Bardiya National Park Tour - 3 Days

Bardia was once a royal hunting reserve of Nepal's Rana rulers from 1846 to 1950. Bardia was declared a wildlife reserve in 1976, first measuring 134 square miles (347 km²) and expanded in 1985 to 374 square miles (968 km²), it became a National Park in 1988.The park situated in the mid far western Terai, east of the Karnali River was established to protect representative ecosystems and conserve tiger and its prey species. The park offers a variety of experiences in its vast undisturbed wilderness. About 70 % of the forest consists of Sal trees with a mixture of grassland and reverine forests. The park is home to endangered animals such as the Royal Bengal tiger, wild elephant, Greater one-horned rhinoceros, swamp deer, and black duck. The other endangered species include gharial crocodile, marsh mugger and Genetic dolphin. Endangered birds found in the park are Bengal florican, lesser florican and sarus crane. More than 30 different mammals, over 400 species of birds and several species of snakes, lizard and fish have been recorded in the park. In addition to the resident species, several migratory birds visit the park. An elephant ride provides a different view of the park as one can go off the main trail.

Apart from its large and intact habitat area and its isolated location, Bardia national park is also the home of one of the last known herds of wild Elephants in South Asia. The herd, numbering less than two dozen, roams these remote jungles in western Nepal.

Bardia also boasts the greatest number of deer species in Nepal. The six deer species found in the park are: Chital or spotted Deer with its ubiquitous white spots on a brown coat; Hog Deer; similar to but smaller than Chital; Sambhar, the largest Deer on Indian subcontinent with a shaggy coat and thick antlers; Swamp Deer; Barasingha; and reddish-colored Barking Deer, the park's smallest Deer.

Other large mammals are: Gaur, the largest wild oxen in world; wild Boar, an omnivorous black-coated creature with large tusks; the agile sloth Bear, a shaggy black bear with a distinctive white "V" on its chest; Blue Bull or Nilgai, the largest Antelope on the Indian subcontinent; and Himalayan Tahr. Serow and Goral, two goat-Antelope members, are also found. Small mammals include: Langur Monkey, Rhesus Macaque, and Jackal, three species of cats (jungle, leopard, and fishing); yellow-throated Marten; Mongoose; and Indian Otter.

Two species of crocodiles swim in the Karnali, Girwa, and Babai Rivers - the blunt-snouted Marsh Mugger and the fish-eating gharial with its long thin snout. These creatures share the water with the fresh-water Gangetic Dolphin. The Karnali also supports the great mahseer, which weigh up to 90 lbs, an angler's prize catch. Birds are the park's most conspicuous fauna with over 300 resident and migratory species. Avid bird-watchers will want to visit the park in November or from February to April when migrants arrive, depart or pass through.

Option 1

Day 1: Drive or fly from Kathmandu to Nepalgunj. You will be picked up from here. After a briefing about the programs, enjoy breakfast. Visit to crocodile breeding center and tharu village. Jungle drive for the whole day with packed lunch. You enjoy dinner and overnight stay at lodge.

Day 2: After breakfast you set out for jungle walk. You walk to Rhino’s, Elephant’s and Tiger’s territory up to Gola, Dolphin Place. You enjoy dinner and overnight stay at lodge.

Day 3: After breakfast you depart from lodge for Kathmandu

Option 2

Day 1: Drive or fly from Kathmandu to Nepalgunj. You will be picked up from here. After briefing about the programs, enjoy breakfast. Visit to crocodile breeding center and tharu village. Jungle drive whole day with packed lunch. You enjoy dinner and overnight stay at lodge.

Day 2: After breakfast you set out for jungle walk. You walk to Rhino’s, Elephant’s and Tiger’s territory up to Gola, Dolphin Place. You enjoy dinner and overnight stay at lodge.

Day 3: This day you visit black sanctuary with a packed lunch and drive to Babai Bridge and walk upstream along the gorge of Babai river. You return to the lodge in the evening. You enjoy dinner and overnight stay at lodge.

Day 4: After breakfast you depart from lodge for Kathmandu.

Option 3

Day 01: Kathmandu to Nepalgunj by air, transferred to lodge where you will be offered refreshment, briefing about lodge facilities and program for the day.Village tour to a nearby ethnic Tharu village where you will learn more about the life and life style of the Tharus. Dinner & Overnight at lodge.

Day 02: Wakeup call, Breakfast, Elephant ride (for an hour), an excellent opportunity to get the lifetime experience on the elephant back and to see the wildlife of the Park. Visit to visitor Center, Crocodile Breeding Center and Tharu Cultural Museum, Lunch, Jungle Walk-An excellent opportunity to see the wild animals, small mammals, birds and waits in the tower (Machan) to have the wild sightseeing, accompanied by our experienced naturalists and wild life tracker. Excellent photographic opportunities are plentiful, Dinner & overnight at lodge

Day 03: Wakeup call, Breakfast, Tiger Tracking and Bird Watching. An excellent opportunity to see a Royal Bengal tiger and a great many species of birds found in Bardia, Lunch, Jeep Drive-An excellent opportunity to see wild animals and you will also encounter many other smaller mammals that have made Bardia their home, Dinner & overnight at lodge.

Day 04: Wakeup call, Breakfast, Karnali River for Dolphin Sightseeing, Lunch,fly back to Kathmandu, overnight at hotel

Option 4

Day 01: 1:00 pm Arrive Lunch

3:30 pm Elephant Safari / Jungle Walk / Mature Walk with Boat Ride

8:00 pm Dinner

Day 02: 5:30 am: Wakeup call followed by tea/coffee.

6:00 am: Bird watching / Elephant Safari / Jungle walk.

8:00 am: Breakfast.

9:30 am: Crocodile walk. A 45 minutes walk through grass land and forest upstream of the Narayani or Rapti river. Board boats to observe the wild life whilst floating back to camp.

1:00 pm: Lunch.

3:30 pm: Elephant Safari /Jungle Walk / Visit Observation Tower / Nature Walk with Boat Ride.

8:00 pm: Dinner.

Day 03: 5:30 am: Wakeup call followed by tea/coffee.

6:00 am: Bird Watching / Elephant Safari / Jungle Walk.

8:00 am: Breakfast.

9:30 am: Departure.