Bardia Jungle Safari Tour

Peregrine Treks and Tours welcome you to the Bardia Jungle Safari Tour in Bardia National Park of Southwestern Nepal. The Bardia National Park is the largest and most unspoiled natural park in the country that hides hundreds of species to admire up close on elephant safaris, walking routes, or descents down the river. Bardia Jungle Safari Tour is made for those passionate about nature who have dreamed of living an authentic national geographic experience.

Bardia Jungle Safari Highlights

• Explore the lifestyle of Tharu inhabitants, who have different life that exudes vitality and happiness.
• See the freshwater dolphins in the rivers that bathe the park. View the nearly threatened and endangered species of migratory birds.
• Excursion to spot Asian elephants, Bengal tigers, one-horned rhinoceros, swamp deer, sloth bears, blackbuck, gharials, or Indian crocodiles.
• Trip of a forest still in a pristine and intact state away from mass tourism.

About Bardia National Park

Lesser known than Chitwan National Park, Bardia National Park is bounded to the west by the Karnali River and the north by the Churiya Mountains extending over an area of 968 sq km. It was built in 1988 as the Royal Bardia National Park and is a protected area in Nepal. There are several ways to get into the national park. In addition to the usual open jeep, you can go on a walking safari. There is only one access to the park, and you should always have a guide.

You can also visit a crocodile nursery or go bird-watching. You can go on a white-water rafting adventure on the Karnali River, the longest river in Nepal. During this cruise, you can see freshwater dolphins and two species of crocodiles basking on the river bank.

Why go on Bardia Jungle Safari Tour?

The best thing about the Bardia Jungle Safari Tour is that it offers you the possibility of entering the territory of the Bengal tiger: naked, without a jeep, without rifles, only you and a nature guide. It is a different safari but much more authentic than any other. A safari to remember that will mark a before and after in your perception of what a safari is.

Bardia National Park hides many impressions and charming places. In addition to animals, there is also beautiful nature here that you should explore. You will get to meet the charming people of the Tharu ethnic group, who have their unique language, customs, and traditions. Local people make a living, especially by farming and fishing.

What's included

What is excluded

The climate of Bardia National Park

Bardia, located in the western Terai of Nepal, has a subtropical climate and highly fertile land. The area is dense with subtropical forests and vegetation. The thermometer oscillates between 12°C and 39°C throughout the year. The monsoon season of July and August usually is wet and cloudy, and the dry seasons of summer from March to May are dry, warm, and straightforward. The hottest month in Baridya National Park is May, with the highest temperature of 39 °C and the lowest of 27 °C. The winter season from December to February is characterized by an average temperature below 25°C, with January being the coldest month.

Because of its favorable weather conditions, the park is the habitat of endangered animals like the Bengal tiger and bird species. The Karnali and Babai rivers are not the only habitat of more than 125 species of fish but also the source of irrigation of its fertile lands. Thus the area is sometimes also referred to as the country’s breadbasket.

Best Time to Visit

Bardia national park is open for safari and excursion all year round. Still, the ideal months for this safari are from September to early December and late February to May. The daytime temperature remains calm and relaxed from September to November, with the autumn season prevailing. From March to May, it’s spring season, but the daytime temperature may increase to 40 degrees. These months are best for viewing the Bengal tiger, one-horned rhinoceros, and other animal species in their natural habitat.

Avoid the rainy season (July and August), as the day will be cloudy with a massive downpour of rain which is not ideal for rafting and water cruising. Safari during winter (from late December to early February) is possible, but the days may be foggy, interfering with the view.

And let’s not forget about the threatened bird species that inhabit this park, such as the Bengal little bustard, Sarus Crane, Ferruginous Duck, or Falcated Duck. If you are a bird watcher, choose September, November, February, and April for watching these majestic migratory birds in the park.

Adventurous activities to do in Bardia National Park

Like any other national park, the most popular activities in Bardia involve looking for wild animals. Although the cultural excursions in which you can immerse yourself in the local culture and learn about their customs and way of life are no less interesting.

Some of the activities that we arrange for you in Bardia National Park are:

1 – Jungle Walk

A jungle walk is like a pure adventure; you walk through the park with a tour guide and try to spot animals wandering without fear. Bardia jungle safari is the only safari that offers a jungle walk that is 100% safe. The guide carries a bamboo stick to scare animals; tigers and other animals are not interested in humans.

Equipped with binoculars and enough provisions, the safari lasts a whole day, from 7 a.m. until late afternoon. The atmosphere is indescribable, with no engines, no chatter from people, just the sound of nature. The guides are experienced trackers and can provide exciting information about the animals.

In addition, you get to know Bardia’s rural environment and the Tharu people, the indigenous tribe of Bardia. To taste the local lifestyle, you need to walk in this area. The walks can be tranquil, and you enjoy nature, the sunsets, and the local people.

2 – Canoeing or rafting

Apart from jungle safari, if you are a fan of water adventure, we offer you the opportunity of rafting in the most profound and longest river of Nepal- Karnali. The route consists of simple one-day rafting where you can fulfill the dream of your water adventure with an unforgettable safari and watch the rhinos and other inhabitants of the park. If you’re lucky, you will see the royal Bengal tiger. And this means that the rafting passes through the untouched jungle, where you can still meet representatives of wild tribes living in harmony with nature.

The calm waters of Karnali River in Bardia National Park allow you to take a long walk along the river in a very calm way, especially for river dolphins. Dolphins that swim in the river of Bardia National Park have a long, pointed snout and lack a crystalline lens. If you are lucky, one of these dolphins may greet you while rafting on your rubber boat.

3 – Bird Watching

Nepal is home to more than 800 species, and many migratory birds take refuge in the jungle of Bardia. If you are a bird enthusiast, visit Bardia and watch these exotic birds chirping and singing their melody on the banks of the Karnali river or amid the Bardia forest.

Your naturalist guide will take you on a birding tour, identifying species in grasslands, farmlands, forests, and aquatic habitats. You will learn to recognize different species, their songs, and their alarm whistles.

There are many species of birds on the shore: kingfisher, gray heron, Indian wagtail, great blue heron, cattle egret, lapwing, giant hornbill, and many more!

4 – Fishing

Bored with regular safari drills and rafting, why not take unusual fishing trips, which can be fun in Bardia National park? Fascinating and exotic fish species like large masher reside in the local rivers. Here is beautiful, virgin nature and very few people besides tourists. Fishing on the local mountain rivers is an absolute pleasure.

A fishing guide will accompany you on your trip and guide you in which direction to make a competent cast and how to lure the bait. A guide will also ensure your fishing trip is successful and your safety during the fishing tour. The good thing is that in the nearby jungle, you can easily pick up the required bait for this.

Flora and fauna of Bardia National Park

The Flora and fauna of the Park are similar to the Flora and fauna of the neighboring Park – Chitwan. But due to its inaccessibility, Bardia National Park is less popular among tourists.

70% of the Park is covered with forest, which in spring shines with pink flowers of silk trees, and the rest of the time, it amazes with a riot of greenery of the most diverse shades: from soft green to the dark marsh. In the impenetrable thickets of the jungle, such trees as sal, sisu, Khair, simal, and siris grow. The remaining 30% is a mixture of fields, savannas, and shrublands. Tall elephant grass, reeds, and bamboo thickets are common along the rivers and swamps.

The Park is home to more than 54 different mammals, 300 species of birds, and 60 species of fish, as well as an enviable variety of reptiles: snakes, lizards, frogs, etc. Bengal tigers, rhinoceros, leopards, deer, monkeys, wild boars, and many other animal species share this park as their abode.

Animals are not used to people and do not pose for photographers. You can encounter them for a brief moment when they jump and disappear somewhere in the dense forest, see a shadow escaping or a pair of wary-curious eyes among the greenery of the trees. But this moment will be so bright that it will remain in your memory forever.

How to reach Bardia National Park?

To get to Bardia National Park, there are two alternatives: by road or by internal flight from Kathmandu. The choice depends on your time availability and, of course, budget.

By Road

If you have come to Nepal with enough time, traveling to Bardia National Park by road will be the best option. This traveling option is cheap and adventurous with several options. You can take a bus or public transport tour or rent a car.

Kathmandu: A 13-hour journey from Kathmandu through Ambassa Bardia will take you to Dhangadi or Mahendranagar.

Pokhara: A 12-hour tour from the beautiful city of Pokhara will take you to Mahendranagar or Dhangadi via Ambassa Bardia.

Lumbini: If you are in Lumbini and now decide to visit the park, no worries, take a bus to Butwal, get off, and take a ride to Mahendranagar. After 8 hours, get off at Ambassa Bardia.

Nepalgunj: The park is 87 km from Nepalgunj, so a bus or jeep ride will take only 2 hours to reach the park.

The road to the park is vast and straight, making your tour comfortable. During the road trip to the park, you will come across the green and yellow rice fields, elegant and colorfully dressed women and men plowing their fields, their humble abode, a bluish local river with crocodiles cooling off at the bank, herons, turtles, and many more.

By flight

A domestic flight of 45 minutes from Kathmandu to Nepalgunj and a transfer to Bardia National Park via a 2-hour jeep ride is the most comfortable, easy, and fastest route for you. We have included a flight ticket in this package.

Why Bardia National park than Chitwan national park?

Both Bardia and Chitwan National Parks are the treasures of Nepal. Due to its accessibility, Chitwan National park is more known to tourists. Chitwan National Park is just 96 km from Kathmandu. Therefore, Chitwan is a crucial destination for tourists.

Bardia National park is 387 km away from Kathmandu. Due to its remoteness, not many travelers have heard about the place. And this is why you should visit Bardia National Park. The less frequented Bardia national park offers a new taste of jungle safari and extreme water rafting experience in the white waters of Karnali.

The characteristic biodiversity of the park represents a complex habitat, which sees the alternation of sal trees, pastures, savannah, riverine forest, and marshy areas. Numerous plant and animal species at risk of extinction coexist in it, even if it mainly represents the ideal habitat for the most endangered large Asian mammals: first of all, the royal Bengal tiger, the Asian elephant, and the Indian rhinoceros.

Although the government has declared the park a protected area, this still allows ample space to be granted to tourism today without however compromising the beauty of a unique territory, thanks to the many restrictions which do not make a visit to the park less exciting and evocative.

Besides, the Tharu people and animals co-exist without rendering any harm to each other. As mentioned, this is the only park where national guides carry a bamboo stick to scare animals when they take you for excursions. This shows how much safer the park is for people.

Why is Bardia National Park Tour more expensive than Chitwan National Park?

Although Bardia National Park is more diverse, ethnic, and pure, the tour can be more expensive than a visit to the Chitwan National park. Bardia is located in the Western Terai, while Chitwan is in the central Terai of Nepal. Bardia is farther away from Kathmandu, while Chitwan is nearer to the capital, making it more accessible. Within 5 hours of driving, you can easily reach the Chitwan National Park.

If you fly to Chitwan from Kathmandu, the airfare is USD 110 per person. However, it is not possible to fly directly to Bardia. Hence, one has to take a flight from Kathmandu to Nepalgunj that can cost between USD 140 to USD 190 (Depending on the season), with a 2-hour drive from Nepalgunj to Bardia National park with an additional charge of USD 100.

Due to the remoteness of Bardia National Park, the tour costs can be relatively higher than taking a trip to Chitwan National park. A tour package to Bardia National Park may cost anywhere between $900 -$1200 per person, while at $190 per person, a tour to Chitwan National Park is possible. The tour includes transport, flight, accommodation, meals, guide costs, safari programs, and tax fees. Other costs, such as personal expenses, beverages, and tips, are excluded.