What is Chitwan Famous For?

Chitwan is a district located in the southwestern part of Bagmati Province. Bharatpur, the 5th largest city of Nepal, is its district headquarters. This covers an area of 2238.39 km. sq. Chitwan is a popular tourist destination in Nepal and is known for its rich biodiversity, cultural heritages, and adventure tourism activities. 

Here is a list of some famous places in Chitwan, you should visit or don’t forget to explore it,

• Chitwan National Park

Chitwan National Park has established in 1973 AD and is the first national park in Nepal which generally covers an area of 932 sq. km. The park is famous for its diverse flora and fauna, including rare species such as the royal Bengal tiger, one-horned rhinoceros, sloth bear, Crocodile, and several species of birds, deer, and monkeys. It is one of the largest inhabitants of wild animals in Nepal.

Visitors can explore the park by taking guided jungle walks, elephant rides and jeep safaris. These activities provide an opportunity to observe the park’s wildlife and natural beauty closely. While Chitwan national park is a popular tourist destination in Nepal, which offers a unique blend of wildlife, nature, and adventure experiences.

• Jeep Safari

Jeep safari is one of the popular destinations to explore the wildlife of Chitwan. During this trip, you will sit at the back of an open jeep and enjoy the green scenery, animals, and birds in the forest. The driver will stop at some spots to show places and animals. During the trip, the guide will hang at the back of the vehicle to track the animals. He will also give information about the surrounding and the wildlife.

There are basically two options to go on a jeep safari; the first option is a shared jeep safari, which will take 7 to 10 persons. It is a 4 hours journey where you will sit at the side of the jeep. The second option is a reserved jeep safari if you want to explore the jungle deeply. With this trip, you will go deeper in the jungle which is longer than the shared jeep. During this trip, you can have lunch in the jungle itself.

• Elephant Ride/Safari

Elephant rides/safari are popular tourist activities in Chitwan that provide a unique and exciting way to explore the natural beauty and wildlife of the Chitwan national park. Elephant safari is typically offered in the early morning or evening and provides leisurely riding on the back of an elephant through the park’s jungles, grasslands, and rivers. 

To get the elephant ride, you need to purchase a national park permit first. Then, you will sit in a square-shaped box on the back of an elephant which can accommodate four people easily. Or if you want to hire a single elephant then you have to pay an extra charge. These rides start inside the jungle for approximately 2 hours. Visitors can observe the parks’ wildlife closely, including one-horned rhinoceroses, Bengal tigers, sloth bears, and several species. 

• Tharu Cultural Museum

Tharu are the indigenous people of the Chitwan region of Nepal. The Tharu museum offers the history of Tharu origin and culture. Visitors can experience their unique cultures such as paintings, sculptures, culture dresses, house styles, traditional practices, ornaments, and distillery pots by visiting the Tharu museum. 

The Tharu museum is an attractive destination for domestic as well as international tourists. Visitors can watch Tharu dances like fire dance, peacock dance, and stick dance are popular dances in Tharu culture. Overall, the museum provides an excellent opportunity for visitors to experience and learn about the Tharu culture and its heritage. Restaurants and Hotels in Chitwan also has live music and gigs that represents tharu dance and culture that can certainly enhance the quality time that we spend while eating.

• Bish Hajari Taal

The Bish Hajari Taal is located in the southern corner of Bharatpur. This is a suitable destination for visitors who choose a peaceful environment. The visitors can enjoy viewing the variety of birds that can be seen in the Taal. Additionally, visitors who enjoy watching reptiles can see crocodiles sunbathing on the bank of the lake.

The lake is called ‘Bish Hajari Taal’ because it is made up of 20,000 small and big lakes. The next reason for calling the lake Bish Hajari Taal is, when we look at the lake from the sky, this lake appears to be in the shape of like 20,000.  Bish Hajari Taal is one of the destinations that visitors highly like to explore. Since it is surrounded by vegetation and has millions of species, this lake can be the best place for nature lovers.

• Cycling Outside Sauraha

Cycling plays an essential role in one of the most relaxing adventures in Chitwan. If you limit yourself to Sauraha, you will miss out on a great experience to explore what is outside Sauraha. Outside the tourist area, you can observe the local villages, their lifestyle, and agricultural field where people are farming. Just you need to pay for the cycle on an hourly basis or a full-day basis. There is no special route for the cycle in Chitwan so it is best to stay alert while you are cycling in a pathway.