Trip Facts
Country:
Nepal
Duration:
3 Days
Max Altitude:
286 m
Activities:
Jungle safari, canoe, nature walk, and driving
Region:
Chitwan, the Terai lowlands
Starting Point:
Kathmandu or Pokhara
Ending Point:
Kathmandu or Pokhara
Grade:
Easy, no trekking
Group Size:
1 to 12 pax
Accomodation:
Jungle lodge on the park boundary
Best Season:
Oct-Mar
Notice
Chitwan is Nepal’s oldest national park, gazetted in 1973, and a UNESCO World Heritage Site since November 1984.
Two nights is the shortest stay that gives you a full day inside the park, which is what sightings actually depend on.
This trip can start and finish in Kathmandu or in Pokhara, so it slots onto either end of a trek.
Overview of Chitwan National Park Safari 3 Days: Jungle Safari Tour in Nepal
Quick answer: This Chitwan National Park safari runs 3 days and 2 nights on the park boundary at Sauraha. It includes a jeep safari, a dugout canoe trip on the Rapti River, guided nature walks, the elephant breeding centre, and a Tharu cultural evening. It is graded easy with no trekking, suits families and non-walkers, and runs privately from Kathmandu or Pokhara with Spade Himalaya, a trekking and tour company based in Kathmandu.
First, most visitors ask how many days in Chitwan is enough. The honest answer is two nights. One night gives you an afternoon and a morning. But that is not enough time inside the park for the animals to cooperate. Three nights is a genuine luxury rather than a necessity, unless you are a serious birder.
So this Chitwan jungle safari is built around one complete day in the park, with the travel days doing useful work at each end. First you arrive in time for a village walk and a river sunset. Then you leave after a dawn bird walk, rather than straight after breakfast.
Chitwan covers 952.63 sq km, with a further 729.37 sq km of buffer zone around it. In all, it protects one-horned rhinoceros, Royal Bengal tiger, Asian elephant, and gharial. 643 bird species have been recorded inside it. Would you rather see it inside a longer trip? Then our Nepal itinerary 7 days pairs Chitwan with Kathmandu and Pokhara. Also, the Nepal itinerary 14 days adds a Poon Hill trek.
Trips Highlights
- Look for one-horned rhinoceros on a jeep safari through grassland and sal forest.
- Drift the Rapti River by dugout canoe, past basking gharial and mugger crocodiles.
- Spot a few of the 643 bird species recorded inside the park.
- Walk the forest on foot with two trained naturalists, which no vehicle can replace.
- Visit the government elephant breeding centre near Sauraha.
- Stay two nights at a lodge on the park boundary, with every meal included.
- Walk into a Tharu village and see the mud-and-lattice longhouses up close.
- Watch sunset over the Rapti from the riverbank, which is when the animals come down to drink.
- Travel with a licensed guide and every park permit and activity arranged.
- Start and finish in either Kathmandu or Pokhara, whichever suits your trip.
Kathmandu (1,400 m) or Pokhara (822 m) → Sauraha, Chitwan National Park (under 300 m) → back to Kathmandu or Pokhara.
In short, you drop out of the hills onto the Terai, spend a full day inside the park, and return. So the only real travelling is the road at each end, roughly 5 to 6 hours from Kathmandu and about 5 hours from Pokhara.
Trips Itinerary
First you leave Kathmandu or Pokhara in the morning. Then you come down out of the hills onto the Terai, the flat farming belt along the Indian border. Allow 5 to 6 hours from the capital, or about 5 from the lake. So the temperature climbs and the vegetation turns tropical as you go.
After lunch at the lodge near Sauraha, your naturalist takes you into a Tharu village on foot. Here the longhouses are built from mud packed over a lattice of wood and reed. So they stay cool in a place that reaches the high thirties in May. And the Tharu have farmed this belt for centuries.
Then you finish at the riverbank for sunset over the Rapti. Now late afternoon is when deer and, with luck, rhino come down to drink. So this is not just a view. Then your guide runs the briefing over dinner and sets the morning start time.
- Duration: 5 to 6 hrs drive
- Max Altitude: 1,400 m
- Meals: Lunch & Dinner
- Accommodation: Jungle Lodge
First, the day opens on the water. A dugout canoe, carved from a single trunk, carries you down the Rapti in near silence. So you get close to gharial and mugger crocodiles on the banks without moving them. Also, kingfishers work the shallows the whole way.
Then you land and walk back through the forest with two naturalists rather than one. That is standard practice on foot here. On the ground you read tracks, scat, and alarm calls, rather than scanning open grass. This is the part of the day most people remember, and it is the part no vehicle can give you.
Next, the afternoon is a jeep safari deeper into the park, running the tracks between sal forest and the elephant grass. Here rhino are the animal you are most likely to see. Also, the grassland near the river is where they feed. Still, tiger are seldom seen by anybody, and your guide will tell you so honestly at the start.
In total Chitwan covers 952.63 sq km, with another 729.37 sq km of buffer zone. So what you see in a day is a fraction of it. Then the evening is a Tharu stick dance at the lodge. It is staged for visitors, and it is also a living tradition, which are not contradictory things.
- Duration: Full day safari
- Max Altitude: 286 m
- Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
- Accommodation: Jungle Lodge
An early walk along the forest edge catches the hour when the birds are loudest and the light is best. Here hornbills, storks, and several kingfisher species are regular. In total, 643 species have been recorded in the park. Then after breakfast you visit the government elephant breeding centre near Sauraha.
Then the coach leaves around midday for Kathmandu or Pokhara, putting you back in the hills by late afternoon. And if you are carrying on to a trek from Pokhara, this is the easier end to finish at. Still, extra nights at the lodge are simple to add if you would rather not rush the last morning.
- Duration: Half day, then 5 to 6 hrs drive
- Max Altitude: 1,400 m
- Meals: Breakfast
Trips Include
What is included: Your package covers both nights with all meals, every park permit and activity, your naturalist guide, and the road transfer at each end. So the only things left are your drinks, your tips, and anything personal.
- Road transfer from Kathmandu or Pokhara to Sauraha and back, by tourist coach.
- 2 nights at a jungle lodge on the Chitwan park boundary.
- All meals from lunch on day 1 to breakfast on day 3.
- Chitwan National Park entry permits for all activities.
- A jeep safari inside the park.
- A dugout canoe trip on the Rapti River.
- Guided jungle walks with trained naturalists.
- A visit to the elephant breeding centre.
- A guided Tharu village walk and a cultural evening at the lodge.
- A licensed, English-speaking Spade Himalaya naturalist guide.
- Pay, food, lodging, and insurance for all staff.
- Safe drinking water using a filter or purification tablets.
- A first-aid kit.
- All local taxes and office costs.
Trips Exclude
What is not included: A few things sit outside the package. So please budget for these too.
- International flights and airport taxes.
- Nepal entry visa (US$30 for 15 days, US$50 for 30 days, US$125 for 90 days).
- Travel and medical insurance (this is a must).
- Hotels and meals in Kathmandu or Pokhara, before and after the safari.
- All drinks, laundry, Wi-Fi, and snacks.
- Tips for your guide and driver.
- Personal gear, binoculars, and any personal expenses.
- Anything not listed under Cost Includes.
Trips Altitude
Packing List
General
- Daypack (20 to 30 litres)
- Reusable water bottle
- Binoculars, which matter more here than anywhere else in Nepal
- Torch or headlamp, because lodge paths are unlit
- Power bank for the road days
- Passport and a passport photo
- Sunglasses with UV protection
Upper Body
- Light-coloured long-sleeved shirts, which keep insects off
- Neutral or muted colours for the guided walk
- A warm layer for the dawn canoe, when the river is cold
- A light rain jacket
- Sun hat for the Terai
Lower Body
- Lightweight long trousers for the jungle walk
- Comfortable trousers for the road days
- Shorts for the lodge
Undergarments
- Quick-dry underwear (3 to 4)
- Comfortable socks (3 pairs)
Hands
- Light gloves for the dawn canoe in December and January
Feet
- Closed walking shoes for the jungle walk
- Sandals for the lodge and warm evenings
First Aid Kits
- Personal medication, with a copy of the prescription
- Insect repellent containing DEET
- High-factor sun cream and lip balm
- Hand sanitiser
- Rehydration salts for the heat
- Antihistamine for bites
Optional
- Camera with a zoom lens
- A field guide to the birds of Nepal
- A notebook for your sightings list
Others
- Quick-dry towel
- Toiletries and toilet paper
- Snacks for the road days
- Cash in Nepali rupees, because Sauraha ATMs are unreliable
- A dry bag for the canoe trip
Good to Know
Before you go
You need very little for this one. First, bring your passport and a passport photo so Spade Himalaya can arrange your Chitwan National Park permits. Then carry cash in Nepalese rupees from Kathmandu or Pokhara, because the ATMs in Sauraha are not always working. Also, October to March is the season this trip is built around, and the lodges fill early in it, so confirm your dates as far ahead as you can.
This trip is built for travellers who want Chitwan National Park on its own, either as a short break or bolted onto the start or end of another trip. So it suits:
- Anyone adding wildlife to a trek. It runs from Pokhara as well as Kathmandu, so it drops onto either end of an Annapurna trek without a detour.
- Families with young children. Jeeps, canoes and a lodge with all meals work far better for small children than walking days.
- Non-walkers and older travellers. There is no trekking at all, and every activity except the guided jungle walk is seated.
- Birdwatchers. 643 species have been recorded here, and we will extend the stay if you want more dawns on the river.
- Anyone with only a few spare days in Nepal. Two nights is the shortest stay that still buys you a full day inside the park.
This is the wrong trip if you want guaranteed tiger sightings, which nobody can honestly offer, or if you want an elephant-back safari, which we do not run. Also, if Chitwan is only one thing on a longer Nepal wish list, the 7-day or 14-day itinerary will cost you less than booking each piece separately.
Spade Himalaya runs Chitwan on its own and inside two longer tours. Use this table to pick the right one.
| Time you have | What you want | Choose | From |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3 days | Chitwan only, from Kathmandu or Pokhara | This itinerary | USD 310 |
| 7 days | Kathmandu culture plus Chitwan and Pokhara | Nepal Itinerary 7 Days | USD 880 |
| 14 days | Culture, the Poon Hill trek and Chitwan | Nepal Itinerary 14 Days | USD 1,390 |
In short, book this one if Chitwan is the trip. Book a longer itinerary if Chitwan is one stop on it.
In short, sightings depend on hours inside the park, not on luck alone. But one night buys you an afternoon and a morning, split by a night. And animals do not work to that timetable. So two nights gives you a full day. That means the river at dawn, the forest on foot, and the grassland by jeep in the late afternoon, which is when rhino feed.
In short, jeep drives, dugout canoe trips, guided walks on foot, and the elephant breeding centre. We do not offer elephant-back safaris. Also, a good naturalist matters more than luck, and walks go out with two guides as standard, which is the safety practice on foot in this park.
October to March is the window. The park cuts its elephant grass in late winter and the animals become far easier to see. Also, October and November are the clearest months if you want the hills on the drive. But April and May are punishing in the Terai heat, and the monsoon closes many activities.
The Tharu are the indigenous people of this belt and have a well-documented resistance to malaria, which is why they farmed the Terai when few others could. Also, their longhouses are built from mud over a wood and reed lattice. The cultural evening at the lodge is staged, and the tradition behind it is not.
Still, Sauraha ATMs are not always working, so bring rupees in cash from Kathmandu or Pokhara. Also, binoculars make a bigger difference here than anywhere else in Nepal. And neutral colours help on foot. A torch is useful too, because lodge paths are unlit.
Trips Reviews
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Trips FAQs
These are the questions travellers ask us most about a Chitwan safari. They cover how many days you need, what you can realistically expect to see, when to come, and what it costs. If yours is not answered here, write to us and someone in our Kathmandu office will reply.
How Long You Need
Two nights, which is what this trip gives you. But one night leaves you an afternoon and a morning. In practice that is not enough time for sightings to fall your way. Also, three nights is a luxury rather than a need. Still, if you are a serious birder we will happily extend it.
Wildlife and What You Will See
No, and anyone promising that is not being straight with you. Here one-horned rhinoceros are seen often, especially in the riverside grassland in the cooler months. Still, Royal Bengal tiger are rarely spotted by visitors. But birds are the sure thing, with 643 species recorded.
No. Instead we use jeeps, canoes, and guided walks. Still, the elephant breeding centre visit is included, and that is a conservation facility rather than a ride.
Season and Safety
October to March. Because the park cuts its elephant grass in late winter, animals become far easier to see. Also, the cooler months are far more comfortable in the Terai. April and May get very hot. The monsoon, June to August, is wet and many activities stop.
The park is safe with a licensed naturalist, and you are never in the forest on foot without one. Still, mosquitoes are present around dawn and dusk, so repellent and long sleeves are sensible. Also, speak to your doctor about malaria prophylaxis before you travel.
Cost, Starting Point and Packing
Overall, our 2 nights 3 days Chitwan package starts at the price shown above. In it are both nights, all meals, every park permit, the jeep safari, the canoe, the walks, and the road transfer at each end. So the main things left to budget are drinks, tips, and your hotel nights in Kathmandu or Pokhara.
Yes, and it costs the same. In fact, the road from Pokhara is about 5 hours, against 5 to 6 from Kathmandu. So starting or finishing in Pokhara works well if you are combining the safari with an Annapurna trek.
Light, neutral-coloured clothing, insect repellent, and binoculars, which matter more here than on any trek. Also, bring a warm layer for the early canoe, because the river is cold before the sun is up. No trekking gear is needed at all.
Suitability and Combining Trips
Yes, and it is one of our most accessible trips. Also, there is no trekking, and the lodge has proper rooms and bathrooms. Apart from the guided walks, the activities are seated. Tell us the ages and any mobility limits and we will adjust what we can.
Yes, and most people do. A Chitwan National Park tour slots onto either end of an Annapurna trek without a detour. Our Nepal itinerary 7 days pairs Chitwan with Kathmandu and Pokhara. The Nepal itinerary 14 days adds the Poon Hill trek on top of that.
