Bardia National Park tour

Bardia National Park is like a box of chocolate that offers full of surprises. Unspoiled nature, rare wild animals, authentic Tharu culture and little adventures never fail to amaze you. Unlike Chitwan National Park, Bardia is yet to commercialize. Choose Bardia National Park Tour and venture into the forest or canoe down the river, you will hardly spot another human.

Bardia National Park is the largest and unspoiled national park of Nepal. It lies in the southern plains of Nepal. Bardia is a different landscape than most tourists think of about Nepal. Bardia is a tropical paradise of unspoiled wilderness, rare wild animals, vast forests, and exotic Tharu community.

Bardia borders with Karnali river in the west and Siwalik hills in the north. Babai river passes through the national park. It is also connected with Banke National Park. Both national parks together are a tiger conservation area. In the outskirts of the national park, the indigenous Tharu community lives. They have their own language, customs, and traditions.

The national park spreads over 968 square kilometers (374 sq mi). It is a home to 642 species of animals, 407 species of bird and 125 species of fish. The protected area has rare animals such as Bengal tigers, one-horned rhino, Gangetic dolphin, swamp deer, and wild elephant.

You can take a walk, hire a bicycle or tour on a motorcycle to experience the beautiful countryside. You can meet friendly Tharu people, join them in fishing, dancing and cooking their typical ethnic dishes. You cannot afford to miss mingling with local people, even though you are in a national park.

If you want to experience Bardia National Park, do not be in hurry. We recommend you to take your time and arrange four to five days to enjoy the park. This will provide you with enough opportunities to discover the national park in different ways. A short trip is possible. But if you want to watch rare wildlife in their natural habitat, patience is what you need the most.

Cost of Bardia National Park Tour: US$ 150 Per Person Per Night

The cost of Bardia National Park tour depends on the duration of stay and activities. We offer Bardia jungle safari tours starting at US$ 150 per person per night. The package includes the cost of:

• National Park entry fee
• Accommodation and food (breakfast, lunch, dinner)
• Wildlife/safari guide, all excursions
• Tharu cultural performance

Cost Excludes:

• International flights
• Transfer to and from the airport to the national park
• Two-way domestic flight
• Visa charges
• Personal expenses
• Food and drinks in Kathmandu

4 Days Itinerary of Bardia National Park Tour

We have a 4-day itinerary for the Bardia National Park tour where you get to enjoy the most exotic wildlife, alluring rivers, and the ethnic Tharu people. If you wish to spend extra days on this tour, we are happy to customize the tour as per your preferences. But for this, you have to inform us beforehand the trip so that we can arrange the flights and accommodations.

Day 01: Flight from Kathmandu to Nepalgunj and Transfer to Bardia National Park

Flight from Kathmandu to Nepalgunj takes an hour. From Nepalgunj airport, we will transfer you to Thakurdwara. Thakurdwara is a beautiful village at the entry point of the national park. We drive for around two hours from Nepalgunj to reach this entry point to the National Park.

Day 02: Full Day Jungle Walk

You will go for a full day jungle walk into the national park and track wild animals. Our experienced guides will guide you through the forest. Our crew will ensure your safety. You will carry a lunch pack from the resort in the morning. You may spot a tiger, rhino or other animals.

Day 03: Jeep Safari, Canoe Ride, Tharu Cultural Show

You will go on a jeep safari, deep into the national park. You will carry a lunch pack with you and stop at viewing spots, rivers and riverside to wait and watch wild animals. Depending on your preference, you can customize with other activities to do inside the National Park.

You can go rafting or canoeing in the river for a few hours. In the evening, you will take part in a Tharu cultural show. Tharu artists perform their traditional dances and rituals. This will be an exciting opportunity to interact with and observe Tharu traditions.

Day 04: Transfer to Nepalgunj and Return Flight to Kathmandu

The next day, we will return to Nepalgunj by an around 2 hours ride and take a flight back to Kathmandu.

Getting to Bardia National Park

You may either take a short flight from Kathmandu or take a bus ride to reach to the Bardia National Park. The flight takes around 55 minutes from Kathmandu to Nepalgunj Airport. From the Airport, you will have to drive for two hours to reach the entry point of the national park. Or, you can drive from Kathmandu to Bardia. It takes 11 to 12 hours in public bus. Buses ply from Gongabu bus park in Kathmandu. On this Bus trip, you will cover around 580 kilometers.

Best Time for Bardia National Park Tour

Bardia can be visited all year round. The best season for Bardia National Park Tour is during autumn, winter and early summer. Days will be warm during these season with cool nights. Peak summer days get hot and rainy seasons may witness floods near the riverbanks. Bardia will still have its charms to offer in all seasons.

Tips for Bardia National Park Tour

A trip to Bariya National Park is beautiful yet comes with some dangers. Visiting a national park opens up some safety issues. But, it can be minimized with a few safety precautions. We recommend general and safety tips to make your trip enjoyable and responsible.

• Do not throw rubbish in the forest.
• Do not hurt or kill animals. If you find any injured animals, inform the national park officials.
• Do not disturb wild animals, their habitat and damage plants. Respect their presence and do not encroach. Remember, you are at their home.
• Do not bring any animal parts you may find in the jungle. That is considered illegal in Nepal.
• Always follow the instructions of guides. You will be accompanied by two guides.
• During the jungle walk, you may be attacked by rhino, tiger, snake or bear. Remain alert, and follow the instructions given by guides.
• Do not make noise during jungle walk or safari.
• Carry walking sticks. It works as a safety weapon too.
• We recommend not to bring along small children to jungle walk who may make noise.
• Do not put perfume or cologne during the jungle walk.
• Protect yourself from mosquito bites.
• Wear clothes to protect from heat and insect bites.
• Put on comfortable shoes.
• Never leave your group or guide. The jungle is lush and dangerous at the same time. You may miss the trail easily.
• If you want to photograph do not go too near to the wildlife. They may attack you.
• Do not try to feed elephants at the breeding center or any animals you meet on your tour. They may cause you harm.

Is Bardia National Park Safe for the Travellers?

On this Bardia National Park tour, you will be walking inside the National park maintained by the National Park Conservation Committee and the locals. And the trails inside the park are well-maintained.

So, if you follow your guide’s instruction and take necessary precautions as we suggest then the National Park is completely safe for the exploration. But, roaming around avoiding the tour guide’s instruction may turn life-threatening in the world of wildlife.

Major Attractions of Bardia National Park Tour

Jungle Walk

In this tour, you will be walking on your foot to the habitat of the diverse wildlife, flora, and fauna inside the National Park. A jungle walk is an exciting and thrilling way of watching wildlife and birds.

Our experienced guides will lead you through the forest canopy. You will track the wild animals following their markings, traces, and footprints. Our guides are experts in spotting wild animals in their natural habitat in a safe way. They use sound, smell and the smallest clues left by animals to track them. You will walk through the bush, rest below the trees, climb view towers and sit at river banks to wait for animals.

Although half day jungle walk is possible, we recommend you to take the full day or overnight tours for best experiences. You can also combine Jeep safari with half day jungle walk. Jungle walk is also the most eco-friendly way of traveling in the jungle.

Jeep Safari

Jeep safari takes you deep into the jungle, giving you chances of watching different flora and fauna. On this Jungle Safari, instead of walking inside the forests you will drive to the nearby habitats of the wildlife in a Jeep. You will stop at view towers and hot spots of animals.

You can customize jeep safari as per your needs and preference. You can do a whole day jeep safari or combine half day with jungle walk, canoeing or boating.

Canoeing and Boating in the Rivers

We provide boating and canoeing in the major rivers and tributaries passing through the national park. You can canoe or raft in Karnali, Geruwa or Babai river. The river flows slow and calm with very little rapids. It is an excellent opportunity to watch animals, birds, reptiles, crocodiles, and alligators. You may also spot rare Gangetic dolphin during this trip.

You can also plan for multi-day rafting in Karnali and Bheri river or combine with fishing trips. But, for the fishing trips, you need to buy permits and proper gears. We will take care of it. You will only enjoy the fishing trip without bothering about the legal formalities.

Birdwatching

Bardia National Park is a habitat of 407 species of birds. This is one of the best places to spot rare and endangered birds. Some species of birds are Bengal florican, white-rumped vulture, peafowl, bar-headed geese. Carry a binocular or a telephoto lens to get close up view of birds perched on tree or flying.

Best birding opportunities are during jungle walk or canoeing trips. September to November and February to April are the best months to watch birds.

Elephant Breeding Center

Elephant breeding center lies near the border of the national park. You can reach there by taking a short walk. The breeding center houses domesticated elephants that day-patrol the national park. You can have close look at the giant animals to walk the Earth. You may find playful elephants calves too.

If you have time, you can partake in the Elephant’s Bathe in the rivers. It is such an amazing moment to spend time with playful elephants.

Crocodile Breeding Center and Tharu Museum

A crocodile breeding center is located inside the headquarters of the national park. It is a small yet, interesting center that breeds mugger crocodiles, alligators, and turtles. If you love these prehistoric-looking reptiles, this will be an interesting visit.

Close to crocodile breeding center is a Tharu museum. It showcases the customs and rituals of Tharu people. Additionally, your hotel or resort will organize the cultural show in the evening.

Final Say,

Bardia National Park Tour is a short and easy exploration into the wild of the Bardia region. This tour promises you an exquisite time with various wildlife, lush forests, and the typical Tharu ethnicities.

If you wish to join this tour, you can contact us. We promise you to plan the best itinerary that fits you.