nice British ladies (like me!). Monkeys are always curious for Tourists.
Having more time you can book a jungle trek for two or three days, and stay overnight in a lodge. You can also rent bikes and explore the surroundings.. ...
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The probability of seeing rhinos should be more than 50 percent, but you will hardly see a Bengal tiger, that is active by night and is hiding in the bush by day. It is more likely, but also very rare to see a leopard.Rhinos often destroy the peasants fields. Therefore many rhinos are poached every year, but also because of making money. Powder of rhinos is told to be an aphrodiasac and remedy against high fever, but that is simply wrong. The population stagnate the last years.
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mail me:Excuse my English, thanks!
Because English is not my native language, there are mistakes in writing and grammar. It would be kind to mail me 1-5 mistakes you found, if you think this side is helpful for your trip. Thanks!
