Bardia National Park
An Abode of Wilderness
Located in the far Western regions of Nepal, the Bardia National Park was a royal hunting park in the early days and it became a National Park only in 1998. Even then, there were no basic facilities to cater to the needs of the visitors. In the year 1994, the Bardia Jungle Cottage was set up and it is running successfully even today, providing all facilities that you would expect to have in a national park. Luxurious accommodation is available, in bungalows styled in the local fashion and in a very eco-friendly manner.
You can arrive at the Nepalgunj airport by the regular flights from Kathmandu. From Nepalgunj, it takes about two hours to reach the Jungle Cottage. You can also travel by buses or private vehicles from Kathmandu. You should have equipments used for wildlife viewing such as binoculars, flashlights and cameras with you. Moreover, you will also need sunhats, insect repellents, sun glasses etc. Dress casually and comfortably in clothes that are not too flashy.
There various activities that you can enjoy in the Bardia National Park. Most important of them are bird watching and animal viewing. There are about forty different mammals and 300 species of fauna in this National Park. You can either walk or take an elephant safari, a cycling tour, or a jungle drive. In addition to these, there are canoeing trips, rafting, fishing etc. too. Though it is best recommended that you stay for three days at least, there various package tours from which you can choose according to the period of your stay. All of these tours offer separate itineraries and are priced differently. There is a special package for trekking lovers too; within which is included trekking on the Churiya Hills and camping on the bank of the Karnali River.
If you are a nature lover, then even a six day stay will not be enough for you as there so much of scenic beauty to enjoy.