Adventures in Bardia National Park
Take your time in Bardia National Park
If you want to enjoy Bardia, don’t be in too much of a rush. You’re welcome for a short time, but we advise you to stay at least 4 to 5 days. This gives you the opportunity to discover Bardia National Park in different ways and it will increase your chances to see the wildlife.
Customized experience
We would like to give you an individual customized experience. You can compose your own travel plan in advance with the activities mentioned on this page. It’s also possible to book only a room and on the day of arrival we talk about your wishes and we can still organize the activities you would like to do. Get inspired by our 5 to 16 days Tours Bardia National Park & West Nepal that can help you to make the best of your time in Nepal.
Entrance to the park without a guide is not allowed. We work with experienced and certified guides who are born and raised in Bardia and who like to share their passion for nature.
Half, full or multi-day adventures
We can organize half or full day activities like a jungle walk, jeep safari or rafting trip. For the more adventurous we offer multi-day/overnight camping trips in Bardia National Park along the Karnali and Babai River. which can be combined with fishing, rafting and hiking. Hearing the sounds of the jungle at night is a truly incredible experience. Dawn and dusk can give fantastic wildlife opportunities. Anything from 2 to 10 days is possible.
For all the activities we provide permits, camping gear, transport, food and other necessities. Prices of the activities are depending on the number of participants. Do you feel the travel itch already? Please contact us for more information!
You can also explore the Tharu culture & countryside or the unspoiled nature of Far West Nepal
Duration: half or full day
A jungle walk is a great way of seeing wildlife and birds in the southwest part of the park. Nepal is the only country where this is possible by foot. Our guide knows how to spot the wildlife by listening to the sounds of the jungle and to follow the animal footprints on the ground. You will walk along bush tracks and grassland and sit at watchtowers and riverbanks to wait for the animals to move to the river to drink. On a full day jungle walk you’ll walk around 15 to 20 kilometers.
A half day jungle walk is also possible, which you can combine with a half day jeep safari.
Duration: half or full day
A jeep will take you further into the Midwest and Northwest part of the national park, which gives you the chance to see different vegetation of the park and different wild and birdlife.
The viewpoints you visit can only by reached by jeep. You will make stops at watchtowers, wildlife drinking spots and at riverbanks. A half day jeep safari (5 hours) takes place in the morning or the afternoon. and can be combine with a half day jungle walk. A full day jeep safari (10 hours) allows you to go further north and wait longer at the view spots.
Duration: Half, full, or multi-day trips
Rafting gives you a wonderful opportunity to spot birds and animals on the riverbanks and you might see the rare Gangetic river dolphin.
We offer half, full, or multi-day trips on the Karnali, Geruwa and the Babai river inside the park. The water in these rivers mainly flows calmly and there are a few rapids. This makes it a perfect trip for wildlife and birdwatching. Full day rafting trips on the Karnali-Geruwa river inside the national park are mostly possible from mid-June till the half of November when the water level is high enough.
During a multi-day trip you can combine rafting with fishing on the Babai river (see activity ‘The Babai river rafting and fishing expedition’).
An other and amazing option is to paddle on the faster flowing upper Karnali and Bheri river (See activity ‘Follow the Karnali and Bheri river‘) outside the national park.
We provide life vests and waterproof bags and licensed paddlers!
Duration: full or multi-day trips
Anglers can throw out a fishing rod in the Karnali river, Babai river or Bheri river which offer various good fishing spots to catch catfish and mahseer. The best seasons for fishing are from October to November and February to May.
There are one day fishing opportunities on the upper Karnali river near the Chisapani bridge, or inside the park. Multi-day fishing are possible on the beautiful Babai river. (see activity ‘The Babai river rafting and fishing expedition’)
We can arrange fishing permits for you. The best is to bring your own fishing gear.
Duration: half, full or multi-day
Bardiya is the habitat for more than 400 species of birds, including the great hornbill, storks, woodpeckers, owls and many grassland birds. Both jungle walk and jeep safari are suitable activities to spot them. Or go with our guide on a 2 hour early morning walk along the river near or home and you can easily spot 50 different species.
In the area you will also find the lakes and wetlands of ‘ Godha Godhi tal’, ‘Badhaiya tal’ and ‘Satakhaluwa wetland forest’, which also offer plenty of opportunity to spot various birds. You might spot the Sarus Crane in Badhaiya tal. The best months for birdwatching are September, November, February and April.
Duration: 2 days /1 night, (longer and custom made is possible)
Experience the thrill of camping in the jungle. Sitting around the campfire you listen to the sounds of the jungle. During the night the camp staff will stay awake and wake you up when an animal is in the area. We provide all the required camping gear.
You can camp in the northwest part of Bardia National Park, where the Karnali river splits up in many branches. You can reach this spot only by jeep. You can explore the jungle around the camping spot by walk together with your guide or you can throw of your fishing rod. Other camping spots i, you will find along the Babai river. ( see trekking and camping in the Babai Valley)
We also offer great camping experiences near the river bank in the community forest, with a good view on the river and the forest and in the distance the roar of a tiger.
Duration: 2 days /1 night
Sleeping in a treehouse is a great and safe way of experiencing the jungle in the night. It is also fun for children. In the local community forest situated in the wildlife corridor between Bardia National Park and Katarniaghat Wildlife reserve in India, you will find an awesome treehouse. Sitting on the veranda you look out over the grassland where spotted deer graze and many species of bird live. The sunrise and sunset are amazing. With a bit of luck, you might spot a rhino, elephant or a tiger.
Duration: 4 days /3 nights (other itineraries also possible)
This adventurous trek will lead you through the beautiful scenery of the Babai valley situated in the remote northeastern part of Bardia National Park. The trek starts at the Babai river dam near the Mahendra Highway and your final destination after 4 days is up north at Chepang village.
The landscape is characterized by rich biodiversity like grassland, riverine forest and sal forest. There will be good opportunities to see impressive wildlife like groups of elephants, Marsh mugger-, and Gharial crocodiles, great hornbills, sambar deer and otters.
The trek is generally flat although there are some steep hills and rivers to pass. You will sleep in tent along the riverbank in the remote parts of the jungle. The total distance of this trek is approximately 50 km. We provide camping gear, guide and porters.
Duration: 3 days / 2 nights or 4 days /3 nights
This trip is for the adventurers who love to camp in the remote parts in the middle of the jungle. The Babai river flows through the northeastern part of Bardia National Park and offers good opportunities to catch the Mahseer or the catfish. During this trip you’ll also have good chances to see wildlife like elephants, crocodiles, sambar deer and otters.
From the starting point in Chepang you’ll paddle southwest on the Babai river to the Babai river dam. You will stop at different places to fish or to walk into the jungle and put up your camp for the night. If you like to spend more time in the jungle you can choose for the 4 days/3 nights trip.
Duration: full day or multi-day trip
Only 1,5 hour up north by jeep from our home, you can explore the gorgeous Karnali and Bheri river by walk, raft or jeep. This is an area not discovered by tourists yet and you will experience the pure and unspoiled Nepal. The friendly local people will welcome you heartily.
The landscape is very varied and offers you river gorges, white beaches, rice-and wheat fields, forests, and remote mountain villages with authentic houses made of wood and clay. By walk you cross the river by bridges or by small wooden boats. By raft you will admire the rock formations and experience some fast rapids. On the way you can enjoy a refreshing swim in the river.
Many customized one day and multi day hiking, rafting, camping and homestay trips are possible. We are happy to give you more information.
Duration: 4 days/ 3 nights
The Telpani trekking is a beautiful trek in the remote Churiya hills range north of Bardia National Park. The trail starts in Ambassa and takes you up from 250 meter to 1500 meter. From the summit Sukarmala you will see the beauty of Bardia National Park, the Karnali river and the Surkhet valley. On a clear day it’s possible to see the Himalaya on the background!
You’ll sleep in a tent or you stay with local families. The trek will end in Chisapani. A perfect trek to experience the rural mountain life.
Duration: 1 hour
Only 10 minutes walk from our home, you will find the Elephant Breeding Center, especially worth a visit after 4pm when the elephants return from grazing in the park. The domestic elephants in Bardia are mainly used for patrolling in the park and to preserve the Asian elephant.
Duration: 1- 2 hours
Situated in the park headquarters there’s a small but interesting breeding center for Marsh mugger crocodiles, Gharial crocodiles and turtles. Nearby this center lives Shivaram, the domestic Rhino, who was injured as a baby.
Close to the Crocodile Breeding Center there’s a small visitor center and the Tharu museum which has a small but interesting exhibition about the customs and rituals of the Tharu people.
Duration: half day
Close to the capital city of Bardiya district, Gulariya, you will find the blackbuck conservation area where around 200 blackbucks (a species of antelope) live. The area covers 15.95 km2 and was established in 2009 to conserve the endangered blackbuck.
A jeep will bring you in 1 hour from our home to this conservation area. From there you can follow different walking trails and sit in watchtowers from where the blackbucks can easily be seen. You can combine a visit to this area while you are on your way to the airport of Nepalgunj.
