Koshi Tappu Wildlife Reserve (things to do, best time to visit, how to get there)
The Koshi Tappu Wildlife Reserve is the only wildlife reserve in Nepal and it was declared a wildlife reserve in 1976. It is most known for its habitat of arna (wild water buffalo) and many different species of birds (including migratory birds in winter). The Wildlife Reserve is located in Eastern Nepal, in the Tarai Region.
Visiting the Koshi Tappu Wildlife Reserve is a good alternative to Chitwan or Bardia if you would like to discover the wildlife of Nepal in a less touristic environment. Although, it is the best place for bird enthusiasts and for seeing the wild water buffalos, you can also find other animals here including elephants, dolphins, crocodiles, deer, wild boars and jackals. Want to know how to budget and cut down the costs of visiting Koshi Tappu? Check out this guide on how to budget for visiting the Koshi Tappu Wildlife Reserve.
How to Travel to the Koshi Tappu Wildlife Reserve
There are two ways to get to the Koshi Tappu Wildlife Reserve: you can either take a bus or fly to Biratnagar.
By Bus
To get to Koshi Tappu, you will have to take a bus or minivan going towards Biratnagar or Itahari. Depending on where you are travelling from, the journey can take between 11-15 hours by bus. The bus ticket prices range from Rs. 1,800-2-500.
Once you are in Koshi Tappu, most likely you will have to get off at Nahar Chowk (Koshi Tappu Gate) but it is best if you check with your hotel the nearest stop to your hotel.
For more detailed information, read my article on How to Travel to Koshi Tappu by Bus.
By Plane
If you prefer to take a short 40 minutes flight to Biratnagar (instead of the 15 hours bus ride), you can find flight options on the Buddha Air’s website. Buddha Air is one of the more reliable plane companies in Nepal. A one-way ticket for foreigners cost USD 100 from Kathmandu to Biratnagar. Once you get to Biratnagar, there are many buses going towards the direction of Koshi Tappu. From Biratnagar, it can take about 1.5 hours to reach Koshi Tappu by bus.
Information on Visiting the Koshi Tappu Wildlife Reserve
Best Time to Visit
- October – November: Best time to see summer birds and wild elephants
- December – January: Best time to see winter migratory birds (But keep in mind that during winter, it gets cold in the Tarai region of Nepal with thick fog and little sunlight during the day).
- February – March: Best time to see wild elephants (they say during this time, wild elephants even wander into the nearby villages)
Entry Fee
- For Foreigners: Rs. 1,500/day (if you want to enter the Wildlife Reserve for multiple days, you will have to buy a new ticket for each day)
- Nepalese: Rs. 100
Guide Rules and Costs
Is the guide mandatory? No.
For the Koshi Tappu Wildlife Reserve, it is not mandatory to have a guide. The east side of the Koshi Tappu Wildlife Reserve can be easily visited in one day without a guide. However, having a guide can help in spotting the different species of animals and provide extra knowledge about the Wildlife Reserve.
Guide Costs: Around Rs. 4,000/day
The costs can be shared within a group of people, however, there are not as many tourists in Koshi Tappu than for example in Chitwan, so you will not be able to join other people on the spot. If you want to split the costs, it is easier if you already come in a group.
Animal Species in the Koshi Tappu Wildlife Reserve
| Main Mammals | Arna (wild water buffalo), Asian wild elephants, Gangetic dolphin, Fishing cat, Blue bull, Hog Deer, Spotted Deer |
| Main Reptiles | Asian Rock Python, Golden Monitor Lizard |
| Main Birds | Swamp Francolin, Bengal Florican, White-rumped Vulture, winter migratory birds |
Visiting the Koshi Tappu Wildlife Reserve (safari, viewpoints, budget tips)
How to Get Around the Koshi Tappu Wildlife Reserve
- Walk: There are walking safaris organised usually with guides. It is best if you are a bird enthusiast and the guides will take you to the best spots for bird watching.
- By Scooter: You can hire a guide with a scooter too – which can be a good option if you are travelling solo. The “main road” around Koshi is paved with concrete but there are usually only a few people visiting the reserve. (It is not like in Chitwan where you have jeep after jeep following each other, scaring away the animals). So I found that even with the noise of the scooter, the animals come very close, even by the side of the road.
- By Tuktuk: Hiring a driver with a tuktuk for a day is the most budget friendly option. The downside is that the tuktuk drivers will most likely not speak English and will not be able to tell you about the animals found in the reserve. Nevertheless, they will take you around the best spots for spotting animals. Price of hiring a tuktuk with driver for a day: Rs. 2,000.
How Many Days to Spend in Koshi Tappu?
- 1 day: If you are short on time and good to discover the most popular spots in Koshi Tappu, one day is sufficient. In the span of one day, you are most likely to spot the following animals: arna (wild water buffalo), lots of different types of birds, deer, dolphins, wild boars. (if you’re lucky: crocodiles and wild elephants)
- Multiple days: If you have more than one day, you can generally get a customized tour of your preference. During this time, you will have the chance to go deeper into the Koshi Tappu Wildlife Reserve and pass by boat from island to island. The more time you have, the more chance you get of spotting different types of animals.
Wildlife Viewpoints
Arna Viewpoint
Apart from the various species of birds found in Koshi Tappu, the Wildlife Reserve is most known for the arna (wild water buffalo). The reserve has been doing extra work to preserve and grow the population of arna in Koshi Tappu, and it is the only place where you can find arna in Nepal. From the Arna Viewpoint, the arna can still be located quite a bit away and you may not get good views. I was there with a guide and we braved to go into the reserve for a better view. Still, if you decide to do the same, be careful not to go too close as the animals may charge at you.
Crocodile Viewpoint
The Crocodile Viewpoint is near the Arna Viewpoint. The view tower overlooks a small pond which is frequently inhabited by crocodiles. When I visited during the winter season in Nepal, the water levels were low and during that time the crocodiles usually do not go there. So I was not able to see crocodiles here.
Dolphin Viewpoint
The Dolphin Viewpoint is actually not located in the Koshi Tappu Wildlife Reserve but by the Koshi Barrage. The type of dolphin in the Koshi River is the Gangetic Dolphin. You can hire a tuktuk to bring you here and it should cost around Rs. 100-200 to get there from the main touristic area of Koshi Tappu. The dolphins usually come out when it is sunny, so you have the best chance to see the dolphins if the weather is good. I managed to see a couple of dolphins once the sun came out but could not get a photo of them.
What to Bring to Koshi Tappu?
Binoculars (optional): if you hire a guide, you will be able to use the binoculars of your guide. If you plan to spend multiple days here and come here to see specific animals, it may be best to bring your own binoculars. I only used the binoculars of my guide and I was pretty happy with that.
What Else to Do in Koshi Tappu?
There is not much else in the close vicinity of Koshi Tappu other then the Wildlife Reserve but you can discover the village areas.
Discover the Villages
The Koshi Tappu is in the Tarai region of Nepal which is mostly inhabited by the tharu ethnic group. Walking around the villages is a great way to see traditional tharu houses.
Check Out the Information Centre
The Information Centre is near the ticket counter where you can buy your entry ticket to the wildlife reserve. To be honest, the exhibition is very small, with only a few animals on display and not much information. They have a miniature of the Koshi Tappu Reserve showing the various viewpoints and best spots for specific animals. I probably liked this the most as I could get a better visual idea of the animals found in the reserve.
Hotels in Koshi Tappu
Generally, it is hard to find information on accommodation in Koshi Tappu. The accommodations are not available for booking on online (like booking.com or Agoda), so the best thing to do is to check a few accommodations on Google and call for rates and packages.
Budget
Rate: Rs 2,500/night (including breakfast, lunch and dinner)
Bookings can be arranged through their Facebook or call (00977)9862454344.
Mid-Range
Rate: Rs. 3,000/night (excluding food)
The rooms are in separate “tiny houses” built using materials traditional in the Tarai region of Nepal. Each room have AC and private bathroom. Call for bookings: (00977)9846660419.
