Chitwan is located in the southern part of Nepal, close to the border with India. It is popular to come to Chitwan to visit the Chitwan National Park to see wildlife and to also to enjoy the sunset views by the river. The town of Sauraha is the main hub where most of the tourists stay during their visit. The starting point for the safari is from the Sunset Point in Sauraha so it makes it easy if you are already staying in Sauraha. Read further and check out the best things to do in Chitwan.

If you want to check out Nepal’s more authentic jungle, check out my travel guide for Bardia National Park.

Information for Visiting Chitwan National Park

How to Get to Chitwan

• From Kathmandu: The tourist bus leaves from Sorhakhutte (near Thamel) in the morning around 7 am. It takes about 8 hours to reach Sauraha (main tourist town near Chitwan National Park).
• From Pokhara: The tourist bus leaves from the Tourist Bus Park in Pokhara around 7am. It takes about 7 hours to reach Sauraha from Pokhara.

Chitwan National Park Information

• Entry fee: Rs. 2,000 for foreigners
• Best time to visit: February – March (During this time the grass is lower and easier to spot wildlife).

The Best Things to Do in Chitwan

Go on a Safari (jeep/walk) in the Chitwan National Park

Price:

• Half Day Jeep Safari: Rs. 2,500/person (Between 7-11 am or 1-5 pm)
• Full Day Jeep Safari: around USD 120/day (Rs. 16,000). This cost is shared between everyone in the jeep, so if you join other people you can split the cost.

Wildlife in Chitwan National Park: There are more than 700 species of animals in the Chitwan National Park including tigers, elephants, rhinos, monkeys, deer, crocodiles, lizards and pythons.

Best way to see wildlife: 2-3 days walking safari or full day jeep safari. If you go on a longer walking safari, you will be able to go deeper into the jungle and thus, having a bigger chance of spotting wildlife.

I visited the Chitwan National Park in the month of November and during this time, the grass in the park was very high – which made it difficult to spot wildlife. The best time to visit the park is in February and March during which time the grass has been cut and it is easier to spot animals.

I went only on a half day jeep safari and we were not able to spot tigers or elephants. We only spot a rhino, python, deer, crocodile, monkeys and deer. I still enjoyed the safari but I plan to go back in February or March to have better chances of seeing tigers and elephants.

Canoe Down the Rapti River

Price: 1 hour canoeing on the river: Rs. 1,000 canoeing + costs for guide.

If you are up for an adventure canoeing down the Rapti River is for you. The canoe takes you on about 1 hour ride on the river full of crocodiles. Each canoe can accommodate up to 10 people. It is a basic canoe and it is a bit scary as balancing the canoe takes some effort. After the canoe ride, you will also walk through the jungle to get back to Sauraha. The canoeing is best for spotting birds and crocodiles.

Rent a Bike and Cycle to the 20,000 Lake (Bis Hazari Lake)

• Price for renting a bike: Rs. 300/half a day and Rs 500/whole day.
• How to get to Bis Hazari Lake: 30-40 minutes bike ride from town.

The Bis Hazari Lake is near Sauraha and it is a great place for bird spotting. It is popular to rent bikes in Sauraha and cycle to the lake in the morning. Make sure to leave early as it can get hot during the day.

Chill and Watch the Sunset from the Riverwalk/Sunset Point

After a day of safari, there is nothing better to do than to relax and chill by the riverside in Sauraha. If you walk to the Sunset Point/Riverwalk, you will find many restaurants by the riverside. It is a perfect place to relax and see the sunset over the Rapti River.

Stand Up 4 Elephants

Chitwan has had a bad reputation on the treatment of elephants for a long time. Many activities in Chitwan centre around elephant tourism (riding elephants, washing elephants or visiting the Elephant Breeding Centre). However, the elephants kept for tourism go through a cruel training called “crushing” in which they are tortured and their spirits are crushed when they are young. The elephants are then kept for tourism purposes and are chained for the rest of their lives.

I came across the NGO Stand Up 4 Elephants while I was visiting the restaurant Shantiko Kitchen in Sauraha. Stand Up 4 Elephants advocate for the better treatment of elephants and also run an elephant sanctuary for 2 freed elephants. They organize an information session about the welfare of elephants every day at 2 pm but you have to sign up the day before. You can sign up through their Facebook page or by visiting Shantiko Kitchen in Sauraha.

Watch a Tharu Cultural Program

The Tharu ethnic group are the original inhabitants of the Tarai region of Nepal (where Chitwan is located). In Sauraha, you will be able to experience a traditional tharu cultural program including dances and information on tharu culture.

Sauraha Tharu Village PVT

Entry fee: Rs 200 (museum + cultural show)

The dance show at Sauraha Tharu Village starts every day at 7 pm. It is 1 hour long during which there is also a narrator that explains the significance of every dance. There is also a small museum section consisting of typical tharu houses that you can check out before the show.  I liked that you can try some tharu food at the venue, including snails and the tharu thali set (sticky rice, fish or duck meat).

Visit the Tharu Cultural Museum and Research Centre

• Entry fee: Rs. 200 (SAARC and foreigners)
• Location: 20 mins walk from central Sauraha. Slightly out of town but it is a nice walk through the non-touristy part of Sauraha.

If you have some extra time while you are in Sauraha, visiting the Tharu Cultural Museum and Research Centre can be a great stop to learn about the Tharu culture. The exhibition is inside a house built in traditional tharu style and I really liked the old photographs depicting tharu culture.

Try Authentic Tharu Food

If you are in Sauraha, make sure to try some typical tharu food. Tharu food is famous for sticky rice, fish, snails and duck items. If you are vegetarian, there are also options for vegetarian meals.

Visit the Wildlife Museum

Entry fee: Rs. 100

If you have done the jungle walk and canoeing on the river and still have some time to spend in Sauraha, visiting the Wildlife Museum can be an option. It is a small museum near the Sunset Viewpoint. The exhibition displays information about animals that can be found in the Chitwan National Park. Some information is only in Nepali but the infographics have pictures so even non-Nepali speakers can understand it.

Check out the Lamo Waterfall/Lamo Jharana

The waterfall is about 60 metres tall and it is a great place to visit if you like waterfalls. However, it is quite far away from Sauraha and is near the highway between Mugling and Sauraha. Thus, visiting the Lamo Waterfall/Lamo Jharana is the easiest for those who are visiting Chitwan with their own transportation.

Restaurants in Sauraha

Check out my post on the best restaurants in Sauraha, Chitwan.

• Shantiko Kitchen: Best for nice ambience, good food, great playlist and supporting the welfare of elephants.
• Friends Cafe: Best for rooftop and affordable prices.
• Greasy Spoon Restaurant: Best for burgers.
• Art Cafe: Best restaurant with artistic atmosphere.
• Sunset View Restaurant and Bar: Best for sunset by the Rapti River.
• KC’s Restaurant and Bar: Best for chill outdoor garden with great food.

Hotels in Chitwan

Budget Hotels (USD 5-15/night)

Bamby Chilling House: Best for sunset views by the river. Booking.com

Tara Guesthouse: Best budget accommodation, friendly owners and location is near the Rapti River. Booking.com

Hotel National Park Sauraha: Great hospitality, good value for money. Booking.com

Mid-Range Hotels (USD 20-25/night)

Jungle Wildlife Camp: Booking.com

Chitwan Village Resort: Booking.com

Hotel Rhino Land: Booking.com

High-End Hotels (USD 50-100/night)

Green Mansions Jungle Resort: Booking.com

River View Jungle Camp: Booking.com