Nepal’s amazing ecosystem nurtures some of nature’s most unique and rare species. The Terai region of Nepal, which is a warm subtropical belt of the country, is home to species such as royal Bengal tigers, rhinos, wild leopard elephants, sloth bears, monkeys, crocodiles, and many species of deer. In addition, it has around 250 species of exotic birds, both migratory and native.
The Terai region is home to the two main national parks, also known as Royal Chitwan and Bardia in Nepal. The two wildlife parks mentioned above were established as part of the Green Ecological Conservation Policy of the Government of Nepal to safeguard the animals that are in the categories of endangered species and to protect the habitat of which they are a part. National Parks are the most sought after places in Asia, giving one a complete jungle experience.
Most government-licensed tour operators offer trips that include things like jungle activities and lodging facilities along with transportation to and from the parks.
Chitwan National Park
Chitwan National Park has six main jungle resorts spread across its vast radius. These laid-back resorts are the ideal place to enjoy the true Terai safari experience.
There are many activities in the jungle that one can do, from nature walks to bird watching, etc., which are one of the many ways to be part of the wild nature while staying in the jungle. The resorts have accommodations in separate cabins with attached bathrooms or if one wants to have the “Indiana Jones” experience then one can opt for the well furnished luxury tented camps to stay. Rafting on the Rapti or Narayani rivers makes for an adventurous river tour that allows you to witness the different bird species of Chitwan. And if you’re lucky, you may even get close to the shy river-dwelling freshwater Ganges dolphins.
Bardia National Park
Bardia National Park is comparatively smaller than Chitwan, and is also home to many exotic species of animals and birds and happens to be a peaceful yet wild environment in the Terai region.
Bardia is also more remote and isolated compared to Chitwan and that explains why the number of visitors in this jungle is a bit less than those who visit Chitwan and therefore it has fewer resorts. All the resorts are located towards the outlying area of the park and the jungle offers many nature walks and you can even spot animals by going on a safari jeep or taking the famous “elephant rides” of this park.
The jungle is home to many endangered species such as tigers, wild elephants, rhinos, swamp deer, blackbuck, gharial crocodiles, and swamp mugger crocodiles. Finally, here is a tip: it is preferable to travel by plane to Barida instead of taking the 15-hour road trip to reach Barida.
Koshi Tappu Wildlife Reserve
This park became a wildlife reserve in the year 1976, it is called the Koshi Tappu Wildlife Reserve and it occupies a whopping 175 square kilometers of wildlife sanctuary that has some hectares of wetlands. Located on the eastern side of Nepal, its entry point is from the Mahindra Expressway.
The reserve is a habitat for wildlife such as water buffalo (called arna), deer, nilgai, mugger crocodile, Ganges river dolphin (also called Ganges dolphin) and more than 280 species of birds. In addition to wildlife species, the park also provides environmental security to a significant part of the Sapta Koshi region, which happens to be an offshoot of the Ganges River floodplain.
Suklaphanta Wildlife Reserve
Located on the southwestern edge of the Terai is the Suklaphanta Wildlife Reserve. It extends over a forest cover of 305 square kilometers. It is found at an altitude of 90-270 m.
Green vegetation covers a good 70% of the forest and the rest is full of grasslands. Of this total grassland landmass, the Suklaphanta area is notably the largest grassland tract in Nepal, covering an area of 54 square meters. kilometers. Many species of mammals have been surveyed such as Schaaf & Bell and the place is also a famous habitat for swamp deer. The reserve is the breeding ground for the myriad Floridians of Bengal and the Spanish Hare of Nepal.
Therefore, the above forest destinations are what defines “Wild Nepal” and an expert guide can be hired who can tell you about the many things regarding the wildlife and vegetation that is distinct from the terai region of Nepal.