12-ROYAL CHITWAN NATIONAL PARK

The Royal Chitwan National Park offers a wildness of rich ecosystem that included mammals, birds, reptiles and water animals of several kinds. It is little slurping therefore that this is one of the most popular and most frequented parts of the country. Owing to its rich adornment of nature the park was declared UNESCO Natural Heritage Site in 1979. The park that includes in its area a part of the Shivlalik Hills, is covered with deciduous forest overlooking the floodplains of Narayani, Rapati and Reu rivers. There are around 600 plant species, 50 mammals, 526 birds and 49 amphibians, reptiles found in the park.

The highlights, of course, are the 500 Asian one - horned rhinoceros and some 100 nocturnal Royal Bengal tigers that live in the dense forests of the park. Sharing home with these are other animals like rhesus monkey, grey Lanur, deer, leopards, white stockinet gaur, wild boar, wild dogs and wild cats. Among reptiles are different kinds of known as Gangetic Crocodile and marsh crocodiles.


The forest is alive during summer with the arrival of migrant birds paradise flycatcher, Indian pitta and parakeets, while winter birds include waterflow, Brahminy ducks, pintails, bar-headed geese, cormorants and migratory birds from Siberia. Other bird varieties are woodpeckers, hornbills, peacocks, peahens, floricans and redheaded trogons. A rare attraction of the park is the world's fresh water dolphin variety sometimes seen in River Narayani. Another factor adding a distinct touch to the Chitwan experience is the colorful Tharu culture. There are also sites of religious and historical important at Devgat, Pandavnagar, Balmiki Ashram and Kabilaspur. The best time to visit Chitwan is September to March. Chitwan is easy to reach from Kathmandu and from other parts of the country. Daily flights to Meghauli and Bharatpur are available from Kathmandu. It is also connected by road to the capital and other major cities in the country.