Chitwan National Park

At the foot of the Himalayas, Chitwan is one of the few remaining undisturbed vestiges of the 'Terai' region, which formerly extended over the foothills of India and Nepal. It has a particularly rich flora and fauna. One of the last populations of single-horned Asiatic rhinoceros lives in the park, which is also one of the last refuges of the Bengal tiger.

The Chitwan National Park (CNP) is a world heritage property, and it also contains a Ramsar Site – Beeshazari Tal in its buffer zone. The CNP has a history of over 3 decades in park management and a rich experience in resolving conflicts between the park and the people.

It is a rich natural area in the Terai, the subtropical southern part of Nepal. A total of 68 species of mammals, 544 species of birds, 56 species of herpetofauna and 126 species of fish have been recorded in the park. The park is especially renowned for its protection of One Horned Rhinoceros, Royal Bengal Tiger and Gharial Crocodile.

Chitwan National Park is situated in south central Nepal in the sub tropical lowlands of the inner terai of Chitwan, Makawanpur, Parsa and Nawalparasi districts. It lies between 27°16.56’- 27°42.14’ Latitudes and 83°50.23’-84°46.25’ Longitudes. The altitude ranges from 110m to 850m above sea level. The park is bounded by the Rapti and Narayani River in the north, Parsa Wildlife Reserve in the east and Madi settlements and India border in the south. The physiography of the park consists of the Terai and Siwaliks. Three major rivers Narayani, Rapti and Reu, and their floodplains; and several lakes and pools are the major water sources of the park.


Being the first protected area of Nepal, it has a long history of over three decades in park management and rich experiences in nature conservation. Chitwan was a big game area for the royal families, Rana rulers and their guests. The area comprising the Tikauli forest from Rapti River to the foothills of the Mahabharat extending over an area of 175 km2 was declared as Mahendra Deer Park in 1959. The area south of the Rapti River was demarcated as a Rhino Sanctuary in 1963. It was proclaimed as Royal Chitwan National Park with an area of 932 km2 in 1973. After the peoples’ revolution in 2006, the park’s name was changed to Chitwan National Park. 


In recognition of its unique biological resources of outstanding universal value, UNESCO designated CNP as a World Heritage Site in 1984. In 1996, an area of 750 km2 surrounding the park was declared a buffer zone, which consists of forests and private lands including cultivated lands. The buffer zone contains a Ramsar Site – Beeshazari Lakes.


The park and the local people jointly initiate community development activities and manage natural resources in the buffer zone. The government of Nepal has made a provision of plowing back 30-50 percent of the park revenue for community development in the buffer zone.

Chitwan’s Big Five

One-Horned Indian Rhino

Chitwan is one of the last refuges of the rare one-horned Indian rhinoceros (gaida in Nepali), and they are one of the most commonly seen animals on safaris in the park. Only about 3000 survive worldwide, most of them in Chitwan and Kaziranga National Park in Assam, India.

Asian Elephant

The Asian elephant (hathi) is the world’s second-largest land mammal behind its African counterpart. The elephants you’re most likely to see in Chitwan are domestic elephants that ferry visitors around on wildlife-spotting safaris, though there’s a small population of approximately 25 to 30 wild elephants in the adjoining Parsa Wildlife Reserve plus wandering migrants from Bihar’s Valmiki National Park.

Royal Bengal Tiger

The intelligence, size and power of the royal Bengal tiger (bagh) make it one of the most majestic and feared animals in the subcontinent. Both locals and foreigners have been attacked by tigers at Chitwan – a very rare occurrence but something to think about before joining a guided walk. There are currently around 120 tigers in Chitwan; sightings are rare as tigers lie low during daylight hours. It’s said that tigers are a hundred times more likely to spot you, rather than vice versa.

Gharial

The gharial is a bizarre-looking crocodile, with a slender, elongated snout crammed with ill-fitting teeth and a bulbous protuberance at the end of its snout, resembling a ghara (local pot) from which it gets its name. Gharials are adept at catching fish, and 110-million-year-old fossils have been found with the same basic body plan, attesting to the effectiveness of the gharial design. Gharials are endangered but there are breeding programs, and young gharials have been released into many rivers in the Terai.

Sloth Bear

These shaggy black bears (bhalu), the size of a large dog, have a reputation as the most-feared animal (tiger included) among locals. They get their name from being confused with sloths in the 19th century, owing to their long claws and excellent tree-climbing abilities. The bears’ diet consists mainly of termites and ants – they use their protruding muzzles to vacuum them up through a gap between their teeth, a sound that can be heard up to 100m away.