10 Best Things to Do in Chitwan, Nepal (2024)

LOOKING FOR THE BEST THINGS TO DO IN CHITWAN, NEPAL?

You’ve come to the right place! I have been living in Nepal and loved my visit to Chitwan.

Chitwan is great for wildlife spotting, jungle safari, canoeing on the Rapti River or just chilling and watching sunsets.

The town of Sauraha in Chitwan is the main tourist hub where most of the travellers stay. 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.

If you are curious to go on a safari in Bardia, Nepal’s less commercialized jungle, check out my travel guide for Bardia National Park.

How to Get to Chitwan National Park

Kathmandu to Sauraha (Chitwan National Park):

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

For more information, read here my complete guide on how to get from Kathmandu to Chitwan.

Pokhara to Sauraha (Chitwan National Park):

The tourist bus leaves from the Tourist Bus Park in Pokhara around 7am and it takes about 7 hours to reach Sauraha from Pokhara.

Read here my complete guide on how to get from Pokhara to Chitwan.

Chitwan National Park Visitor Information

• Entry fee: Rs. 2,000 for foreigners, Rs. 1,000 for SAARC, and Rs. 150 for Nepalese
• Best time to visit: February – March (During this time the grass is lower and easier to spot wildlife).

10 Best Things to Do in Chitwan

1. Go on a Safari in 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.

Grab your binoculars now and spot wildlife like a pro!

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 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.

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 wish I went in February or March to have better chances of seeing tigers and elephants.

☀️ Don’t forget to pack your sunscreen and sunhat for a safari as it can get hot and sunny in the jungle!

2. 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.

🦏 Don’t miss your chance of spotting elephants, tigers and rhinos and book a 3-day Chitwan Safari here! (Voted 4.6/5 ⭐ on 70 reviews)

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.

3. 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.

💦 Grab your Nalgene water bottle now and stay hydrated in the heat!

4. 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.

5. 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.

The NGO Stand Up 4 Elephants advocate for the better treatment of elephants. They are based near Sauraha also run an elephant sanctuary for 2 freed elephants.

Stand Up 4 Elephants organize information sessions 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.

6. 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).

7. 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.

8. 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.

9. 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.

10. 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

• Shantiko Kitchen: Best for nice ambience, good food, great playlist and supporting the welfare of elephants.
• Greasy Spoon Restaurant: Best for burgers.
• KC’s Restaurant and Bar: Best for chill outdoor garden with great food.

🍽️ For more restaurants, check out my guide on the best restaurants in Sauraha, Chitwan here!

Where to Stay in Chitwan

📍 Best Budget Hotel: Hotel National Park Sauraha

📍 Best Mid-Range Hotel: Chitwan Village Resort

📍 Best High-End Hotel: Sapana Village Lodge

Best Places to Spot Wildlife in Nepal

Chitwan is the most popular place to go on a wildlife safari in Nepal but if you want to visit less touristic places you can check out the Bardia National Park or Koshi Tappu Wildlife Reserve.

• Bardia National Park: best to spot tigers, wild elephants and rhinos
• Koshi Tappu Wildlife Reserve: best to spot winter migratory birds, arna (wild water buffalo), and Gangetic dolphins

🐅 Not sure which safari is better for you? Check out my post on Chitwan vs Bardia National Park here!

FAQs: Best Things to Do in Chitwan, Nepal

What is Chitwan famous for?

Chitwan is the most famous for jungle safaris and spotting wildlife. It can be easily reached from other major cities in Nepal and it has become a very popular destination.

It’s wildlife habitat is famous for tigers, elephants and rhinos. Chitwan has become very touristic so it can be hard to spot wildlife if you only go for a half-day safari.

Your best bet to see wildlife in Chitwan is if you go on multiple day safaris that take you deeper and deeper into the jungle.

What activities can one do in the Chitwan National Park?

The Chitwan National Park is most famous for the jungle safaris and spotting wildlife, such as tigers, elephants or rhinos. However, there is more to Chitwan than just safaris.

In Chitwan, you can go on jungle safari, canoeing, cycling, visit the 20,000 Lake, learn about the Tharu culture or support the rights of elephants.

How many days are enough for Chitwan?

I would say 3 nights in Chitwan is ideal. However, if you are short on time, you can also do it in 2 nights.

Generally, it depends also if you just want to go on a jungle safari or if you want to do more activities in Chitwan apart form the safari. If you want to do 1 day jungle safari+ canoe, then 2 nights should be sufficient.

If you want to do other activities, such as cycling to the 20,000 Lake, exploring the Tharu heritage and cultural programs, or just chill by the riverside, then it is easy to spend 4 nights in Chitwan.

Is it worth going to Chitwan National Park?

Chitwan National Park is definitely worth visiting. Although, it has become very commercialized in the last couple of years, if you like wildlife and up for some adventure in the jungle, Chitwan is a great place.

Chitwan is also easily accessible by bus or plane which make it easy for a trip.

If you are curious to experience jungle safari in a more remote place, check out my travel guide for the Bardia National Park.

Which is the best season to visit Chitwan National Park?

The best time to visit Chitwan National Park in between February-March. During this time, the grass inside the park is lower and it is easier to spot wildlife.

The grass usually grows very tall during the monsoon season (June-August) and due to that it is more difficult to spot wildlife when the grass is tall.

The villagers cut the grass around February for feeding their livestock, thus, around February-March, you will get the best visibility inside Chitwan National Park.

Conclusion

In conclusion, Chitwan National Park is a popular destination for spotting wildlife in Nepal. Chitwan is most famous for spotting elephants, tigers and rhinos and there are different types of safaris that you can choose from.

Apart from the jungle safaris, you can also go canoing on the River Rapti, cycle to the 20,000 Lake, watch a Tharu cultural program or just chill at one of the many restaurants in Sauraha.