Planning a trip to Chitwan with your dear ones? Grate choice of destination indeed. Chitwan itself is one of the most culturally and wilderness significant in southern Nepal with its ethnic Tharu communities and Chitwan national park. Strolling through the jungles of Chitwan, exploring the Tharu delicacy, and participating in a visit to the Chitwan national park will prove to be the perfect complement to your Chitwan visit. However, with a typically tropical humid climate, it can be difficult for you to travel and have fun if you do not consider some specific seasons/months to travel to Chitwan.
Additionally, Chitwan witnesses three main seasons with humidity throughout the year. Ideally, the buffer season of winter and fall are the best times to travel to Chitwan because of the relatively cool weather and rain-free atmosphere.
Winter is an ideal season to visit Chitwan and specifically, Chitwan national park. The Chitwan national park apart from being one of the world’s second-largest protected areas for the rhino and the Bengal tiger also gives shelter to exotic species like sloth bears, endangered gharial crocodiles, leopards, and hundreds of other bird and animal species. In winter, because of the cold atmosphere and the dry season, it becomes optimum to watch wildlife in their natural habitat. The levels of humidity in Chitwan remain high even during the winter months, December, January, and February. As a result, the mornings in Chitwan during these months are often foggy with dewdrops hanging around in the misty atmosphere. Even though the nights and mornings are particularly cold, the afternoon temperatures stay pleasantly warm, ranging between 20-25ᴼC. Among these three months, January and February are the coldest months with temperatures reaching single digits, sometimes even reaching the freezing point at night. During the months of January and February, Locals cut the grass in the jungle which greatly improves the visibility of the animals. During this time if you visit the national park, you will observe animals, sometimes as close as a few feet away.
In Nepal, fall typically begins in mid-September and lasts through November. During the months of September, October, and November, the temperature in Chitwan is mild and nights are clear. Comparatively the days in fall are more pleasant than in Summer and spring. Due to the gentle temperature, it's easy traveling in Chitwan during the fall as you will not sweat a lot and experience a lot of hustle and bustle touring.
You might consider traveling to Chitwan during Spring like any other destination to travel in perfect weather with flowers and sun. But, in Chitwan, you might want to think about traveling during Spring again. Humidity is at its lowest in March, April, and May but the temperatures gradually get super hot with each progressing day, with the period from May to early June being the hottest days. The animals can be frequently seen trying to cool themselves in water holes, rivers, and lakes. However, the days can get extremely sunny and hot with temperatures that may reach up to 40ᴼC.
While the Summer (pre-monsoon) sets in during May, by the time June begins, the south-easterly winds from the Bay of Bengal bring heavy precipitation with extremely high humidity. If you are thinking about taking jeep safaris in Chitwan national park during these months of June, July, August, and September, good luck. Jeep safaris become increasingly problematic during these months due to heavy rain and the flooding of tracks in the forest.
Additionally, the town of Sauraha also tends to drown in the deluge in these times, which leads to the shutting down of a lot of lodging options for the duration of the season. The animals are rarely observable in this weather, but leeches abound in this wet season. So beware of these little critters if you are visiting during Summer as they are usually not noticeable when they latch on. If you do find one on your body, it is advisable to leave them alone till they finish their business and fall off on their own. If they make you too squeamish, you can also ask your guide to help you get them off.
