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Spotted Deer © Per Daugaard
Boat Safari © Barahi Jungle Lodge
Greater on-horned rhino © Mads Mathiasen
Elephant Camp tent © Tiger Tops
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HomeJungle Safari The Best of Chitwan – 5 Days
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The Best of Chitwan – 5 Days

Nepal’s lowest altitude is under 100m above sea level and we take you down to the tropical, flat, low lands for a contrast to the hills that surround the Kathmandu Valley. You’ll stay river-side in an air-conditioned bungalow opposite the jungle.

Spending some time on safari, you’ll have a great chance of seeing rhino, various types of monkeys and deer and perhaps even a tiger (although it is rare to see a tiger in Chitwan these days, it is still possible if you are in the right place at the right time). You will also spend a night at the elephant camp, where elephants live chain-free.

  • Starts In: Kathmandu
  • Ends In: Kathmandu
  • Duration: 5 Days
  • Difficulty Grade: Easy

Highlights

  • Stay in a couple of Nepal’s best and most sustainable safari lodges
  • Drift down one of Nepal’s biggest rivers while spotting wildlife
  • Soaking up the peacefulness of the jungle
  • Spot the Greater One-horned Rhinoceros
  • Spend time with the elephants at Tiger Tops Elephant Camp

Itinerary

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Day 01: Fly from Kathmandu to Chitwan

This morning after breakfast, we drive back into Kathmandu to the domestic airport where you will board your plane for the short flight to the famous Terai region of Nepal and the Chitwan national park.

The landscape and culture is totally different from that which you have experienced so far and from the high, alpine regions of the Himalayan range. The name the ‘Terai’ refers to the extensive plains in the southern part of Nepal – this area is the most northern extension of the great Gangetic plains of India, land that was won and lost in decades of struggle and shares both Indian and Nepali characteristics and culture.

From the airport we have an hours drive to our amazing jungle lodge where we will spend the next couple of days, the Barahi Jungle Lodge. Spreading over 12 hectares, the lodge offers 35 deluxe boutique guest rooms, built as individual and two-in-one private villas. The sedulous efforts of Tharu artisans can be closely felt in spacious rooms. Each room opens to a private balcony from which the shriveling canopies of Chitwan and waters of Rapti.

Sustainable Choice: Barahi Junlge Lodge is a TOFTigers PUG Certified property based on their outstanding practices in environmental, economic, and social-cultural impacts.

Accommodation: Barahi Jungle Lodge
Meals included: Lunch, Dinner

Forest sunset © Mads Mathiasen

Day 02: Safari in jeeps and on foot

This is a day never to be forgotten – a full day of safari action! All wildlife activities are escorted by an experienced naturalist who will astound you with knowledge of all things big and small. Wildlife in Chitwan National Park includes the greater one-horned rhinoceros, spotted deer, hog deer, sambar deer, barking deer as well as a wide variety of birdlife. With a bit of luck, there is even the chance of glimpsing a leopard, sloth bear and Royal Bengal tiger.

You have the advantage of your resort being right on the river and at times you can even see animals come right to the edge of the river to drink and bathe!

Accommodation: Barahi Jungle Lodge
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Rhino and calf © Mads Mathiasen

Day 03: Boat safari down the river to Tiger Tops Tharu Lodge

This morning after breakfast, we have an amazing experience for you. We will walk down to the boat ramp on the river and get in the traditional longboat for not only your transfer to Tiger Tops Tharu Lodge but this is also an incredible opportunity for bird spotting, seeing the crocodiles, Rhino and we even spot tigers from the boats from time to time.

We will land not far from Tiger Tops a bit before lunch and drive to the lodge. Nestled beside the lush forest and overlooking idyllic Terai landscapes, Tharu Lodge is the perfect place to unwind. Dine al fresco under the shade of a mango tree, take a refreshing dip in Tharu’s garden side pool, play a spot of tennis, or simply sway gently in a hammock in the afternoon breeze. At night, enjoy nothing but the sounds of the forest that is just meters from your window.

In the afternoon you can spend time in the jungle or go for a bullock cart ride into the Tharu village near the lodge to explore the local culture of this part of the Terai.

Sustainable Choice: Tiger Tops Tharu Lodge is a TOFTigers PUG Certified property based on their outstanding practices in environmental, economic, and social-cultural impacts.

Accommodation: Tiger Tops Tharu Lodge
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Gharial crocodile © Jacob Gøtzsche

Day 04: A Day with the Elephants

This morning after breakfast you’ll be transferred over to Tiger Tops Elephant Camp to spend the rest of the morning with the mahouts learning how to make Kuchis (elephant sandwiches), and hang around the elephant corrals. Lunch will be ready around noon, and you might wish to relax and be lazy just like the elephants during the hot midday hours. In the late afternoon, when the temperature is pleasant, go for a walk in the jungle with the elephants and their mahouts. This is the only ethical elephant sarafi in Nepal! You will be walking alongside the elephants, watching how they move, what they eat, and listening to their communication, rumbling and trumpeting. On the way, our naturalist will show and tell you about the surrounding eco-system as you move through jungle, grassland, and wetland with the elephants. You will most likely encounter tiger tracks, deer, various species of birds, and maybe a rhino or two, depending on the route.

You will literally be surrounded by elephants living chain-free in spacious, naturalistic corrals and you will be immersed in the elephants’ daily life.

Accommodation: Tiger Tops Tharu Lodge
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Elephants bathing at sunset © Tiger Tops

Day 05: Fly from Chitwan to Kathmandu

This morning you may have a chance to fit in one last jungle or village activity before your transfer to the Bharatpur airport for your flight back to Kathmandu. The flight takes just 20 minutes, there’s also the option to drive overland, which takes 5 – 6 hours, depending on road conditions.

Meals included: Breakfast
Jeep Safari © Mads Mathiasen
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Gallery

Included In Price

  • Transfers as per the itinerary transfer to your hotel plus all other transfers for domestic flight, as mentioned in the itinerary above, in a private vehicle
  • Hotel nights in the hotels specified in the itinerary; based on double/twin share rooms on bed and breakfast plan
  • Meals as per the itinerary (all meals in Chitwan)
  • Domestic return flights from Kathmandu to Chitwan including airport tax and airport transfers
  • Jungle and village activities in Chitwan

Not Included In Price

  • Services and activities not mentioned in the detailed itinerary
  • Any gear or equipment that you may need to rent/buy – please ask us if you would like any advice about gear to bring/buy/rent
  • International Flights to and from Kathmandu
  • Nepal visa fees and international airport taxes
  • Any excess baggage charges
  • Comprehensive travel insurance that includes trip cancellation and rescue evacuation should this be required for any reason (we require this as the minimum insurance cover)
  • Rescue/evacuation costs (to be covered by your insurance)
  • Additional nights, optional trips and sightseeing tours outside the detailed itineraries above
  • Single supplement
  • Personal expenses (eg mineral water/soft drinks/bar bills, entrance/photography fees at monasteries, laundry, telephone calls, postage, donations, extra snacks, etc)
  • Any extra charge that tea house owners may levy for single rooms, attached bathrooms, or hot showers (if these facilities are available) and charging of batteries
  • Tips for your trekking crew, city guide, hotels, restaurants, etc (please ask if you would like guidance about appropriate tips)
  • Costs incurred due to unforeseen events (eg caused by natural disasters, adverse road conditions/flight delays, labor strikes, fuel shortages, extreme exchange rate changes, etc)
Adventure travel: Every effort will be made to keep to the above itinerary, but as this is Adventure Travel in the mountains, we cannot guarantee it. Weather conditions, road conditions, vehicle breakdowns and the health of fellow travelers can all contribute to changes. We will try to ensure that the trip runs according to plan, but an easy- going nature will be an asset!

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Google reviews

Highly recommended! Hiked to BC, followed by an epic 3-High-Passes trek. This was the third time I travelled with the Himalayan Trails team. Mads, the backoffice team, guides (Tendu) and porters always go above and beyond to make this it memorable experience! This time - despite adverse weather conditions - (we've lost 4 days at the beginning of the trip) they somehow managed to get us to the end without missing out on anything. I will be back, for sure!

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thumb Felix Haslimeier
07.02.2020

Himaĺayan Trails was fantastic!! Seven of us went on a two week trek in the Manaslu Circuit and had a fantastic time. Erin coordinated the trip and was always quick to answer any of our questions stateside, as well as available to solve problems once we got into Nepal. She was very enthusiastic, upbeat, and understanding.

Our guide for the trek was Sonam who we all highly reccommend. Our safety was forefront to her and we always felt like she was looking out for us. We were a mostly all female group and it was super cool to have a female guide. Her group of four porters and the assistant guide far exceeded our expectations. Everyone had a great attitude and was always there to make our experience special. They did a few things that really stood out as beyond the call of duty. A few times the assistant guide or porter would run ahaead to our lunch spot, make tea, and run back to meet us on the trail with a thermos of tea. It was such a morale booster when we were tired to get some tea on the trail. One day one of the group wasnt feeling weel and the assistant guide carried her daypack the whole day. So kind!

The crew was also super fun! We sung, danced and laughed together and by the end we felt we had made new friends.

It is without reservation that i recommend Himalayan Trails, and if you want a fantastic guide, ask for Sonam!!

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thumb Susan Lamping
01.06.2020

From the outset Himalayan Trails were nothing but efficient helping us to plan exactly what we wanted from our trip. Amanda was quick to respond to any queries and provided lots of additional useful information to ensure we were well prepared in advance. The accommodation we had was full of character and in traditional Nepali style rather than anonymous chain hotels, every pick up or meeting happened on time, Amanda even managed to find us last minute accommodation when one of our guest houses had overbooked. Our trekking guide, Mindu, kept us safe, fed and watered and motivated when we needed it - his cheerful singing and whistling along with his infectious laugh kept us entertained for 4 days on the Muldai Trek. Our city guide, Subash, was always on hand to answer our endless questions and was great company painting pictures of the sights we visited with lots of stories. He soon joined in our teasing and banter (and gave as good as he got!). We had a fabulous trip but it was the people we met who made it so special.I struggled to say goodbye to both our guides but know we have made some new friends for life. We have fallen in love with Nepal and will definitely be back and will not hesitate to use Himalayan Trails again. Thank you everyone - you did an amazing job!

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01.06.2020

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We escaped the madness and got into the mountains! We escaped the madness and got into the mountains! Sad that people are missing out this season because of the coronavirus and travel restrictions. It was glorious up there! The autumn months are gonna be magic too... just sayin 😊 ⛰ 🥾 💖 #nepaltrekking
Illuminated snaps from our guest/ friend Corinna a Illuminated snaps from our guest/ friend Corinna and guide Pasang on the Manaslu Circuit trek. They’re having a Great time! Thanks for sharing!! #nepaltrekking #manaslu #manaslucircuit @himalayantrails
Hello from our intrepid trekkers’ early morning Hello from our intrepid trekkers’ early morning jaunt to Thronga La. As you do at the end of an almost outer-worldly trek through Upper Mustang, if you’re as ambitious as Georgina and Claire! 🏔 🇳🇵 #uppermustang #nepaltrekking
They got big air in very thin air! Spectacular sho They got big air in very thin air! Spectacular shots from @bjpartyof3 ! Thanks for posting such gorgeous, and athletic, shots from your trek with Chiring! 😊💥 -check out their feed, it’s inspirational and beautiful! #treknepal #gokyolakestrek #ebc
Happy Birthday Raj! Raj is the powerhouse behind t Happy Birthday Raj! Raj is the powerhouse behind the scenes, making HT Treks and Awesome Expeditions run smoothly. He got about 10 mins to celebrate today, with the rest of the operations staff, because we have a ton of adventurers arriving and on trail. He’s thinking of moving his birthday until July 🤣 Cheers Raj!! #lovethefireworkcandles! #treknepal
These guests weren’t up for trekking but wanted These guests weren’t up for trekking but wanted to see the tallest mountains in the world. The peaks were  so close you could almost touch them. This was our heli ride to Lukla, then a jaw dropping photo stop at Kala Patar, followed by a bit of brekkie with views of the tallest mountain in the world, and then back to the Kathmandu valley. Not bad for a Monday morning. #nepal #everestandfriends #areyoukiddingme! #windyheli 🤣
Awe man, this adventure is happening Now! Our gues Awe man, this adventure is happening Now! Our guests, guide, and porter trekking to Everest Base camp and and Gokyo Ri. Absolutely gorgeous! #nepal #trekking #gokyovalleytrek #ebc
Exploring Phaplu and Junbesi in the summertime wit Exploring Phaplu and Junbesi in the summertime with @delecca and the Puppies!
Well he’s a tad older than the 2 ‘candles’/ Well he’s a tad older than the 2 ‘candles’/ cake-fireworks suggest; he’s 100! Happy Birthday Mads! @himalayantrails #happynepalinewyear #2076!
Out for a little ride.... Out for a little ride....
Who’s the mystery man contemplating the view in Who’s the mystery man contemplating the view in Panchase? Loving the uncrowded short treks in Nepal- let’s keep this amongst ourselves ... 🤫. #nepaltrekking #trekkinginnepal #stopandsmellthemountains ...but if u want to make this happen we will.. discreetly.
Not many other souls in sight while revisiting the Not many other souls in sight while revisiting these trails that haven’t seen much traffic for years. #whereisthis?#nepaltrekking #trekking #camping #sunrise #himalayas #thatsenoughclues.
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Email: info@himalayan-trails.com
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